Danielle Elliott

I wanted her to tell me her story because of how well it illustrates how many women came to their ADHD diagnosis through the explosive combination of the pandemic and social media, as well as the ups and downs of that process. So, Parker, can you introduce yourself?

How did you figure out that you have ADHD?

How did you figure out that you have ADHD?

She is. Me too. 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. It was around 2020. My friend Parker was going through what she described to me as a mini breakdown. She couldn't focus on work. She'd be up all night procrastinating and then, at 10 o'clock, decide to whip up a batch of salmon croquettes.

She is. Me too. 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. It was around 2020. My friend Parker was going through what she described to me as a mini breakdown. She couldn't focus on work. She'd be up all night procrastinating and then, at 10 o'clock, decide to whip up a batch of salmon croquettes.

Her own daily behavior didn't make any sense to Parker, but she was tuned into social media, and TikTok seemed to recognize exactly what was going on with her.

Her own daily behavior didn't make any sense to Parker, but she was tuned into social media, and TikTok seemed to recognize exactly what was going on with her.

I mean, I'm not sure. This was something that, up until then, Parker had not really considered. Parker had simply thought of herself as quirky. Though the medical community was slow to recognize ADHD in adult women, social media discussions among the women themselves go back almost as far as social media itself. Terry Matlin says she hosted AOL chat rooms about it in the 90s.

I mean, I'm not sure. This was something that, up until then, Parker had not really considered. Parker had simply thought of herself as quirky. Though the medical community was slow to recognize ADHD in adult women, social media discussions among the women themselves go back almost as far as social media itself. Terry Matlin says she hosted AOL chat rooms about it in the 90s.

Women connected in Facebook groups. Instagram launched in 2010, Snapchat in 2011. At first, they were personal feeds, and later, people were using them to distribute information. But when TikTok launched in 2016, things started to ramp up. Popular accounts like Black Girl Lost Keys were openly discussing ADHD.

Women connected in Facebook groups. Instagram launched in 2010, Snapchat in 2011. At first, they were personal feeds, and later, people were using them to distribute information. But when TikTok launched in 2016, things started to ramp up. Popular accounts like Black Girl Lost Keys were openly discussing ADHD.

By the height of the pandemic, the app's powerful, albeit mysterious algorithm was connecting thousands of women with ADHD-related content at a previously unheard-of rate. These were some of the same women who emailed Terry Matlin looking for guidance. Parker ran the idea by her own personal expert.

By the height of the pandemic, the app's powerful, albeit mysterious algorithm was connecting thousands of women with ADHD-related content at a previously unheard-of rate. These were some of the same women who emailed Terry Matlin looking for guidance. Parker ran the idea by her own personal expert.

TikTok wasn't done. Soon after her conversation with her therapist, the all-seeing algorithm changed. sent Parker a video in which someone takes an ADHD test. Parker asked her therapist again. It's like, should I take this thing? And they're like, you can. I mean, you got paid for it. Like, it's your money.

TikTok wasn't done. Soon after her conversation with her therapist, the all-seeing algorithm changed. sent Parker a video in which someone takes an ADHD test. Parker asked her therapist again. It's like, should I take this thing? And they're like, you can. I mean, you got paid for it. Like, it's your money.

I happen to know there's a free screener available online from the World Health Organization, the same screener my therapist suggested I use. I mentioned this to Parker.

I happen to know there's a free screener available online from the World Health Organization, the same screener my therapist suggested I use. I mentioned this to Parker.

Parker scrolled through her Gmail history to find the name of the organization that issued her test.

Parker scrolled through her Gmail history to find the name of the organization that issued her test.

As far as ADHD online was concerned, the results were conclusive. Oh, yeah, girl, you got ADHD. You have ADHD inattentive. Parker looked into what exactly inattentive ADHD entailed and what she learned tracked with her own life experience, especially when she read about the ways people with ADHD are able to hyper-focus.