AuDHD

Blooming Differently

By: Leanne Maskell

Narrated by: Leanne Maskell

Living with AuDHD is like being a unicorn—misunderstood, contradictory, and often invisible to others. You shine with creativity and innovation, but struggle to fit in — always feeling 'too much'. Autism and ADHD pull you in opposite directions, creating a lifetime of contradictions no one else can see.

AuDHD isn’t listed in diagnostic manuals because until 2013, you couldn’t be diagnosed with both conditions — despite a co-occurrence rate of approximately 50-70%. These two neurotypes often clash, like opposing magnets in the brain.

• ADHD craves novelty; autism resists change.
• ADHD misses details; autism hyper-focuses on them.
• ADHD perceives time as ‘now or not now’; autism sticks rigidly to schedules.
• ADHD seeks stimulation; autism is easily overwhelmed.
• ADHD thrives in chaos; autism needs structure.
• ADHD says yes; autism says no.
• Autism makes the rules, ADHD breaks them.

If you’re exhausted reading this, just imagine what it’s like to live it.

Leanne Maskell was diagnosed with ADHD at 25, but it took 7 more years to learn she was also autistic. AuDHD: Blooming Differently chronicles her turbulent journey—from a childhood of vulnerability and trauma to a high-achieving model and lawyer, outwardly successful but inwardly struggling.

The book exposes the relentless burnout of not understanding your brain and the power of self-awareness in finally thriving. Today, Leanne is a successful author, coach, and National Specialist Coach of the Year.

More than just a memoir, this book offers practical insights for AuDHD individuals and those who support them—essential for psychiatrists, educators, and anyone seeking to understand neurodivergence.

With lived experience and professional expertise, AuDHD: Blooming Differently is an honest and transformative guide to rewriting the neurodivergent narrative.

©2025 Leanne Maskell (P)2025 Leanne Maskell

Made me think a lot

The book was outstanding it had me reflecting on my own childhood and my patterned behaviors… it also had me thinking about my son and all the things I had missed for him when he was growing up

Great book

You have explained feelings that I have, that I haven't been able to clearly explain to others. Loved the book!

Very Valuable

I related to this, more than any book I’ve read about either Autism or ADHD. I’m very, very grateful to have it.

Also, she’s a strong writer.

What a relief!

I’m so blessed to be the first person to review this book. It found me at one of the most important times of my life.
I’m 35 and had been struggling to “find motivation” and have wrestled with sensitivities that I did not know how to put into words. This book is so intentionally written and has put the so many complex nuance experiences from
My childhood to adult experiences into words. Highly informative and easily digestible.
This book is a source of comfort for me right now and is giving me direction as I now want to go see a mentor about my Audhd. The terminology in through out the book gave a sign post of where to look for support and things like PDA, and autistic inertia brought me to tears because I have never feel so seen in my life. I want to thank you personally for listening to your therapists and friends who encouraged you to write this book- you have changed my life for the better and added more color and hope into my life.
From every cell in my body- thank you!!

P.s I have never reviewed a book on audible and this book moved me so much I just had to tell everyone about it.
I would love to get in contact with the author!

Not what I was looking for

this book essentially has two parts interwoven together. One part is an autobiography that is generally tedious and feels irrelevant. The other part is a very disappointing and superficial explanation of this pair of conditions. at times I played this book double speed because it was so tedious. I honestly wish I had returned it. The purportedly scientific parts felt vague and poorly researched and I feel like I learned absolutely nothing from listening to this book. I wish there had been a co-writer who was more skilled at writing about science or medicine and I wish there were a stronger editor who might have cut down or tightened up the writing of the rest of it.