Danielle Elliott

Emily ultimately decided to take an estrogen blocker. With her doctors, she kept a close eye on brain function. Pretty quickly, she noticed a difference.

She switched medications and felt an improvement on the second medication.

She switched medications and felt an improvement on the second medication.

It's great that Emily's new treatment worked, but fascinating and also frustrating that no one can explain exactly how or why. Emily knew to ask these questions because she's always known how her brain works. With the recent rise in diagnosis, I have to imagine many more women will be asking this question in the course of cancer treatments.

It's great that Emily's new treatment worked, but fascinating and also frustrating that no one can explain exactly how or why. Emily knew to ask these questions because she's always known how her brain works. With the recent rise in diagnosis, I have to imagine many more women will be asking this question in the course of cancer treatments.

So far, there just aren't enough scientific studies recommending the best courses of treatment for women with ADHD. As I said in the first episode, Emily's experience is remarkable in that, for the most part, science kept pace with her life. To have had an appropriate diagnosis and treatment as a child in the 1960s, and again as a young working mom in the 1980s, this is so rare.

So far, there just aren't enough scientific studies recommending the best courses of treatment for women with ADHD. As I said in the first episode, Emily's experience is remarkable in that, for the most part, science kept pace with her life. To have had an appropriate diagnosis and treatment as a child in the 1960s, and again as a young working mom in the 1980s, this is so rare.

Doctors provided answers every time she started asking questions. Will anyone rise to that challenge now? During the pandemic, the topic of ADHD suddenly seemed to be everywhere, particularly the topic of ADHD and women. And it wasn't just something I was overhearing in bars and on the subway. Major media outlets were questioning why so many women were being diagnosed.

Doctors provided answers every time she started asking questions. Will anyone rise to that challenge now? During the pandemic, the topic of ADHD suddenly seemed to be everywhere, particularly the topic of ADHD and women. And it wasn't just something I was overhearing in bars and on the subway. Major media outlets were questioning why so many women were being diagnosed.

Lately, though, the media explosion seems to have subsided a little, and that worries me a little. Recently, I've read or heard a couple of stories, all told by men so far, that seem to downplay ADHD as a disorder. This also worries me. You know what really worries me? In reporting this story, I spoke with a psychiatrist who told me that we're getting ADHD all wrong.

Lately, though, the media explosion seems to have subsided a little, and that worries me a little. Recently, I've read or heard a couple of stories, all told by men so far, that seem to downplay ADHD as a disorder. This also worries me. You know what really worries me? In reporting this story, I spoke with a psychiatrist who told me that we're getting ADHD all wrong.

He's one of the authors of a 2006 paper on the evolutionary benefits of ADHD. He told me that when we talk about ADHD, we're probably grouping many different types of brains into one category. He said that there are probably thousands of types of brains within the global population, and we can't begin to comprehend the level of neurodiversity in the world.

He's one of the authors of a 2006 paper on the evolutionary benefits of ADHD. He told me that when we talk about ADHD, we're probably grouping many different types of brains into one category. He said that there are probably thousands of types of brains within the global population, and we can't begin to comprehend the level of neurodiversity in the world.

And so he doesn't think it's responsible to group many neurodivergences into a single disorder. I know it's important to question if the medical field is right about diagnoses. It's important to revise definitions when definitions are no longer serving people.

And so he doesn't think it's responsible to group many neurodivergences into a single disorder. I know it's important to question if the medical field is right about diagnoses. It's important to revise definitions when definitions are no longer serving people.

But to stop acknowledging one of the most treatable forms of neurodivergence just because it might be too broad, and to do so right as we understand and accept that tons of women have this neurodivergence, that doesn't seem responsible to me either. I trust his research, showing that having ADHD was beneficial in the past. But we live in the present. The modern world is different.

But to stop acknowledging one of the most treatable forms of neurodivergence just because it might be too broad, and to do so right as we understand and accept that tons of women have this neurodivergence, that doesn't seem responsible to me either. I trust his research, showing that having ADHD was beneficial in the past. But we live in the present. The modern world is different.

It's hard on all brains and seems to make ADHD more challenging to manage. Having a diagnosis for ADHD opens the door to treatments. Maybe, as we consider new forms of treatment, we should be looking beyond individual or personalized approaches.

It's hard on all brains and seems to make ADHD more challenging to manage. Having a diagnosis for ADHD opens the door to treatments. Maybe, as we consider new forms of treatment, we should be looking beyond individual or personalized approaches.

If women were not expected to handle the majority of executive functioning tasks at home or at work, if the world didn't rely on addictive technology, if we all moved and connected more, ADHD might be a little bit easier to manage. But the need for societal solutions doesn't replace the need for individual treatment. And it's time for that individual treatment to consider the experiences of women.