ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) cases in women are rising at rapid-fire rates, but many are left wondering what took so long. Women’s health has historically been overlooked — we see it everywhere, from the recent revelation that tampons sold in the UK contain alarming levels of lead, arsenic and other toxic chemicals to a widespread lack of understanding of how symptoms differ between the sexes.
In fact, the growing surge in ADHD can largely be attributed to TikTok. Yes, social media has been leading the way in growing awareness of how ADHD presents in women and girls. Impulsiveness and hyperactivity (which is how ADHD typically manifests in young boys and men) have long been considered key symptoms, but thanks to a wave of social media videos—there are currently 3.4m #ADHD videos on TikTok—there’s a growing understanding of how the condition affects women and girls and how they experience and show ADHD. As such, prescriptions for women have increased five times in as many years.
