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

Do you feel like you’re faking it through life – winging it more than others and barely hiding the chaos? Do you feel like you’ve tricked everyone into thinking that you’re a competent, intelligent person? Do you worry that you’ll be exposed someday? If so, you may be experiencing imposter syndrome. “Someone with imposter syndrome feels like a fraud or a phony,” writes Sharon Saline, Psy.D. “You doubt your abilities and successes, believing that your mistakes and moments of imperfection are proof that you’re not an intelligent person.” According to Saline, imposter syndrome, rejection sensitiv ..read more

Loneliness is a national epidemic, according to the U.S. Surgeon General, as damaging to your health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Among people with ADHD, the experience of loneliness is especially prevalent. In a recent ADDitude survey, 80% of respondents reported feeling lonely, even in the company of others. Though loneliness is a tangled knot with many threads, for the neurodivergent, many of the contributing factors relate to a lack of understanding and empathy from others. Eighty percent of readers reported that ADHD contributed to their feelings of loneliness. Specifically, they point ..read more

Making friends during adolescence is akin to navigating a labyrinth filled with twists, turns — and the potential for profound connections. For individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), the journey toward friendship often presents its own set of unique challenges and opportunities. Individuals with ASD possess intelligence, compassion, and a propensity to be misunderstood, often leading to experiences of bullying and social isolation. It’s no wonder that depression rates in the autistic community are higher compared to those in neurotypical groups. For me, this reality underscores the i ..read more

What do fluctuating hormones across the menstrual cycle mean for my ADHD symptoms and treatment? What do I need to know, and what should I expect? For girls, women, and naturally cycling individuals with ADHD, fluctuating estrogen and progesterone across the menstrual cycle invariably impact ADHD symptoms, emotions, and functioning. We know this to be true, but there is almost no research validating this relationship. So, we arrive at this conclusion using available research on how hormonal changes affect the body, along with anecdotal information and clinical observations of patients with ADH ..read more