Danielle Elliott

This is Climbing the Walls, a podcast where I try to figure out why so many women are being diagnosed with ADHD. I'm Danielle Elliott. The first morning of camp, the kids went off on some sort of outdoor adventure, and the parents met for a group session with Sue Halliwell.

This is Climbing the Walls, a podcast where I try to figure out why so many women are being diagnosed with ADHD. I'm Danielle Elliott. The first morning of camp, the kids went off on some sort of outdoor adventure, and the parents met for a group session with Sue Halliwell.

They gathered in a large conference room and pushed the tables into a big U. Sue stood at the front and asked the parents to introduce themselves. The first woman said her wife was recently diagnosed with ADHD. A few more moms said they were diagnosed in the last few years. Some discovered their ADHD after their kids were diagnosed or through TikTok videos.

They gathered in a large conference room and pushed the tables into a big U. Sue stood at the front and asked the parents to introduce themselves. The first woman said her wife was recently diagnosed with ADHD. A few more moms said they were diagnosed in the last few years. Some discovered their ADHD after their kids were diagnosed or through TikTok videos.

One of the women shared something I've never heard before. Her mom was diagnosed with Alzheimer's, and she went in for a screening. In the course of that screening, the doctor diagnosed ADHD. Her daughters were later diagnosed. About two-thirds of the way through the introductions, a woman looked a bit nervous. As soon as she spoke, I understood why.

One of the women shared something I've never heard before. Her mom was diagnosed with Alzheimer's, and she went in for a screening. In the course of that screening, the doctor diagnosed ADHD. Her daughters were later diagnosed. About two-thirds of the way through the introductions, a woman looked a bit nervous. As soon as she spoke, I understood why.

I caught up with her a few hours later to see how she was feeling.

I caught up with her a few hours later to see how she was feeling.

Her name is Tamsin. She's from the UK and lives in California with her husband and their two children, who both have ADHD. They'd booked the trip months earlier in hopes of finding ways to support their kids and create more harmony in their family.

Her name is Tamsin. She's from the UK and lives in California with her husband and their two children, who both have ADHD. They'd booked the trip months earlier in hopes of finding ways to support their kids and create more harmony in their family.

By chance. For several months, a doctor had been treating Tamsen for depression. She was taking antidepressants, but was having trouble with them.

By chance. For several months, a doctor had been treating Tamsen for depression. She was taking antidepressants, but was having trouble with them.

I just was completely blindsided by it. Tamsen had been seeing a therapist before seeing the psychiatrist. When she got the diagnosis, she talked to her therapist about how they missed it.

I just was completely blindsided by it. Tamsen had been seeing a therapist before seeing the psychiatrist. When she got the diagnosis, she talked to her therapist about how they missed it.

These questions come up so often in adult diagnosis. Is it perimenopause? Is it a result of years of trauma? Is it just the way we are in the world? Or is it ADHD? For decades, doctors erred on the side of it being everything else. Depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, menopause, life.

These questions come up so often in adult diagnosis. Is it perimenopause? Is it a result of years of trauma? Is it just the way we are in the world? Or is it ADHD? For decades, doctors erred on the side of it being everything else. Depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, menopause, life.

Hearing that Tamsen's psychiatrist instead recognized the symptoms of ADHD and knew how to properly assess her experience seems like a sign of progress. She didn't bring the information to her doctor. Her doctor suggested it and treated her appropriately. Progress. I should add, this is one woman's experience.

Hearing that Tamsen's psychiatrist instead recognized the symptoms of ADHD and knew how to properly assess her experience seems like a sign of progress. She didn't bring the information to her doctor. Her doctor suggested it and treated her appropriately. Progress. I should add, this is one woman's experience.

Another woman at camp told me her doctor refused to consider ADHD and kept insisting she actually had anxiety. She had to switch doctors. So receiving appropriate care still happens on a case-by-case basis. But for Tamsen, someone finally connected the dots. And that brought her a lot of relief.

Another woman at camp told me her doctor refused to consider ADHD and kept insisting she actually had anxiety. She had to switch doctors. So receiving appropriate care still happens on a case-by-case basis. But for Tamsen, someone finally connected the dots. And that brought her a lot of relief.