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More Americans over 30 are being diagnosed with ADHD, doctors say. Truveta, a health data firm, reports ADHD diagnoses jumped by about two-thirds for 30-somethings and middle-aged folks from 2021 to 2023. They looked at info from one million new ADHD cases across 30 different health networks.
Dr. David W. Goodman, an assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine says people are finally connecting the dots, realizing their struggles might be ADHD.
The ADHD boom can be blamed on more info out there, less stigma around mental health, and those handy virtual doctor visits. TikTok and Instagram are spreading ADHD awareness like wildfire.
Women appear particularly affected by the trend. CDC numbers show women are way more likely to get an ADHD diagnosis as adults than men. Some research hints that menopause might bring ADHD symptoms to the surface for the first time in some women.
Many older adults report feeling relieved to finally have an explanation for lifelong struggles after receiving an ADHD diagnosis. Tanya Murphy, 56, of Arlington, Virginia, was diagnosed at age 53 after years of depression and difficulty focusing.
"I knew that I wasn’t crazy. I knew that I wasn’t broken. I wasn’t a failure," Murphy said.
However, some experts caution that the ease of online diagnoses may lead to overdiagnosis in some cases. Stephen P. Hinshaw, a professor of psychology and an expert in ADHD at the University of California, Berkeley, said while much of the surge is legitimate, "still-too-easy diagnoses" available online are a concern.
The lack of U.S. clinical guidelines for diagnosing adult ADHD has led to inconsistent diagnostic approaches. Some patients undergo extensive neuropsychological testing, while others receive diagnoses through brief online assessments or from general practitioners.
Despite these concerns, many older adults report significant improvements in their lives after beginning ADHD treatment. Proper diagnosis and treatment can help address long-standing issues with focus, organization, and self-esteem that may have gone unrecognized for decades.
