ADHD Weekly --It’s Not A “Senior Moment”—It’s ADHD

[KarenADHDWeekly]

Did you know the fast growing group being diagnosed with ADHD are not children but rather older adults?

Read "It’s Not A “Senior Moment”—It’s ADHD" at bit.ly/nrcsenioradhd to learn more about ADHD in older adults and what you can do if you think you or a family member may have ADHD at this stage of life.

[Billy50]

I notice this lately. Separation. You said "older adults". Why is it always some category of? Why not all? All ages. All of us have struggles at all ages. There are children and older adults and somewhere in between the two as well. We exist, too.

[Emready in reply to Billy50]

I think its just because in their younger years, a diagnosis didn't exist for the "older adults" of today so I think that will trail off once the next few generations age into the "older adults" category because so many of those younger generations will have been diagnosed much earlier in life and have learned how to cope and master thier situation before the onset set of issues that come with older age. It's hard for everyone who is ADHD, I am thankful I was diagnosed at all. It was missed until my 30s and I feel like I missed a lot of life in those years where it felt like life was a hurricane dragging me along while scrambled to catch up.

[Billy50 in reply to Emready]

I am sorry for that. I have never counted period. So, now it seems like I am being categorized out of existence. Oh wait. I can wait until Age 65 when in reality being an "older adults" means having the money and status to enjoy that status. And it seems like a real simple request. We exist. We may not know whether we have autism or ADHD. Yes. I was diagnosed as a kid with ADHD. They recommended Ritalin I think. Glad my dad did not let them push pills on me. It seems everywhere I go I see utopian signs of inclusion and no example where we can just be counted as existing because we just are. Why is it so hard to just say between Ages 0 and 110 ADHD matters.

[Billy50]

My point is that you are excluding people. It sounds like the money and clout is on kids and senior citizens. We between Ages 21 to 64 do not appear to count and that is something that continues to be a major fight with we with "disabilities". Signs all over say "All are welcome". Not anywhere close to being the case. So, now it is seniors. What happened to we between 21 and 64? It sounds like we are being shut out completely and do not count. And this is a major anger I have where I have been pushed out and marginalized by the Autism Movement and now maybe the ADHD Movement, too. Nice to know that we between the ages of 21 and 64 do not matter at all.

[KarenADHDWeekly Partner in reply to Billy50]

Hello Billy50,

Adult ADHD is a serious issue and we focus many resources and information on it at CHADD and the National Resource Center. Please visit our pages on adult information at chadd.org/for-adults/overview/. We also try to have an article a week that focuses on the needs of adults or from an adult-focused perspective. You can find all of our articles at chadd.org/weekly/adhd-weekly/.

This particular article did focus on senior ADHD because it is an underrepresented group that is facing different health needs than those who may be in their 30s, 40s, or 50s. At different times we do focus on specific groups; men's health or women's health, parents, adults in the workplace, and so on. In doing so we are not excluding other adults but simply highlighting a certain time or place of life.

In focusing on senior ADHD, we do not claim adults at other ages do not matter. It is that each age has its own needs, and while there are shared challenges, sometimes how those challenges are viewed is different and we'd like to address that.

And for adults between 21 and 64? Your experiences are important and included. We frequently write about young adult experiences (21-32), we discuss relationships at all ages, we have information for parents at all ages and we have information for adults on working with doctors, navigating life events and treatment options, and using lifestyle to manage ADHD symptoms. You can find this information at Living with ADHD: A Lifespan Disorder at chadd.org/for-adults/living... and again in our newsletters at chadd.org/weekly/adhd-weekly/.

I hope this reassures you. Thank you for being one of our readers.

Best regards,

Karen

The National Resource Center on ADHD

[Billy50]

I see. I have been lamenting that someone I ended up on a parents of ADHD group. I have a lifetime of experience on that, but dated and maybe too personal. Then, I finally see something about ADHD for adults, but you add "Older people". Well, once again I am excluded. I do not see how young to middle aged adults do no matter in any discussion. Is it a false prejudice that we are supposed to be good to go? Well, it sure does not feel like good to go. Far from. No one can understand the pain I go through, and especially when I explain ADHD/Autism is the deal and people just blink and smirk like an inappropriate remark a child makes at the dinner table. When you are shut down all your life and you cannot even discuss why what is the point of hearing "Well there is help somewhere"? Where? Never seen any. So do not be surprised when I do not believe you and when I sigh in frustration hearing "Older adults". What about "all" people with ADHD? Where is our group?