Rising number of women diagnosed with ADHD as adults

ABC News’ Diane Macedo discusses why there is a rising number of women being diagnosed with ADHD later in life.

[kathyfortner_kitchen]

Part of the challenge though is that insurance doesn’t cover testing, which means people must pay out of pocket, making it out of reach for many.

[feliciaelyse]

I was diagnosed at 37. I struggled a lot as a youth, and things seem to get worse as an adult. I have the inattentive type. I’m forgetful, disorganized and unmotivated. I daydream a lot. I’m finally seeing a psychiatrist this year in hopes to get some medicine. Glad this is being more recognized in women and taken seriously.

[tuneinwithtrae]

My diagnosis changed my life and helped me understand how to manage tasks, stay organize and focus on my priorities.

[atlsongbyrd]

🤷🏻‍♀️ We we’re always overlooked as kids and I just got diagnosed last year at 43 years old☹️

[Gn-dclb]

There's a rising number because if you're not 7 year old boy, they don't take you seriously!

[nik-at-nite]

My coping mechanisms worked until I got to grad school and flunked out. The crazy thing is I saw a specialist when I was 16-17yrs old and the doctor basically dismissed my struggles

[Valkyriex]

Almost every single one of my teachers asked my parents to get me evaluated for ADHD and they refused to do it because they thought it was a “fake disorder”

[Atomicqueen]

I just got diagnosed the end of last year and im about to be 33.
I still cry as i lean more. So much of my life makes more sense now its actually pretty emotional.

[CuteButPsycho]

I got diagnosed with ADHD about two years ago and it’s been life changing

[onedirectioner]

The price of getting tested is outrageously expensive

[joyariffic]

Its gonna get worse. We are expected to multi-task more and more. Plus have ads in our faces 24/7

[materialgurl]

I was diagnosed with the inattentive type 5 years ago. I was hesitant to start meds, but now they're impossible to get. I have so many coping mechanisms that I use. Lists and calendar entries and alarms are literally going off all day every day. When I meet people, I forget their name within the first 30 seconds of talking to them. I struggle with organization, and so I buy many of the same things, and i have many ideas that i start and don't finish. I'm definitely ready to see how meds can help improve my situation. I'm tired of struggling.

[Jellybean]

I was in my 30s diagnosed in the 90s after a brief hospitalization for depression. My son was diagnosed at 6 and I remember saying”asking my doctor “you mean I am like my son?” The psychiatrist laughed and said “Well actually”. For years I had to visit the Child Psychiatrist clinic because no one was treating adults with ADHD. At 62 I am much calmer and learned to manage but look back and am thankful I survived. I was one of the lucky ones in my demographic who was diagnosed and treated.

[daisykid]

I was so fortunate that I got diagnosed as a kid, but even with that I've always struggled. The new information we have about ADHD and the strategies and struggles shared by everyone on social media have helped so so much.

[hammertime]

Sounds like what we are saying is that adhd is the norm and people who don’t have it are the exception.

[igobyjordanlynn]

sadly we just learned how to mask our symptoms and quiet that little voice that says “maybe ???? i’m just lazy.” 🥺💕

[jadenwashington]

It’s the phones. We’re programming ourselves to have short attention spans.

[Blackgeekboutique]

This is helpful to see so many relatable stories in the comments. I was diagnosed at 38, about 2 weeks after being laid off from a Fortune 5 engineering job and a second opinion 6 months later confirmed the diagnosis. The thing is, I just thought everyone struggled as hard as I did with these things. I feel like growing up, as long as you did okay in school, nobody cared about obvious symptoms that there was a problem even if that problem caused obvious distress. So teachers and parents noticed that I was a great test-taker, which was enough to keep my grades ok and even test me into Gifted and Talented programs across multiple states, but they ignored how terrible I was with procrastination, deadlines, or paying attention in class instead of doodling in notebooks. Even my second opinion was rough because I was told by a psychiatrist that they didn't really want to diagnose me with ADHD, because I wasn't on medication for it or being treated for it as a kid. In other words, because I wasn't the hyperactive, disruptive kid in class back then, it's hard to find a provider even now that cares even when you fit all of the criteria otherwise.

[sophiasoto]

I have seen many family members on my mother’s side struggle with ADHD because they never got it treated. Medication is essential for those who aren’t functioning well.

[riel]

I was diagnosed THIS YEAR at the age of 24. I’m 25 now