ADHD in Adults at Midlife (ADHD 365)

Source:
www.podbean.com/eau/pb-yq3qc-...
While most of the available information about ADHD deals with how it affects children and teenagers, we know it is a lifelong condition. How does ADHD affect people who are age fifty and older? Why are diagnoses increasing in this age group? What special challenges do they face, and how can they improve their daily lives? Our guest for this episode is psychologist Kathleen Nadeau, founder of the Chesapeake Center and author or coauthor of more than a dozen books on ADHD. She discusses what ADHD looks like in older adults, the ways ADHD is more challenging for women, what to expect if you pursue a midlife diagnosis, and more. She also shares a few simple steps you can take to improve your quality of life with ADHD.

[@Charlie_Duz]

I was diagnosed in my mid fifties. Given the diagnosis, then the meds, then it was "Bye bye, you're on your own." Huh? That's it? ADDitude magazine is mostly aimed at school age kids and teens. Finding material that's for older ages - and I mean the wider older ages - is really difficult. I'm in various over 50s sports groups, and the mid fifties members have different needs from those in their eighties. It's like saying that sixteen year olds have the same needs as forty six year olds. I didn't realise post-diagnosis would be so frustrating and exhausting.

[@bexlocks]

Hoping to get diagnosed in a weeks time. I’m 52 and ALL this resonates with me. Eating disorders, horrendous 40s that ended in divorce at 50. Now trying to navigate working and paying the bills. Struggling with preparing for interviews, getting rejected, becoming anxious. Totally stuck and feeling sad…jobs I know I could do standing on my head but cannot formulate organised answers in interviews.

[@SpecialEdDHD]

As a man. We go through menopause too. I just got diagnosed with ADHD at age 42 when my body and mind deteriorated. Was just powering through life before that. Like going bald around age 40 as my estrogen levels fell off. Once you hit midlife. ADHD becomes more difficult. I am starting meds soon.

[@wendyhannan2454]

Thank you for thinking of older adults with ADHD, this had been so helpful. Great ideas, I love the saying, finding your tribe, that’s important for people with ADHD. I so enjoyed this video, fantastic talk ladies. 🙏

[@tiffparz8749]

I needed to hear this… 53 yo, menopausal woman with ADHD, single mom (son away at college) living in significant isolation, and am exhausted by trying to find any significant relief. I chip away at many of the struggles you discuss, but can’t achieve any real improvement.

[@kmcq692]

How wonderful yet sorrowful that understanding of the impact of neurodivergence is hitting cultural consciousness. Not that I like the “poor me” approach. At least now (within the past five years) my understanding of who I am and have been now has a different tenor. I know I’m not alone. I know what I can do.

[@kmcq692]

I think I’ve been helped by finding community in 12-step programs and church. But only because I think they were secretly built to help those of us who need to outsource our executive function from time to time.

[@kmcq692]

See debtorsaninymous, underearnersanknymous, procrastinatorsanonymous…plus I love what you say briefly at the end about how you’ve thrived being creative and working collaboratively. Me too. Hard to find your people but so important. Thank you.