In recent years, the number of adults receiving an ADHD diagnosis later in life has surged, not because the condition is new, but because recognition is finally catching up with reality.
Over 20% of all adult ADHD diagnoses in North America are now happening in people over 40, with a growing number identified after 50.
Among women especially, symptoms often go unrecognized for decades. Masking, internalized hyperactivity, and being “the responsible one” obscure what’s really going on beneath the surface.
A study from 2021 noted that for every adult officially diagnosed, up to four may remain undiagnosed, often dismissed as “anxious,” “moody,” or “just scattered.”
Many older adults describe the moment of diagnosis as both liberating and grief-inducing; relief at understanding themselves, but sorrow over missed opportunities and misunderstood moments in life.
For those over 60, doctors are often reluctant to pursue neurodevelopmental diagnoses, assuming memory loss or “normal aging” instead. Not to mention the inability to match seniors with good ADHD meds because of other factors. However, awareness is shifting, primarily as more older adults advocate for themselves online and through support groups.
One of the most overlooked effects of late diagnosis is the emotional unravelling that follows… the re-framing of a life lived under the weight of “should haves” and “why couldn’t I’s.” Yet that’s also where the healing begins.
Understanding ADHD at any age is powerful. Understanding it late is like turning on a light in a room you didn’t know you’d been sitting in all your life.
2025 – jj thompson
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LIFE on the HALF SHELL 