"Sometimes I wonder if I have ADHD."

Whether going in to high school, starting college or entering the workplace, or are entering middle age, you may have noticed an increase in demand for you to "be more adult". This is because as we mature, more is expected of us: to be organized, to plan ahead, stay on task, to meet deadlines, make decisions, control emotions and not act on impulses that aren't healthy. ADHD affects the exact part of the brain center that is in charge of all these skills. It's called Executive Functioning for a reason. This part of your brain is like your own CEO and it needs the right mix of neurotransmitters (dopamine and norepinephrine) to function. You can think of the ADHD brain as not sustaining optimum levels of what it needs to function at capacity. 

Yes! We all can put things off that we don't care to finish - sometimes. The difference is that with ADHD, this pattern of persistently not meeting deadlines becomes a real problem in life. Procrastination leads to feeling hopeless to get out from under the mountain of missed assignments, tasks at home and at work. And it continues to spiral into pervasive low self esteem, depression and feeling stuck. I believe that supporting people with ADHD means teaching them WHEN to do something - which doesn't look like getting mad at your teen and demanding they do their homework NOW. My ADHD training focuses on both the emotional experience and practical realities of living in a neurotypical world with a neurodiverse brain. 

You used to be better getting stuff done, but now feel scattered, upset, forgetful, not motivated and overwhelmed. 

You don’t “develop” ADHD later in life. While some symptoms of menopause can overlap with ADHD, ADHD is persistent and lifelong. The signs have likely been present all along, but you may have developed ways to manage them. Menopause can intensify existing ADHD symptoms, making them harder to cope with and more noticeable than before.

The role of hormones in the way ADHD is expressed is still being studied, but there is compelling research focused on how decreased estrogen plays a role in increasing symptoms of ADHD. 

In separate research, it was found that women with ADHD experience a marked severity of symptoms compared with women who do not have ADHD. And that women with ADHD have onset of menopause significantly earlier (10 years).  Source: ADDittudemag

Getting a proper diagnosis is the key to managing your well-being. You may very well NOT have ADHD. Stay curious. Ask questions. And remember, whatever it may be, it's not your fault. 

Unfortunately, ADHD can be misdiagnosed as Generalized Anxiety Disorder. While it's true that anxiety can occur alongside ADHD, it may not be the root concern. If you've been struggling to start and/or complete tasks, feeling anxious, overwhelmed, shutting down, and leaning too heavily on screen time to relax, it may be time to consider at least ruling out ADHD. 

Oftentimes, parents are diagnosed later in life following their child's ADHD diagnosis. This is because learning what ADHD actually is can be illuminating. As you learn more about the persistent and pervasive symptoms, you may begin to see yourself in a different light. ADHD is highly heritable - which means that there is a higher likelihood that if you might qualify for a diagnosis. 

Furthermore, if you and your teen have ADHD, parenting can be all the more tricky - as it's difficult to remember to use parenting skills and tools - and stay consistent.