An increasing number of mothers across the United States are receiving attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnoses, often after observing similar symptoms in their children. This trend is shedding light on previously overlooked ADHD presentations in women and adults.

For many mothers, the process of diagnosing their children with ADHD has served as a catalyst for their own self-discovery. Cassie Blakely, 51, was diagnosed with ADHD at age 37 after her two daughters underwent their own diagnostic journeys. She realized that their struggles mirrored her own childhood experiences, which she had learned to mask. "Watching both of my daughters struggle kind of felt like my own childhood was being repeated in front of me," Blakely said.

Sarah Todd, 45, a mother from Austin, Texas, experienced a similar realization. After a friend's child was diagnosed, and then her husband, she began to suspect she also had ADHD. She had long struggled with anxiety and depression, which seemed to worsen with perimenopause. Four months after her diagnosis, Todd reported feeling significantly better, attributing the change to medication. "Oh my God! [ADHD] medication changed my life. I feel so much better," she stated.

Experts note that it has become common for mothers to identify with the lesser-known signs and symptoms of ADHD while going through the diagnostic process with their children. "Suddenly realizing, Oh, this sounds exactly like me," is a frequent sentiment, according to professionals.

Shifting Perceptions of ADHD

In 2023, approximately 15.5 million adults in the U.S. were living with an ADHD diagnosis, a significant increase from roughly 8 million adults aged 18 to 44 two decades prior. This rise is not necessarily indicative of more people developing ADHD, but rather an increase in identified cases. Historically, ADHD was primarily viewed as a childhood disorder, predominantly affecting hyperactive boys. The diagnostic criteria in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual have largely been based on data from young boys.

However, research over the past decade has illuminated how ADHD can manifest differently in adults and females. Dr. Ellen Littman, a clinical psychologist and co-author of "Understanding Girls With ADHD," has spent years documenting these differences, including how the disorder presents in girls and women and the impact of hormonal changes. This work has helped to identify women who previously slipped through the diagnostic cracks.

While ADHD symptoms do not strictly adhere to sex-based lines, boys are often diagnosed earlier due to outward symptoms like hyperactivity and disruptiveness. Girls, conversely, may present with inattentiveness or distraction and are frequently socialized to mask these behaviors. "Those inattentive girls are the ones who have gotten lost in the past," said Lara Litvinov, PhD, director of the ADHD and Behavior Disorders Center at the Child Mind Institute.

Blakely noted that while she, her husband, and their daughters all have ADHD, their symptoms present very differently. "My body, physically, wasn’t showing it. I wasn’t climbing up the walls. My brain was very busy," she recalled of her childhood.

The Impact of Motherhood and Societal Changes

Motherhood itself can act as a significant factor in revealing undiagnosed ADHD in women. The demands of managing household schedules, multiple doctor's appointments, and the general mental load of parenting can exacerbate previously manageable symptoms. "Their tools just no longer work," said Dr. Erika Kawamura, a licensed psychologist. "That leaves moms trying to white-knuckle their way through."

Megan Brody, 49, is currently in the process of obtaining an ADHD diagnosis. She believes her experiences, particularly as a mother of two sets of twins, became overwhelming, impacting her mental and physical health. "I had so much shame about being a mom and not doing enough, that I was doing something wrong," Blakely shared. "And no one was really talking about the ADHD component."

Social media has also played a role in raising awareness. When actress Busy Philipps discussed her own ADHD diagnosis, which she received after her daughter was diagnosed, her podcast comments section was flooded with similar stories from mothers. This has encouraged more open conversations about the disorder.

Finding Clarity and Support

Receiving an ADHD diagnosis as an adult can be an emotional and complex experience, but many women describe it as ultimately freeing. The realization that their struggles have a neurological basis, rather than being a personal failing, provides significant relief. Therapies, medication, and lifestyle adjustments are common avenues for support.

"I think that’s the most exciting part to me about getting clarity around how my brain works — I can lighten my load and actually be able to be present and be playful," said Brody. Todd echoed this sentiment, stating, "There is no shame in needing help to feel like the best version of yourself."

Blakely has channeled her experience into founding ADHD Warrior Consulting, an organization that assists individuals and parents in navigating ADHD and related conditions. "Through my children, I was healing that part of myself," she said.

The increased identification and diagnosis of ADHD in mothers highlights a significant shift in understanding the disorder's presentation beyond childhood and among males. This evolving awareness allows more women to receive appropriate support and begin to understand their own experiences more fully.