Episode 4: There's nothing wrong with Rhiannon

ADHD, Autism & Late Diagnosis: When One Diagnosis Leads to Another

What happens when an ADHD diagnosis isn’t the full picture?

In this episode of Motherhood: Unmasked & Unfiltered, Rhiannon shares what happened after being diagnosed with ADHD — when medication, self-awareness, and deeper reflection started to reveal something more: autism.

This is an honest conversation about what it’s like to navigate multiple neurodivergent diagnoses as an adult, including the confusion, the validation, and the emotional impact of realising that your brain works differently in more ways than you first thought.

Rhiannon takes us through her autism diagnosis process, what the assessment actually involves, and the moment she received confirmation — despite already “knowing.” She also shares how years of being dismissed, misdiagnosed, or gaslit made that moment both validating and overwhelming.

This episode also explores the overlap between ADHD and autism (AuDHD), including shared traits like sensory sensitivities, executive dysfunction, emotional regulation challenges, and hyperfocus — and why it can be so hard to tell where one ends and the other begins.

If you’ve ever wondered whether your ADHD diagnosis explains everything — or if there might be more to your experience — this episode will resonate.

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What We Talk About in This Episode

• What happens after an ADHD diagnosis
• Realising there may be more than just ADHD
• The process of getting an autism diagnosis as an adult
• Differences between psychiatrists and psychologists in diagnosis
• Masking and why autism is often missed in women
• Being dismissed or gaslit by professionals and others
• Sensory sensitivities (sleep, touch, environment)
• Stimming and self-soothing behaviours
• The emotional impact of receiving a second diagnosis
• Grief vs validation in late diagnosis
• ADHD vs autism vs AuDHD
• Hyperfocus vs special interests
• How neurodivergent brains show love, care and support differently

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Key Takeaways

• Many women receive an ADHD diagnosis first, only to later realise they may also be autistic (AuDHD).
• Autism in women often looks very different from stereotypes, which is why it is frequently missed or dismissed.
• Diagnosis can be both validating and confronting — bringing clarity, but also grief for years spent struggling without answers.
• Sensory needs, stimming, and routines are not “quirks” — they are important ways neurodivergent individuals regulate themselves.
• There is significant overlap between ADHD and autism, and many people experience both (AuDHD).
• Understanding your brain allows you to support yourself better and build a life that works for you.

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Who This Episode Is For

This episode is for:

• Women with ADHD
• Women who think they might also be autistic
• Late diagnosed ADHD or autistic women
• Neurodivergent mums
• Women exploring AuDHD (ADHD + autism)
• Women who feel like ADHD doesn’t fully explain their experience
• Women who have been dismissed, misunderstood or misdiagnosed
• Women wanting to better understand their brain

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A Message From This Episode

If something in this episode resonates, it doesn’t mean something is wrong with you.

It might just mean you’re starting to understand yourself.

You are not “too much.”
You are not “too sensitive.”
You are not broken.

You might just be neuro-sparkly — in more ways than you realised.

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Follow & Connect

Follow the podcast on Instagram for clips, relatable content and conversations about:

ADHD in women, autism in women, late diagnosis and neurodivergent motherhood

Instagram: @motherhoodunmaskedunfiltered

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Subscribe & Follow the Podcast

Follow Motherhood: Unmasked & Unfiltered so you don’t miss upcoming episodes on:

• ADHD in women
• Autism in women
• AuDHD (ADHD + autism)
• Late diagnosis
• Neurodivergent motherhood
• Executive dysfunction
• Emotional regulation
• Sensory overwhelm
• Masking and burnout

New episodes released every Thursday.