Tisha Campbell Says Autism Diagnosis Gave Her a Better Understanding of Herself

Tisha Campbell revealed this week that she has been diagnosed with AuDHD, a co-occurring condition of autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

The “Martin” star shared the news during a recent interview, explaining that the formal diagnosis came only after she completed her recent memoir. The diagnosis follows years of Campbell advocating for the autistic community while raising her son, Xen, who is also on the spectrum. Campbell said her therapist suggested she seek testing after observing specific patterns in her behavior and nervous system responses during sessions focused on processing trauma. To ensure accuracy, Campbell said she saw two separate specialists and underwent 12 different assessments with each provider.

These evaluations included oral exams, written tests and extensive question-and-answer sessions. The results confirmed she is “level one” on the spectrum, a category that generally describes individuals who live independently but may require support with social communication and sensory processing. During the interview, Campbell admitted to “masking” her symptoms for decades to fit into social norms. She said growing up in Newark meant that she felt she could not afford to stand out or appear different, leading her to hide her natural behaviors from the public eye. “My whole entire life, I’ve masked in front of the public and I’ve masked with my loudness and my jokes,” Campbell said.

“That was my way of hiding in plain sight.” One behavior she frequently concealed is stimming, which involves repetitive physical movements or sounds used for self-regulation. Campbell also noted that she now understands her lifelong dedication to acting and music as “special interests,” a term used to describe the deep fixations or obsessions often experienced by neurodivergent individuals.

She said the diagnosis has also strengthened the bond with her son, who was reportedly thrilled to learn that his mother shared his neurodivergent identity. Ironically, the revelation occurred just as Campbell released her new book, “The A Word: A Mother’s Journey Through Autism and Love.” Because the clinical results arrived this year, the details of her own AuDHD diagnosis are not included in the published text.