NEW YORK (AP) — Allison Burk’s teenage daughter struggled with uncontrolled emotions, a shrinking attention span, and a growing tendency to procrastinate. When a family doctor suggested ADHD testing, the results were unexpected—not only did her daughter have ADHD, but Burk did too.
During her daughter’s evaluation, Burk thought, “Wait a minute. This sounds familiar,” she recalled.
“I was able to piece together that this might be something I was experiencing,” she said. Following her own testing, she was diagnosed with ADHD at age 42.
More adults are receiving ADHD diagnoses, with the numbers rising for decades and appearing to accelerate in recent years. A recent study estimates that over 15 million U.S. adults—approximately 1 in 17—have been diagnosed with ADHD. While the condition begins in childhood, about half of adults with it are diagnosed at 18 or older.
Some medical professionals are reporting a surge in evaluation requests. “Just in our clinic, requests for assessments have doubled in the last two years,” said Justin Barterian, a psychologist at Ohio State University.
ADHD Symptoms in Adults
ADHD makes it difficult for people to focus and control impulsive behaviors. It has a genetic component and is often managed with medication, behavioral therapy, or both.
“It’s like there’s an engine in you and you feel like it’s always running, and you can’t turn it off except with medication,” said Judy Sandler, a 62-year-old from Maine diagnosed in her 50s.
ADHD is often considered the most commonly diagnosed mental health disorder among U.S. children, with over 7 million cases. Historically, it was believed to primarily affect boys and be something children outgrew. However, experts now recognize that many individuals go undiagnosed in childhood and continue experiencing symptoms into adulthood.
Adults with ADHD frequently report difficulty focusing, managing responsibilities, and planning. Some struggle with organization, maintaining relationships, and controlling impulsivity and mood swings.
Burk, who was once categorized as a gifted student, didn’t complete college until her 30s. “When I was 19, I hitchhiked across the country on a whim,” she said. “I ended up a single mother in my early 20s.” Today, she works in marketing and media relations for Ohio State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine.
Diagnoses Are Increasing
Both child and adult ADHD diagnoses have been climbing, and recent government data suggests adult ADHD is more prevalent than previously estimated.
“We haven’t had (federal) adult ADHD data in a long time,” said Angelika Claussen of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one of the study’s authors.
Claussen noted that there were signs of this increase. Demand for ADHD medication surged, leading to widespread shortages after the COVID-19 pandemic began in March 2020. A 2023 study found that the rise in prescriptions was especially noticeable among adults—particularly women.
The uptick in diagnoses predates the pandemic and is partly attributed to changes in diagnostic criteria in 2013, which broadened the definition of ADHD and reduced the number of required symptoms. However, the numbers spiked in 2020 when school closures and remote work made it harder for people to focus.
“It’s very difficult to focus when you are home and you have kids,” Claussen said. “That may have exacerbated the symptoms for people who’d had mild ADHD but were able to cope” before the pandemic.
How ADHD is Diagnosed in Adults
Increased awareness, social media discussions, and online medical startups offering fast-track ADHD tests have contributed to more people seeking diagnoses.
The longstanding belief that ADHD was underdiagnosed in adults has given way to debates about whether it is now being overdiagnosed.
There is no definitive blood test or brain scan for ADHD. Instead, diagnosis relies on identifying symptoms that cause ongoing problems in multiple areas of life and can be traced back to childhood.
Ideally, a psychologist or psychiatrist performs the diagnosis by gathering detailed patient histories and input from people who know them well. They may also conduct tests to assess memory and concentration while ruling out conditions like anxiety and depression that present similar symptoms.
However, access to mental health professionals can be limited, with wait times stretching for months. Intensive ADHD evaluations can also cost thousands of dollars. Many people turn to family doctors or online diagnostic quizzes, some of which are linked to telehealth companies that prescribe medications.
“There is wide variability in this country in how people diagnose, how strict they are, and who they diagnose,” said Margaret Sibley, a psychologist at the University of Washington.
To address these inconsistencies, the American Professional Society of ADHD and Related Disorders is developing the first national set of diagnostic and treatment guidelines for adult ADHD. These guidelines, expected to be released later this year, aim to “improve the accuracy of diagnoses in this country,” said Sibley, who is leading the project.
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
US Dollar continues under pressure as markets digest GDP figures