💙 Key Messages (Start Here)
- You are not broken
- You are not alone
- You are not “less than” anyone else
👉 You are different — and that is okay
💬 Powerful Statement
“I am not broken. I just need the right support.”
🧠 What are Autism and ADHD?
Autism and ADHD are brain-based neurodevelopmental conditions.
They are:
- Not bad
- Not caused by parenting
- Not something to “fix”
👉 They mean people experience the world differently.
🧩 Autism
Autism is a lifelong developmental condition.
It affects how a person:
- Thinks
- Feels
- Communicates
- Socialises
- Experiences the world
🌈 Spectrum Meaning
Autism is a spectrum:
- Everyone is different
- Support needs vary
- Strengths and challenges differ
🧠 Autism and the Nervous System
Autism can affect:
- Sensory processing
- Stress response system
- Emotional regulation
- Brain communication
⚡ This can lead to:
- Sensory overload
- Meltdowns or shutdowns
- High anxiety or fatigue
🔊 Sensory Differences
People may be:
- Over-sensitive (too much input)
- Under-sensitive (too little input)
Examples:
- Loud noise feels painful
- Bright lights feel overwhelming
- Crowds feel confusing or stressful
🧠 Communication Differences
Autistic people may:
- Take language literally
- Struggle with sarcasm
- Find eye contact difficult
- Prefer clear instructions
- Need extra processing time
🔄 Routine & Change
- Routines feel safe
- Change can feel stressful
- Even small changes (like routes or plans) can feel overwhelming
👉 Many autistic people are sensitive to unexpected change
💡 Important Awareness Point
It is important to:
- Make people aware of changes
- Give time to adjust
- Explain clearly what is happening
👉 Change itself (good or bad) can still feel difficult.
💙 Autism Strengths
Autistic people may have:
- Strong focus
- Creativity
- Honesty
- Attention to detail
- Deep interests
⚡ ADHD
ADHD affects:
- Attention
- Focus
- Impulses
- Activity levels
👀 Common Signs
- Easily distracted
- Hyperactivity
- Impulsivity
- Difficulty finishing tasks
🧠 ADHD Strengths
- Creativity
- High energy
- Problem solving
- Hyperfocus on interests
🧩 Autism & ADHD Together
Some people have both Autism and ADHD.
👉 This is called co-occurrence
Shared traits:
- Sensory differences
- Emotional overwhelm
- Sleep difficulties
- Executive functioning challenges
- Anxiety
🧠 Executive Function Difficulties
This can affect:
- Planning
- Organisation
- Time management
- Starting tasks
- Finishing tasks
😟 Anxiety
What is Anxiety?
Feeling:
- Worried
- Nervous
- Fearful
Signs:
- Fast heartbeat
- Overthinking
- Restlessness
- Avoidance
Support:
- Calm reassurance
- Predictability
- Listening
- Breathing strategies
🌧️ Depression
What is Depression?
A long-lasting low mood.
Signs:
- Low energy
- Withdrawal
- Sadness
- Loss of interest
Support:
- Listening
- Patience
- Encouraging help
- Emotional support
😠 Anger
Anger is a natural emotion.
It can come from:
- Stress
- Fear
- Overload
- Frustration
⚖️ Important Message
👉 Anger is communication, not just behaviour
Support:
- Stay calm
- Give space (if safe)
- Avoid arguing
- Seek help if needed
🧠 Behaviour is Communication
Behaviour may show:
- Overload
- Fear
- Confusion
- Sensory distress
- Emotional pain
👉 Always ask:
“What is this behaviour communicating?”
💔 Meltdowns
Meltdowns are:
- NOT bad behaviour
- NOT deliberate
- NOT “naughty”
They are:
- A response to overwhelm
- A nervous system overload
Support:
- Stay calm
- Reduce noise
- Give space
- Reassure
🏠 Families Need Support Too
Families may:
- Feel overwhelmed
- Not understand behaviours
- Need time to learn
- Need guidance and support
👉 Understanding takes time.
🧠 Nervous System
The nervous system controls:
- Thoughts
- Feelings
- Body responses
⚡ Fight – Flight – Freeze
When stressed:
- Fight → argue
- Flight → escape
- Freeze → shut down
⚠️ Change Awareness (IMPORTANT POINT ADDED)
People with Autism may find:
- Changes in routine difficult
- Unexpected changes overwhelming
- Even positive changes stressful
👉 It is important to:
- Explain changes clearly
- Give advance warning
- Support transition time
🧠 Co-occurring Conditions
People may also have:
- ADHD
- Dyslexia
- Dyspraxia
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Epilepsy
- Learning difficulties
🧬 Nervous System Conditions (Overview)
🧓 Neurodegenerative
- Alzheimer’s
- Parkinson’s
🛡️ Autoimmune
- Multiple sclerosis
- Guillain-Barré syndrome
💪 Neuromuscular
- Muscular dystrophy
- SMA
🧠 Brain Injury / Vascular
- Stroke
- Brain injury
- Tumours
🧠 Mental Health Link
Autism and ADHD are not mental illnesses.
BUT mental health conditions are common alongside them.
Reasons include:
- Sensory overload
- Social stress
- Masking
- Feeling misunderstood
- Constant adaptation
🎭 Masking
Masking means:
- Hiding true feelings
- Copying others
- Trying to “fit in”
👉 This can lead to:
- Exhaustion
- Anxiety
- Depression
💪 Strength-Based View
People may have:
- Creativity
- Deep thinking
- Strong memory
- Passion
- Unique perspectives
🏫 Support Strategies
🧠 Communication
- Clear language
- Step-by-step instructions
- Extra time
🏠 Environment
- Reduce noise
- Calm spaces
- Predictability
❤️ Emotional Support
- Patience
- Reassurance
- Validation
⚠️ Safety
Always:
- Keep people safe
- Stay calm
- Get help if needed
- Use emergency support if required
📞 USA Crisis Support:
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
🧠 Reflection Questions
- What is autism?
- What is ADHD?
- What is anxiety?
- What is a meltdown?
- Why is behaviour communication?
- What is co-occurrence?
🧪 Simple Quiz
Multiple Choice
- Autism and ADHD affect:
- A. Bones
- B. Nervous system ✅
- C. Skin
- Meltdowns are:
- A. Bad behaviour
- B. Overload response ✅
- Anxiety is:
- A. Rare
- B. Common in neurodivergence ✅
🌟 Final Key Messages
- Autism and ADHD are brain differences
- Mental health is part of support
- Behaviour is communication
- Change awareness is important
- Support must be individual
- Strengths matter as much as challenges
- Kindness and patience make a difference
💬 Final Closing Statement
“What looks like bad behaviour is often someone struggling — and it’s understanding and support that makes the difference.”
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