Why Are Women Being Diagnosed With ADHD In Adulthood?

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#ADHD #Women #Health

[TanyaDee]

Recently found out I was Autistic with ADHD. My brother was medicated, I was told to focus. There's a lot of trauma from being undiagnosed for 50 years. It's frustrating.

[jenniferjimenez]

I'm undiagnosed but certain that I have ADHD. I've always suffered with depression and anxiety and kick-starting tasks mentally feels like having to push the weight and size of a boulder. Thank you for bringing light to such an important topic. It's validating to a lot of women who otherwise have felt lazy, unworthy, or crazy.

[nascarkelly]

I was diagnosed a few years ago - in my early 40’s. All my life, I thought I was a “procrastinator” or just lazy. Two stages of my life really exasperated my symptoms: 1. When I was a stay-at-home mom, and 2. COVID lockdowns. And now getting back into normal life again, I am really struggling with distraction and inability to make simple decisions. It’s time to discuss my meds with my doc.

[samanthahays]

I'm 37 and just realized I have ADHD. I always thought I was just disorganized, irresponsible, and couldn't understand why certain things were so easy for others. I hope to learn how to manage my challenges.

[pegcarter]

I was diagnosed at 69! My whole life now makes sense. My house is still a mess, but at least I know why.

[MegaMissCuttie]

I am 24, and just got diagnosed two days ago. I looked for a doctor to give me answers, after my boyfriend of two years started pointing out certain behaviors. He was diagnosed much earlier than I had been - and we shared a lot of traits and mannerisms. And, overall he could see that it was affecting me negatively. I think it wasn't as much of an issue when I was younger, in school. Because my grades were always perfect. But, I would routinely be bored in classes and unable to pay attention. But, I was too scared of negative repercussions at home if I let my grades slip, so I found ways to help myself out without asking for help. I needed to bring in an iPod for music or videos to play while taking lecture notes, because I wasn't absorbing any of the information. I think I worked twice as hard to maintain my grades when I was young, but didn't realise it. When I stopped doing using those coping tools as a senior in high school, my grades started dropping, and it just continued when I started college. The change in environment really drastically impaired my ability to cope with the symptoms I was having. I'd always had insomnia growing up, but in college, it was reaching new heights, and nothing really helped me to keep it manageable. I was super depressed, developed severe anxiety, and just stopped going to classes altogether for a while. The next two years, I pushed myself harder than before to make sure I could at least attend the classes and pass, but it caused such severe burnout, and I couldn't pinpoint why, until speaking to my MP and getting that diagnosis. I'd had treatment for anxiety and insomnia before, but noticed that it never got any better, even while medicated, or in therapy. I think we'd been treating the symptoms, and not the main issue for years. And it was only until it started drastically altering my quality of life, that it was noticed.

[Whitewolf-xxqu]

I am 43 and was recently told by a behaviorist I have ADHD. I suffer from depression too, most of my life. Seeing why I struggled in school and not fitting in with students my age, is good, but I should of been diagnosed while in school and been on medication. I missed out on a lot growing up, not being "normal". I always felt as an outcast, on my own. I just never understood why. ADHD wasn't a well known condition, no one would of thought to check if I had it. It sure is hard being human, so much mental and physical struggles.

[WhiteCherry]

I am a woman was also diagnosed in my early 40’s. I have primarily inattentive type. Everyday is a struggle. I have issues with energy and stress management. The way I got diagnosed was I had put up with being distracted for too long. I was fed with my short attention span. I love reading but there were days where I’d open a book, try and read a few lines and realize that reading wasn’t going to happen that day. Reading is only one example of this and it was enormously frustrating. To the point that I finally sought help.

[jdmmg]

As a 39 yo woman who only recently has been diagnosed with adhd I am happy you're covering this issue. it certainly has been a journey that quite often was challenging without realizing why. so i am hoping this will help other women to hear about it and maybe get tested.

[KaliSlay]

All of the ableism in these comments is EXACTLY confirming why so many with ADHD struggle to get help.

[hannabfree]

This is very helpful. I’m going to start following them! Thank you. Just got diagnosed with ADHD as a woman at age 28 and it’s such a journey to be finding a community who is so much like me.

[ImNotaRussianBot]

I'm a 35 year old woman who was diagnosed with ADHD last week. This pandemic and its stress really, really worsened the symptoms.

[nkimberly]

I am 42 but I was dx with ADHD at 17. I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism at 12 and I think that made it worse. I got the ADHD diagnosis because I developed a conduct disorder as a teen. I was considered GT but could not organize myself to complete homework or clean my room as a teen. I remember when I got Ritalin, it was like putting on glasses. Suddenly I understood how to focus in class.

[athenagarcia]

Wow I can relate. 44 years old, and just diagnosed with ADHD. I sought help because deep down I new I had it but was always able to cope pretty well because I learned I had to. This year I couldn’t handle it any longer. Meaning I couldn’t cope or do anything to help myself any longer for some reason. As a high school social worker I new I needed to practice what I preach and get help. 😊

[carlamgraca]

I was diagnosed with ADHD at the age of 45, a year ago. I have fought with time-blindness and "memory-sink" since I know myself. As my husband puts it, my mind lives in a world where travel is instant (like the tranporters in Start Trek) and time is elastic. Pandemic has exacerbated all my symptoms, and made it very hard for me (I almost got fired - twice...). After starting medication, my life has turned 180º - I became more reliable, able to do stuff I wasn't able before and even leading projects!

But... this took time, and stubbornness! I talked to my psychiatrist (I have been treated for depression for about 20 years now) because I had done an online assessment test for (my company had provided us access to these tools during the pandemic) and the results very strongly suggested I had ADHD. He told me flat-out I needed more anti-depressants, and that ADHD was a male-exclusive condition and something that was severely overdiagnosed - mostly as justification for bad parenting.

While I looked for a second opinion, I was plagued with thoughts that I was looking for excuses for my laziness and distraction, instead of trying to find ways of solving the issues I had. Apparently this is Impostor Syndrom, and I have it! I have it so hard that only when others tell me how much difference they note in my behaviour I believe I have ADHD - and it still plagues me every day...

So please, if you identify the symptoms, get tested. It may be something else, or it may be just a complicated phase, but at least you'll know. And knowledge is definitely power!

[kaylarenee]

I'm 31 & just yesterday my therapist brought up ADHD after a couple of stories I told & I'm big on reflecting on myself & when he pointed out the signs I've been like 🤯 since. This video made me cry @ the realization & what could of been if I knew sooner smh but I'm glad to know now. I feel so validated especially being plus size ppl assume my procrastination as laziness. When I've been active majority of my life, Good grades, great at test, barely did homework or I had to do it at school before I got home, TALK TOO MUCH, at times obsessive focus, other times cannot focus like rn at work because I'm stuck on learning about this but #1 Time management I'm always late no matter how early I plan & wake up smh & I feel extra back about it because I'm black, so if the event is not predominantly black the anxiety tells me they probably expected it because I'm black smh I'm so blown by all this...

[meganmariesnyder]

I was diagnosed in the 90s at age 7 with ADHD/ODD. My mom knew something was "off" the day I was born and took me to the development pedetrian at age 4. I had sleeping issues, delayed speech, hyperactivity, messy, and was super emotional. I still am in treatment today at age 36.

[billiejojefferson]

I'll be 34 this month and have just hit this same wall. Thanks for this!🤗

[nireeburr]

I’m glad I found this .. I really want to show a family member who I really am.. I’m not a hassle or stupid or rude intentionally anyways..
so thanks for showing this..

[accidrainn]

I'm 38F and, just started treatment two months ago .. At least I seen & heard now .. At least I know what this is, now .. Thanks for the video 🥰