McCall McPherson explores whether rising ADHD diagnoses in women reflect a real increase or better recognition. Adult women, especially perimenopausal ones, are now being diagnosed after years of being labeled anxious or depressed and treated with SSRIs. An accurate diagnosis lets them stop unnecessary medication and stop blaming themselves for traits that were never a personal failing.
Chapters
Seems like there's an explosion of women getting diagnosed with ADD— ADHD rather is what I really should refer to it as. Do you think that's a real increase in incidence? Is it really happening more, or are we finally getting the picture that maybe ADHD doesn't look all like 6-year-old boys that are hyperactive in school and changing our perspective and opening our eyes a little bit?
Well, if you look at the largest population who is getting diagnosed ADHD, it is adult women. and specifically women in the perimenopausal years. And so it's very much a case of missed, misdiagnosed, and dismissed. And so what we understand from women who are now diagnosed with ADHD is that many of them were actually diagnosed with anxiety or depression or some other condition, but anxiety and depression tend to be the top ones. What's interesting is research has shown that once someone gets the diagnosis of ADHD, the SSRIs can be stopped, the medications can be stopped, because that's not really at the root of this. And when they're given accommodations and the ADHD is addressed, it becomes life-changing for them. And I know from just talking with so many women, us getting the diagnosis is life-changing because what they've internalized is all the messages. And everyone with ADHD has received more negative messages than the non-ADHD counterparts. And that's been a lot through parents, teachers, peers, coworkers saying things to them like, why can't you just try harder? Why are you so lazy? Why is it you can't get it together? And so women have internalized things like, I must be lazy, I'm incompetent. When they finally get that diagnosis, they come to recognize like, no, I actually needed accommodations, that I have been living with this disability. And when you recognize, wow, you've been living with a disability and look at where you're at, given that no one recognized that, I think it can be really life-changing for women.
