Turning Regret Into Reset After an ADHD Diagnosis
At midlife, many women enter the sandwich generation, juggling the often-conflicting needs of their children, parents, and partners.
Society’s gender role expectations pressure them to conform to a traditional feminine ideal and prioritize others’ needs before their own.Some of these women feel overwhelmed with overcommitment and dread moral judgment of their efforts.
They feel ill-equipped to manage life’s complexities. These are the women with hidden ADHD: undiagnosed, untreated, and underserved.Evading ADHD detection for so long suggests these women were able to present a seamless façade; that they passed for neurotypical, which may have felt like a win.
But perfectionistic masking almost always comes at a high emotional cost. The self-monitoring is relentless; the hypervigilance, fueled by anxiety, exhausting.While hiding their true selves may have seemed necessary to escape anticipated judgment and rejection, women who receive an ADHD diagnosis later in life report a new appreciation for the courage and determination that served them for so long.Diagnosis at midlife unleashes a kaleidoscope of sensations—shock, anger, relief, regret, shame, fear, guilt, resentment, and sadness.
United States
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Cases: 46 252 513
Deaths: 750 423
Recovered: 0
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India
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Cases: 34 321 025
Deaths: 459 652
Recovered: 0
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Brazil
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Cases: 21 835 785
Deaths: 608 235
Recovered: 0
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United Kingdom
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Cases: 9 215 683
Deaths: 141 607
Recovered: 0
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Russia
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Cases: 8 494 589
Deaths: 237 619
Recovered: 0
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