"It was like a weight was lifted off of my shoulders, and I was able to really breathe and have space," said actress Busy Philipps.
Philipps found out she had ADHD after her teenage daughter was diagnosed just a couple years ago, and since then, the host of "Busy This Week" has been trying to draw attention to the struggles of getting a diagnosis as a woman.
"We're not diagnosed as frequently as men with things like ADHD because it presented differently," said Philipps.
ADHD symptoms in women can include trouble paying attention, trouble paying attention, getting easily side-tracked, trouble organizing, time blindness, and anxiety. Adult women are less likely to have the stereotypical hyperactive most commonly seen in children diagnosed with ADHD, but awareness about symptoms in adults are driving more diagnoses overall.
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Researchers aren't sure what causes ADHD, but studies show genetics seem to be a big factor, and according to a CDC report published this month, an estimated 15.5 million U.S. adults in 2023 were diagnosed with ADHD.
The report adds that "telehealth policies implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic expanded access to ADHD diagnosis and treatment."
"There's not more people with ADHD. There's more people being diagnosed with ADHD," said Dr. Ari Tuckman, who has written four books about ADHD. He says there's a connection to what happened to society during the pandemic.
"Once everybody had to do school and work from home, they just really struggled in all those very typical ADHD ways. And they then sought out a diagnosis and sought out treatment," said Dr. Tuckman. "It's just sort of it's put it into people's awareness in a way that it just didn't exist five years ago."
Other celebrity women drawing awareness to their own experiences with ADHD includes gymnast Simone Biles and socialite Paris Hilton, who also dropped a song called "ADHD" for ADHD Awareness Month.
Philipps, who is also a spokesperson for the non-stimulant ADHD medication Qelbree, says other woman have thanked her for opening about her diagnosis. But it's not the only reason she's vocal.
"Honestly, it helps me," said Philipps. "I feel more connected, and I feel less alone in my experience."
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