Inside ADHD: More adult women are being diagnosed

ABC News' Diane Macedo speaks with other women and doctors about rising numbers of women being diagnosed with ADHD as adults, and details her own recent diagnosis.

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[Klutzo]

“My coping skills were working for me until I became a mom.” I felt that so hard. ❤

[nicolesaintdenis]

Please start doing more studies on women at ADHD because we are so impacted by our hormonal changes too.

[Lightify]

ADHD was the reason of my depression in part. Diagnosed at 42 .

[nicolesaintdenis]

The toxic shame that comes with years of undiagnosis is horrible. Therapy and self compassion

[itsicandy]

Same thing with women and autism, I got diagnosed as having low needs autism at 41, after becoming aware of adhd and neurodivergent minds because of my 10 year old son who was diagnosed with adhd. I love how more awareness is coming out for adults on these issues, just knowing and then having the tools to get by makes all the difference.

[annak]

Nearly 10% of the population has ADHD. We are your doctor, your lawyer, your pharmacist, your teacher, your distant cousin who cannot seem to finish college, your friend who always runs late, your co-worker who accidentally interrupts you. We have the best intentions but ADHD gets in the way sometimes.

It’s hard to wrap my head around why it is not more normalized.

[suzinball]

It's also hard to get diagnosed when no doctor believes you that you have it even though you explain everything that's going on and you have to struggle with doctors to get the diagnosis

[christinemalaka]

In parent teacher interviews I was always hearing how my daughter didn't finish this or that. By the time she was 16 and had all the good intentions of doing better, in a new school year everything quickly began going the same usual way. Finally it occurred to me maybe theres something we missed all along. Took her to a Dr and even he was surprised. Her assessment came up w adhd. Up until then, all the teachers wanted to talk about was "her attitude". Boys get diagnosed, girls get told it's their attitude. Similar to the medical establishment that dismisses women's physical concerns as over-emotional.

[CookieBear]

I was diagnosed in college. Was a straight A, honor’s society kid in high school. And then in college, everything went downhill. No matter how hard I tried to focus and start and complete assignments, create new organizational methods, I just couldn’t. And I failed assignments and classes left and right. Once I got diagnosed and received medical treatment, I was finally able to succeed! However, I regret my symptoms being overlooked my whole life because I could have done much better in college and in my personal life if I had gotten the diagnosis sooner. There are too many women with the same story. I hope things change for the better in the future

[sharoncollier]

diagnosed at 40. It is WILD to think of all the shame I am trying to unravel.

[KileyOhl]

Wonderful story! I was diagnosed at 30, started treatment and literally started teaching myself how to code the same year. SO GRATEFUL for the way my life turned around at that point. ❤

[amongoaksandowls]

Love how much they included the news anchor’s perspective on dealing with adhd. 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

[BrownyBird]

Same thing happened to me, while trying to find out what exactly my son has. HE told me hr believe he suffers from ADHD while reading about it in an old book he found at the school library. I asked him to bring the book home and we read it together. It was there that i understood it came down from my mother that acted in the same way, etc. The problem we got is that we have a very hight IQ. We get tired straight away from an explanation that we understood within the first 30 seconds. We get bored easily and we need more it is very difficult to stay focused. And as I said, I discovered all of this thanks to my 10 years old son.

[susanhunter]

I wasn't diagnosed till 59. Libby and other adhd/autistic creators helped me figure it out. Menopause causes an exacerbation of symptoms so, be prepared!! Read up on it, tell your ob/gyn you have adhd and discuss options for hrt or other medications to help you. Because I didn't get diagnosed until 59 so, it was too late for me. I'm 62 now and, I'm still struggling. Please, prepare now so hopefully you won't suffer as I have.

[JenniferKastelic]

As a 55 year old woman with CPTSD (also a neurodivergency) with a diagnosis of AUD. It explains every single of the hundred or so quirks Ive been aware of my whole life. A relief combined with grief.

[thorder]

So I am going to put out there that Diane is one of my favorite news anchors. It's the small stuff, like an obvious compassion she has during a news story for those that may be hurt in some way, or excitement when she recognizes something in a story that excites her. This shines through almost every story. And here she is being brave on a next level for her audience and herself. There is a purity to it that makes me trust that her opinion is thought out and that she is vested in what she is doing.

On a second note, I have 3 daughters, two of which have ADHD and I watch them struggle with it. But just knowing that this is the case helps them direct their efforts to adjust to life.

[kasa]

I suspected I had ADHD when I was 16-17 years old, but back in the earliest 00s, the prevailing thought was gifted students like me couldn't be ADHD. So, I was dismissed regarding wanting an evaluation.

Eventually, I was diagnosed after a comprehensive assessment around 30-31. Unfortunately, I'm contraindicated for ADHD medication, but the diagnosis answered a lot of my questions about my struggles and idiosyncrasies.

[MsPeeps]

Also low cortisol or hormone issues can appear like adhd, but can have a hormonal imbalance root. So check that out too

[deluxe]

It's amazing what a huge difference it made to have one of the reporters (with ADHD) be involved. This report was superior to others I've seen on this topic. (I'm also late diagnosed)

[kristinamartinez]

Hearing other women, other moms, speak about having the same struggles I do made me cry. It is so difficult to manage not only my life but my two children's lives as well. For a long time I thought I was lazy, dumb, and maybe that I didn't care enough, but really my brain is different. I work ten times as hard at anything that involves having to be organized and attentive, meds have helped though.