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ADHD Mild to Wild

Your Weekly ADHD Wellness Guide

ADHD is not over diagnosed, despite the hype.

Adult ADHD ranks in the top ten for mental health searches, for good reason.

ADHD is a generally well-known mental health diagnosis,¹³ but that does not mean it is well understood. Media outlets are allowing predatory advertisements that oversimplify the ADHD diagnosis.

Social media has propelled ADHD into popular awareness, as it has taken over platforms like TikTok and Twitter. As of May 2022, the hashtag #adhd has 11.4 billion views on TikTok.

Many people credit these platforms with helping them realize they had the diagnosis and subsequently seeking treatment for it. However, as is always the case with the internet and social media, misinformation about ADHD is fairly prevalent.

ADHD of varying degrees of severity, often combined with co-morbid conditions in both men and women, is still undiagnosed despite the recent increases.  

 15.5 Million Adults in the US

TUESDAY, Oct. 15, 2024 (HealthDay News) — An estimated 15.5 million U.S adults had a current diagnosis of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in 2023, according to research published in the Oct. 10 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

The new CDC data shows:

· 15.5 million adults diagnosed (a significant increase)

· 6.0% prevalence rate (lower percentage but represents a much larger absolute number)

· Rate increased from 6.1% to 10.2% over two decades

· 2025 Projections One source projects 16.13 million adults will have an ADHD diagnosis in the U.S. by 2025, based on extrapolating from the 2023 CDC data with an assumed 2% annual growth rate AdhdadvisorPhysician's Weekly. .

· 55.9% of adults received their ADHD diagnosis in adulthood (age 18+)

· 36.5% of adults with ADHD were not receiving any treatment

· 71.5% of those taking stimulant medication had difficulty filling prescriptions due to shortages

· 46.0% had used telehealth services for ADHD care More than 15 million US adults have ADHD, new study estimates | Reuters

Is COVID-19 to blame for the rise?

It’s convenient to blame everything on a national pandemic. However, with a tidal wave of new adults presenting with symptoms of ADHD, we need to consider three of COVID-19’s biggest impacts.

• Loss of structure. Having structure can be a coping strategy for those who live with undiagnosed ADHD. Office-bound adults and college students used to the rigidity and supervision of a formal work environment may have felt a profound loss of guardrails. Temptations and distractions aplenty, those dependent upon a formal routine have found it difficult to stay focused and honour work-life boundaries. 

• Cognitive dysfunction. Those diagnosed with COVID-19, and particularly long COVID, have struggled with new onset and exacerbated cognitive dysfunction, says Tueller, who has examined the well-established and growing data on the subject. 

• Social media awareness. The explosion of ADHD-related content on social media has resulted in increased awareness of the disorder. This has prompted more people to question their own lack of attention or impulse control.

Societal tendencies to consider

We’re moving towards a society driven by instant gratification. Being patient, postponing gratification, future planning, and boredom tolerance are disappearing from our behavioural repertoire. This may cause ADHD symptoms to naturally manifest across the age spectrum.” 

For many women, the process of receiving a diagnosis and treatment for ADHD is not straightforward. Many women begin the process of getting a diagnosis after their child has been diagnosed with ADHD. She begins to educate herself and recognises traits in herself, while others may begin this process by seeking treatment for other comorbid conditions (Stenner et al., 2019).

Many women also self-diagnose as having ADHD; this self-identification is another important way in which women come to identify as having ADHD. Women often feel they need to prove symptoms for a physician to take them seriously and consider a diagnosis of ADHD (Stenner et al., 2019).

The Path Forward. If we focus on the idea of “overdiagnosis”, it may be harmful, create additional barriers to care, and add to the stigma towards their requests for help.

Reducing ADHD stigma requires consistent, multi-level efforts over time. The key is shifting the narrative from ADHD being a personal failing to being a neurological difference that, with proper support and understanding, doesn't limit what someone can achieve.

The growing number of adult diagnoses and increased awareness, particularly among women, suggest we're already making progress. The goal is to accelerate this change so that seeking an ADHD diagnosis becomes as routine and stigma-free as getting a vision test or checking blood pressure.

For those who have been struggling with unrecognised ADHD, there are significant impacts to mental health, social life, and work life. Thoughtful diagnosis and subsequent treatment can make all the difference.

While some may argue that the increase is concerning and due to intentional feigning of symptoms to gain access to stimulant medication or test accommodations, the evidence suggests these groups have a negligible impact on diagnostic trends.

Removing the stigma from ADHD diagnosis requires a multi-faceted approach targeting different levels of society.

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This site is not intended to provide and does not constitute medical, legal, or other professional advice. The content in this newsletter is designed to support, not replace, medical or psychiatric treatment. Please seek professional help if you believe you may have Mental Health Issues.