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

April 5, 2024 Treating ADHD with medication can lower overall risk of mortality and of hospitalizations, both psychiatric and non-psychiatric, according to two new Swedish studies.1, 2 These findings highlight the importance of ADHD medication use for long-term health and longevity, underscoring the urgent need to end the stimulant shortage that has prevented U.S. patients with ADHD from consistently accessing medication since the Fall of 2022. Lower Risk of Death from All Causes An observational study from Sweden, published in JAMA, followed nearly 150,000 adults and adolescents with a diagno ..read more

Q: “I heard that women with ADHD who take hormonal birth control are at greater risk for depression. Is this true? I’m exploring birth control options and want to make sure I understand the risks and possible side effects of hormonal birth control.” Yes, our research group found that women with ADHD were five times more likely to develop depression following use of combined hormonal oral contraceptives (i.e., pills that contain both estrogen and progesterone) than were women without ADHD who were not on these pills.1 We came to these findings after comparing Swedish national register data of r ..read more

It was the first time the card table was used for its stated purpose. In our excitement playing cards, we got too noisy and woke up the toddler. There was laughter and arguing. There was winning and losing. I’d like to say my son, Ocean, was a gracious winner. I’d also like to say that I’m never a sore loser. Regardless, I was elated that we were playing – win or lose. I never thought my kid would land on card games as a special interest. And I know it won’t last, so I’m savoring these precious moments with extra gratitude. Special Interests: My Son’s Rotating Fascinations Ocean has autism and ..read more