The following is a personal essay reflecting the opinions of the author. It began with an Adderall shortage in 2022. Today, prescriptions for many stimulant medications used as the first-line treatment of ADHD are consistently and frustratingly difficult to fill. So it’s unsurprising that ADHD features prominently in the majority of public comments submitted to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) by stakeholders impacted by long-term medication shortages involved in the treatment of many conditions, including cancer. ADHD patients demand attention on their suffering. But, by inviting public tes ..read more

For millennia, the diagnosis for almost every female complaint — from chronic pain to digestive woes, palpitations, fainting, headaches, and aching joints — was singular and it was “hysteria” (from the Greek word for uterus). It was believed for far too long that strenuous activity — physical or mental — would enflame the ovaries and uterus and imperil a female’s delicate constitution. In fact, it wasn’t until 1980 that hysteria neurosis — the catchall for every female ailment — was finally deleted from the American Psychiatric Association’s bible for diagnosis of psychiatric disorders, the D ..read more

April 25, 2024 Women with ADHD can continue using the stimulant medication dexamphetamine and the painkiller acetaminophen (brand name: Tylenol) during pregnancy, according to two recent studies that refute a long-standing medical consensus. An observational study published in the Archives of Women’s Health found that use of dexamphetamine (DEX), the main ingredient in brand-name ADHD medications such as Adderall, Dexedrine, Zenzedi, and ProCentra, does not put women or their babies at increased health risks. However, women who ceased using DEX during pregnancy were more than twice as likely t ..read more

Q: “What are the causes of postpartum depression? As an expectant parent with ADHD, what should I know about factors that increase risk for postpartum mood disorders? How can I protect myself after I have my baby?” The causes of postpartum depression (PPD) and postpartum mood disorders are complex and combine differing sources for different people. These sources are not always fully understood. Genetic and biological factors, including dramatic hormonal fluctuations after birth, are thought to play a major role. However, hormones or biology alone do not fully explain why someone might develop ..read more

Postpartum Depression: Key Takeaways Postpartum depression is characterized by significant emotional challenges that affect the parent-child bond. Hands-on parenting, not separation, is essential in powering recovery from postpartum depression and in repairing bonds. Self-care and other coping strategies are an important part of postpartum depression recovery. The Fourth Trimester: What No One Talks About The first few months after a baby is born — sometimes called the “fourth trimester” — is a critical time for the emerging parent-infant relationship. You and your newborn are rapidly adjus ..read more

April 20, 2024 The diagnostic criteria for ADHD are largely based on studies of young white boys. The symptoms spelled out in the DSM-5 — i.e., Is often “on the go” acting as if “driven by a motor” — do not reflect the lived experiences of many adults with the condition. This gap between clinical guidance and real-life symptoms has contributed to a decades-long problem with misdiagnosis, missed diagnoses, and inadequate treatment for individuals who slipped under the ADHD radar in childhood. ADHD persists into adulthood for up to 90% of children with the condition. Symptoms evolve and change ..read more

What We Know Research tells us that women experience distinct and distinctly impairing symptoms of ADHD, which they are more likely to mask and hide due to shame. Though clinical and research bias has historically overemphasized young male presentations of ADHD, Patricia O. Quinn, M.D., and Manisha Madhoo, M.D., emphasize in a 2014 review that, “several characteristics are unique to the expression of ADHD in women and girls.”1 A review of 41 articles and studies led Quinn and Madhoo to conclude that women are more likely than men to have inattentive ADHD and… to experience internalizing sympt ..read more

We know that ADHD symptoms respond best to a multimodal treatment plan that includes medication plus helpful interventions ranging from mindfulness meditation to exercise to brain training. These complementary supports can help curb symptoms and enhance well-being for many individuals with ADHD. All of that is very good news. But if you’ve tried some of these ADHD interventions with limited success and ended up feeling like you “failed” at treatment, rest assured that you did not -— and you’re not alone in feeling this way. In ADDitude’s recent treatment survey, we asked 11,000 readers about t ..read more

For more than 10 years, I ran trail ultramarathons of 35 to 100 miles. I was decent at it, and I loved running those distances. But I’ll tell it straight: Long runs are hard, even if you’re trained for them. Distance runners anticipate difficulties and know to support themselves in any way possible to get to the finish line. It’s a given – they don’t think twice about it and don’t get hung up on it, either. In our daily lives, especially as folks with ADHD, we fall into the trap of thinking we don’t need help, or that we’re wimpy if we accept help or create supportive structures for ourselves ..read more

ADHD Symptoms in Women: Key Takeaways ADHD continues to be overlooked in girls and women because of male-centric views of the condition. Emotional dysregulation, overwhelm, and social challenges are major clues of female ADHD, which often leads to other health concerns when left unaddressed. Clinicians must recalibrate approaches to diagnosing and treating female patients with ADHD to consider emotional dysregulation, hormonal fluctuations, and other specific factors. ADHD symptoms in women and girls aren’t “hidden” or “easy to miss.” They are obvious, persistent, and often quite serious. W ..read more