Are We Being Overdiagnosed?
By Lisa Miller
Nowadays, it seems like everyone and their cousin has ADHD. Information about ADHD is more abundant and accessible than ever. The internet is replete with content creators and ADHD experts who extoll the virtues and the drawbacks of this brain condition.
Indeed, the rate of ADHD diagnoses has been rising in the U.S. for the past two decades, especially for women and girls, and experts suspect that social media and the pandemic may be a catalyst. According to NPR, “About 1 in 9 children in the U.S., between the ages of 3 and 17, have been diagnosed with ADHD, per a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.”
It makes sense. In 2020, our children were sequestered at home, and we, the parents/caregivers, had full-time, front-row seats to address their social, emotional, and academic behaviors. For many of us, this exposure triggered conversations with teachers and pediatricians that resulted in assessments and diagnoses.
It is generally considered easier to diagnose ADHD now compared to the past due to increased awareness of the condition, better diagnostic criteria, and more readily available screening tools–which means more people with ADHD are likely to be identified and diagnosed properly.
Additionally, we learned that ADHD tends to run in families; genetics play a significant role in ADHD, and first-degree relatives of people with ADHD are about nine times more likely to develop it.
This is having a big impact on Gen X. Our kids are being diagnosed and we’re like, “Hmm, these behaviors and tendencies seem familiar.” Apple and tree.
Gen X was widely underdiagnosed when we were adolescents due to a lack of information about ADHD, gender bias (boys were more likely to be diagnosed than girls), underdeveloped diagnostic tools, and social stigma. Most of us suffered in silence and developed coping mechanisms out of necessity and fear of failure.
It is not uncommon for adults in their fifties to have recent ADHD diagnoses. They report feeling liberated, relieved, and sad all at the same time. Living with ADHD and not understanding the impact it has on learning, relationships, and life can result in frustration, feelings of depression, low self-esteem, and underachievement.
Luckily, things have changed and continue to change. It’s not too late to explore and understand your cognitive profile. This information helps us cultivate self-acceptance and self-love, and to self-advocate in personal and professional relationships. Ultimately, we are all better off knowing how our brains work, and what our strengths, and challenges are.
If you are an adult who was recently diagnosed with ADHD and you’d like to learn more about how to celebrate it and wrangle it, reach out to us. We would love to be part of your journey!
P. S. Even if you don’t have an official ADHD diagnosis, we can help you build (or bolster) your executive function skills!