ADHD might historically be associated with children struggling to pay attention, by a new study claims more people of varying ages are being diagnosed, especially adult women. Epic Research made the discovery after assessing more than 3 million patient records from across the country.
Overall, adults still account for less than 1% of known cases, but the number of adult women being diagnosed nearly doubled between 2020 and 2022 — from 0.55% to .98% in the 18-22 age range, 0.48% to 0.94% for 23- to- 29-year-olds, 0.34% to 0.66% for ages 30–49 and 0.09% to 0.13% for women 50 and older.
“I think a lot of this is attributable to the rise of social media and people talking about it and how women are either under-diagnosed or completely overlooked and missed in their younger years,” neuropsychologist Dr. Sanam Hafeez told CBS News.
According to the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, ADHD is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders of childhood — often lasting into adulthood. Symptoms of ADHD in children include daydreaming, fidgeting, forgetfulness, lack of impulse control, carelessness and difficulty getting along with others.
Once grown, however, adults can experience ADHD quite differently — and even more severe.
“ADHD can last into adulthood,” the CDC reported. “Some adults have ADHD but have never been diagnosed. The symptoms can cause difficulty at work, at home, or with relationships. Symptoms may look different at older ages, for example, hyperactivity may appear as extreme restlessness. Symptoms can become more severe when the demands of adulthood increase.”
Men remain more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD than women, Epic Research reported. Over the past 12 years, the ratio of diagnosed men to women has decreased nearly fivefold. In 2022, men were still 28% more likely to be diagnosed — a stark decrease from 133% in 2010.
For more information on ADHD, visit the National Institute of Mental Health or the National Resource Center on ADHD.
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