Danielle Elliott

The official criteria is listed in a book called the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, the DSM. It's published by the American Psychiatric Association. The DSM says that symptoms of ADHD develop by the time a person turns 12. If the symptoms begin after that, it's not ADHD.

Sari decided to talk to a doctor. She felt she might finally have found a way to explain what she'd been experiencing for more than 20 years. This was the early 90s. It was sort of the early stages of neuroscience. Congress declared the 1990s would be the decade of the brain.

Sari decided to talk to a doctor. She felt she might finally have found a way to explain what she'd been experiencing for more than 20 years. This was the early 90s. It was sort of the early stages of neuroscience. Congress declared the 1990s would be the decade of the brain.

There was a huge push and lots of investment in attempting to understand how people develop mental health conditions, which is all to say treating the brain was still fairly new. Her doctor suggested a full neuropsychological exam.

There was a huge push and lots of investment in attempting to understand how people develop mental health conditions, which is all to say treating the brain was still fairly new. Her doctor suggested a full neuropsychological exam.

Then she prescribed a stimulant, which is a type of medication often used to treat ADHD. And with that, I joined the ranks of what seemed to be a rapidly emerging demographic. Women diagnosed with ADHD during the pandemic. One $500 video appointment, and I was now one of those women Fox News was talking about. My insurance didn't even cover it. I wasn't sure I wanted to be on a stimulant.

Then she prescribed a stimulant, which is a type of medication often used to treat ADHD. And with that, I joined the ranks of what seemed to be a rapidly emerging demographic. Women diagnosed with ADHD during the pandemic. One $500 video appointment, and I was now one of those women Fox News was talking about. My insurance didn't even cover it. I wasn't sure I wanted to be on a stimulant.

I wasn't sure I wanted to hear any of this, honestly. But I dug into it anyway, doing my research alongside self-discovery. That's what I do after all. I should mention, I'm a science journalist. I also produce documentaries and podcasts. The more I learned about ADHD, it was clear that I have it. and I learned that it was so much more than what I had thought it was.

I wasn't sure I wanted to hear any of this, honestly. But I dug into it anyway, doing my research alongside self-discovery. That's what I do after all. I should mention, I'm a science journalist. I also produce documentaries and podcasts. The more I learned about ADHD, it was clear that I have it. and I learned that it was so much more than what I had thought it was.

Sari scanned through scientific literature on learning disabilities for years and never found answers to explain the ways she was struggling. Two books published in the early 90s changed her understanding of her brain. And after a bunch of tests, a doctor confirmed her suspicion that she has ADHD. She was diagnosed when she was 43 years old. Her doctor prescribed Ritalin.

Sari scanned through scientific literature on learning disabilities for years and never found answers to explain the ways she was struggling. Two books published in the early 90s changed her understanding of her brain. And after a bunch of tests, a doctor confirmed her suspicion that she has ADHD. She was diagnosed when she was 43 years old. Her doctor prescribed Ritalin.

I thought it was about focus and attention, but it turns out it's also about emotional regulation and scheduling and your ability to stay organized and sustain interests. I read things that said people with ADHD have a constant battle between structure and stimulation, and that we have strong internal voices that are often completely set on telling us that we're doing everything wrong.

I thought it was about focus and attention, but it turns out it's also about emotional regulation and scheduling and your ability to stay organized and sustain interests. I read things that said people with ADHD have a constant battle between structure and stimulation, and that we have strong internal voices that are often completely set on telling us that we're doing everything wrong.

She felt an immediate shift. For years, she'd hesitated to raise her hand in class or speak up in meetings. She worried about being wrong or being laughed at. When she started taking Ritalin, those fears subsided. She started presenting in meetings and was surprised to realize she enjoyed it. Within a few years, she became director of the clinic, something she never could have imagined before.

She felt an immediate shift. For years, she'd hesitated to raise her hand in class or speak up in meetings. She worried about being wrong or being laughed at. When she started taking Ritalin, those fears subsided. She started presenting in meetings and was surprised to realize she enjoyed it. Within a few years, she became director of the clinic, something she never could have imagined before.

On social media, there were a lot of women talking about ADHD. And honestly, they all seemed a lot like me. College-educated, mostly well-adjusted white women who apparently wanted to be more adjusted. And that started to give me doubts.

On social media, there were a lot of women talking about ADHD. And honestly, they all seemed a lot like me. College-educated, mostly well-adjusted white women who apparently wanted to be more adjusted. And that started to give me doubts.

I would scroll through Instagram and TikTok and think, you all seem to have partners and children and big enough careers to help you reach large audiences on social media. If you have ADHD, how do you stay organized enough to create all this content? Is there any chance you're just capitalizing on this moment when ADHD seems to be trending? I don't like to minimize anyone else's experience.

I would scroll through Instagram and TikTok and think, you all seem to have partners and children and big enough careers to help you reach large audiences on social media. If you have ADHD, how do you stay organized enough to create all this content? Is there any chance you're just capitalizing on this moment when ADHD seems to be trending? I don't like to minimize anyone else's experience.

Throughout, she treated many people with adult ADHD, and she noticed a pattern.