Dr Khurram Sadiq - renowned psychiatrist and AuDHDer - joins us to help explain AuDHD. In this powerful first half of our conversation, we unpack his own diagnostic journey, what it means to live between ADHD and autism, and why this combination deserves more recognition. We explore how gender, culture, and systemic pressures influence diagnosis, and why many of us are missed or misunderstood for decades. Dr Sadiq also shares his perspective on whether ADHD and autism exist on a shared spectrum - and how we can begin to differentiate between similar traits. Part two of our chat is out next week!
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Key moments:
4:39 – Dr Sadiq shares his upbringing and the early signs of neurodivergence he experienced, including the emotional toll of trying to conform in a neurotypical world
15:04 – The unexpected journey that led him into mental health
17:20 – How Dr Sadiq came to be diagnosed as AuDHD himself
23:15 – What he now recognises in hindsight from his childhood and adolescence
26:13 – Why he chose to specialise in autism + ADHD - and what he's learned from that path
27:15 – How he believes neurodivergence should be diagnosed - and what’s missing in the current system
30:21 – Dr Sadiq breaks down how he defines ADHD, autism, and how they overlap
34:19 – A compelling story of a woman who denied her diagnosis - and what that says about stigma
36:35 – What really “causes” neurodivergent conditions? Dr Sadiq explains what the research tells us (and what it doesn’t)
37:45 – A fascinating hypothesis about genetics and brain development
41:35 – How gender, culture, and hormones all impact how neurodevelopmental conditions manifest - and why women and AFAB people are often missed
44:41 – How societal expectations around women’s roles can delay diagnosis and support
46:07 – How systemic pressure (not just individual traits) influences how autism and ADHD show up
48:45 – Are autism and ADHD truly separate conditions - or part of a shared spectrum?
50:58 – How to tell the difference between autistic “indifference” and ADHD “inattention"
52:58 – Distraction or sensory overload? Understanding how they can look the same but feel different
55:15 – Why some ADHDers speak without a filter, while autistic people often struggle with social nuance
58:30 – Is it over-talking, or talking with passion?
59:56 – The paradoxes of living with AuDHD - where traits seem to contradict themselves.
1:01:30 – Understanding the spectrum of autism: what's the difference between profound autism and levels 1–3?
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