Danielle Elliott

Tamsin was just two weeks into knowing about her ADHD when we spoke. Already, she was feeling things Sari Solden felt 30 years ago.

Tamsen, Elaine, Michelle, and about a dozen other women helped me understand the impact of the rise in diagnosis and the importance of treatment. They were all at the camp for their children, but left with a significant level of self-understanding. Even with this opportunity, this ADHD retreat of sorts, they're struggling with care. What does that mean for everybody else?

Tamsen, Elaine, Michelle, and about a dozen other women helped me understand the impact of the rise in diagnosis and the importance of treatment. They were all at the camp for their children, but left with a significant level of self-understanding. Even with this opportunity, this ADHD retreat of sorts, they're struggling with care. What does that mean for everybody else?

Thinking about the ongoing deficiencies in care and how many women may never have the opportunity to connect with others the way I witnessed women connecting at the camp, it's a bit depressing. There's one more conversation I want to share. It left me thinking less about care and more about the overall impact of the rise in diagnosis, specifically the multigenerational impact.

Thinking about the ongoing deficiencies in care and how many women may never have the opportunity to connect with others the way I witnessed women connecting at the camp, it's a bit depressing. There's one more conversation I want to share. It left me thinking less about care and more about the overall impact of the rise in diagnosis, specifically the multigenerational impact.

I met Nancy's daughter one morning, and she told me her mom was back at the hotel. Then she said her mom also has ADHD, and, of course, I asked if I could talk to her. We sat on a bench next to a creek. Nancy is 74 years old. She described several classic elements of a life with undiagnosed ADHD. She did well in school. She became a people pleaser. She went into nursing.

I met Nancy's daughter one morning, and she told me her mom was back at the hotel. Then she said her mom also has ADHD, and, of course, I asked if I could talk to her. We sat on a bench next to a creek. Nancy is 74 years old. She described several classic elements of a life with undiagnosed ADHD. She did well in school. She became a people pleaser. She went into nursing.

She started drinking too much. She's 17 years sober now. Overall, she said, she has had a wonderful life.

She started drinking too much. She's 17 years sober now. Overall, she said, she has had a wonderful life.

In her 50s, a doctor suggested she might have ADHD, but said he couldn't tell because she also had anxiety. When she retired and the feelings persisted, she was diagnosed. She tried several treatments. Nothing seemed to help. Then, a few years ago, her granddaughter was diagnosed. Then her other granddaughters. Then her daughter, Colleen. Nancy had never told Colleen about her ADHD diagnosis.

In her 50s, a doctor suggested she might have ADHD, but said he couldn't tell because she also had anxiety. When she retired and the feelings persisted, she was diagnosed. She tried several treatments. Nothing seemed to help. Then, a few years ago, her granddaughter was diagnosed. Then her other granddaughters. Then her daughter, Colleen. Nancy had never told Colleen about her ADHD diagnosis.

Now, she did. And as Colleen started working through appropriate treatments for herself and her girls, Nancy got curious.

Now, she did. And as Colleen started working through appropriate treatments for herself and her girls, Nancy got curious.

Throughout our conversation, she vacillated between regret and a certain wisdom that comes with age.

Throughout our conversation, she vacillated between regret and a certain wisdom that comes with age.

There's been progress made. Speaking to Nancy helped me see, more clearly, the importance of that progress. When women are diagnosed and treated appropriately, entire families benefit. This might be the greatest impact of the rise in diagnosis, breaking generational cycles, or it has the potential to be.

There's been progress made. Speaking to Nancy helped me see, more clearly, the importance of that progress. When women are diagnosed and treated appropriately, entire families benefit. This might be the greatest impact of the rise in diagnosis, breaking generational cycles, or it has the potential to be.

That'll depend on whether an effort is made to correct deficiencies in care and to expand access to appropriate treatment. After speaking with Nancy, it was time to leave this idyllic setting, to pack up my rental car and head back to New York and all the pressures of modern life. I walked out to the beach and watched the sunset over Lake Michigan.

That'll depend on whether an effort is made to correct deficiencies in care and to expand access to appropriate treatment. After speaking with Nancy, it was time to leave this idyllic setting, to pack up my rental car and head back to New York and all the pressures of modern life. I walked out to the beach and watched the sunset over Lake Michigan.

I thought, for a moment, about what it would be like to live in a world more friendly to ADHD. It was only later, months later, that I realized one more thing I learned at the camp. Every woman I spoke to was diagnosed in her 40s or 50s I attributed this to deficiencies in care and a long history of gatekeepers rejecting the differences between the ways women and men experience ADHD.