ADHD and Mental Health Awareness month
May is mental health awareness month. And since I have ADHD I’m gonna talk a bit about it
I was diagnosed in the mid 90’s with adhd, anxiety and depression not realizing until well into my 30’s that anxiety and depression were always paired with adhd. All the anxiety I had was related to how adhd affected my life in every way possible. Sleep, eating habits, social anxiety, school anxiety, inability to control my focus unless it was something I was obsessed with. I was Hyper focused or not at all and why I became a makeup artist & stylist.
According to the Mayo Clinic; “People may experience:
Behavioral: aggression, excitability, fidgeting, hyperactivity, impulsivity, irritability, lack of restraint, or persistent repetition of words or actions…..
Cognitive: absent-mindedness, difficulty focusing, forgetfulness, problem paying attention, or short attention span…
Mood: anger, anxiety, boredom, excitement, or mood swings
Also common: depression or learning disability”
ADHD STATISTICS
🌏 Adhd affects roughly 11 million adults in the USA
💊 Only 70% of those adults respond to stimulant medication and for some it can take years to find the proper Med and dosage.
🧒 6.1 million children in the USA have ADHD
🚨 5 in 10 children with ADHD have a behavior problem
7️⃣is the average age most children are diagnosed with adhd
👦 Boys are diagnosed at twice the rate of girls
Think you have adhd? Call your insurance and see what your coverage is, call your primary care doc and talk to them. Work together to create a plan for evaluation and care plan / course of treatment and if meds are right for you. They’ve changed my life.
Not sure where to start? Visit these websites for more information and resources.
https://www.nami.org/About-Mental-Illness/Mental-Health-Conditions/ADHD
www.chadd.org
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