AuDHD recognition map
Find the loops you already live in — subtle patterns at the ADHD × autism intersection, grounded in mechanisms, told in felt language.
One person can have overlapping needs. Start with the patterns you recognize; leave room for what differs.
ADHD
ADHD can affect how attention, activity and impulses are regulated. Starting, switching and organizing everyday tasks may take different kinds of support. The causes are complex; there is no single dopamine explanation for everyone’s experience.
Autism spectrum
Autistic people can differ in communication, sensory processing, interests and their response to change. Patterns of strengths and support needs vary widely. Brain development is still being studied; ‘un-pruned pathways’ is not an established explanation for every autistic person.
AuDHD together
ADHD and autism can co-occur. Some needs may reinforce one another; others can pull in different directions, such as wanting novelty and predictability together. These maps offer patterns to explore, not a universal description of AuDHD or a test of whether your experience counts.
Further reading: NIMH on ADHD · NIMH on autism
Loopfield is not a diagnosis or clinical advice. It maps lived experience and patterns that may help name some of the mystery.