I ask my son to eat his breakfast for the tenth time.

Questions spill out of him faster than I can answer — reasons, rituals, invisible tasks his brain insists must come first. A million distractions orbit him. I don’t even think it has registered that there is food in front of him, or that his body is hungry. But he is hungry, nonetheless.

I spit out another reminder, this one sharpened at the edges with frustration. I know I should be calm. Patience always works best — except when it doesn’t. Some days it feels like nothing works. Not gentleness. Not firmness. Not the version of me I try so hard to be.

His younger brother spots a toy abandoned on the floor and picks it up, innocent in the simple way younger siblings are — he just wants to play.

I see it before it happens, steam practically rising from my eldest like a cartoon about to erupt. The scream. The charge. A growl too wild for such a small body.

[Read: The Exhaustion Problem in Extreme Parenting]

His hand lifts and lands hard against his brother’s face. The sound seems louder than it should be. The little one hits the floor, and the air leaves him in a broken gasp before the tears arrive.

Now there are explanations, consequences, and a timeout. And now my two sons are screaming. The youngest because he has been hurt, and the oldest because he has been stopped.

“I hate you, Mum.”

The words come through gritted teeth, and they break my heart every single time. I try to ignore them, but they keep coming, each one sharper than the last.

I scoop the little one into my arms. “He can’t control his big feelings yet, honey,” I tell him about his neurodivergent brother. “Sometimes they spill out into hitting hands. I’m so sorry that happened to you.”

Then the baby cries.

[Read: “How to End Sibling Fighting Peacefully”]

Only eight months in this world and already fluent in urgency. Surely it can’t be nap time — she just woke up, didn’t she? I glance at the clock. Two hours have passed since I first said, “Please eat your breakfast.”

The house comes into focus all at once — toys scattered like confetti, stuffing from a slaughtered teddy trailing across the floor courtesy of the dog, laundry slumped in the corner, dishes stacked dangerously high, the kitchen island buried beneath clutter.

I don’t know where to begin.

The baby needs sleep. The chores need doing. My eldest is still simmering, striking out at everyone — myself included. I am trying my best. Still, I feel like I am drowning.

The dog barks at the postman, startling the baby into louder cries. I rock her gently. She eventually softens. Feeds. Sleeps. At last — quiet.

The boys sit absorbed in their screens while their sister rests. The dog snores at my feet. The house is finally still, but the mess presses down on my shoulders like a weight I cannot shrug off.

Inside my head, a relentless narrator begins its daily recital: Everything you haven’t done. Everything you should be doing. Everything you are failing to be.

Other moms manage. Why can’t you? You should exercise. Eat better. Be more patient. Be more organized. Be more. Be more. Be more.

But I am exhausted. Drained down to the marrow. I look around at the chaos, the silence, the impossible list of things waiting for me. I’ve already had enough, and it’s only 11 a.m.

Raising Neurodivergent Children: Next Steps

• Read:Overwhelmed Mom Syndrome — It’s a Real Thing
• Read: “It’s Hard Being the Mother of Electricity. And Also Quite Dazzling.”
• Read: “The Secret Grief of Raising a Chronically Dysregulated Child”

SUPPORT ADDITUDE
Thank you for reading ADDitude. To support our mission of providing ADHD education and support, please consider subscribing. Your readership and support help make our content and outreach possible. Thank you.

Click on each image below to explore the science, expert insight, lived experiences, and camaraderie that surrounds women with ADHD.

Excessive screen time and social media use exacerbate ADHD symptoms and may impact brain development in children with the condition, according to two new studies.

Social media (e.g., Snapchat or Instagram) use gradually increases symptoms of inattention in children with ADHD, with a cumulative four-year effect, a new study published in Pediatrics Open Science found. ADHD symptoms alone, however, did not predict a rise in social media use. Further, playing video games or watching television and videos did not increase the risk of developing ADHD symptoms. The study found the opposite: Children who played video games or watched television and videos experienced reduced hyperactivity and impulsivity. ¹

“We can only speculate about the mechanisms underlying the association between social media use and increased inattention symptoms,” the researchers wrote. “Social media platforms often involve constant messaging and notifications, which can disrupt attention and interfere with current activities. Experimental studies have shown that such interruptions, or even the mere presence of a mobile phone nearby without using it, can impair attention and learning on psychological tests.” ²

In contrast, cognitively engaging exercises (e.g., activities requiring strategy, coordination, and quick decision-making, such as team sports or martial arts) significantly improve sustained attention in children and adolescents with ADHD, according to a new systematic review and meta-analysis published in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. ³

The Pediatrics Open Science study examined the longitudinal associations between ADHD symptoms in 8,324 children who participated in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study and various types of digital media. The researchers tracked the children from ages 9 or 10 for 4 years.

Over that time, children spent an average of

• 3 hours/day watching television/videos
• 4 hours/ day on social media
• 5 hours/day playing video games

At age 9, children spent approximately 30 minutes per day using social media. The time spent on social media rose to 2.5 hours by age 13, despite the fact that most platforms, such as Facebook and TikTok, require users to be 13 years or older. While the yearly effect size of 0.15 is considered statistically small for a single child, it can have substantial consequences at the population level.

“Together, these results strengthen the potentially causal link between social media use and changes in inattention symptoms,” the researchers wrote.

Another recent study using advanced MRI imaging and ABCD data from more than 10,000 children in the same age range found similarly negative outcomes when examining the broader effects of screen time. The study, published in Translational Psychiatry, found an association between extended screen exposure and changes in brain structure that may exacerbate ADHD symptoms in children.⁴

The researchers observed that children with high screen use had reduced cortical thickness and volume in the right putamen, an area of the brain involved in reward processing and habit formation, as well as changes in the prefrontal cortex, which is involved in focus, emotional regulation, and decision-making. Such changes in brain structure may make it more difficult for children to pay attention and regulate their behavior, which are two prominent features of ADHD.

“Our results indicate a partial mediating effect of cortical volume in the relationship between screen time and ADHD symptoms,” the researchers wrote. “Specifically, longer screen time was associated with smaller cortical volume, which in turn was linked to more severe ADHD symptoms, suggesting that cortical volume may partially explain this association.”

At the two-year follow-up, screen time remained a significant predictor of ADHD symptoms in children, even after controlling for baseline ADHD symptoms as covariates. However, causality could not be established since the results were derived from cross-sectional analyses of the ABCD baseline data.

Social Media Risks

Both studies align with a 2023 U.S. Surgeon General advisory calling social media a “profound risk of harm” to the mental health of children and teens.

According to an ADDitude survey of 1,187 caregivers, 72% of children aged 10 and older with ADHD use social media. Of those, 35% reported adverse mental health effects, including anxiety, sadness, sleep problems, and depression. These negative outcomes are about 70% higher than those seen in adolescents who don’t use social media. In addition, 15% of adolescents with ADHD who use social media reportedly experience eating problems, and 14% have engaged in self-harm. Those numbers are much higher for girls.

“Neurodivergent people, especially those with the focus and self-regulation challenges associated with ADHD, could have a harder time regulating their emotions and unplugging from screens,” said Linda Charmaraman, Ph.D., during the ADDitude Mental Health Out Loud episode “The Mental Health Fallout from Social Media Use.”

Charmaraman recommends that caregivers talk openly with their children about their online experiences to help them become more mindful of their social media use and its effects.

“Avoid judgmental, disproportionate responses when your child comes to you with a social media-related issue,” she said. “Often, tweens and teens will keep things to themselves, afraid that their parents will tell them to deactivate their social media profiles or take away their devices altogether at the first hint of a problem. Should an issue come up, approach with curiosity and collaborate with your teen on a solution.”

Sources

¹Nivins, S., Mooney, M.A., Nigg, J., Klingberg, T. (2026). Digital media, genetics, and risk for ADHD symptoms in children: a longitudinal study. Pediatrics Open Science. https://doi.org/10.1542/pedsos.2025-000922

² Van Der Schuur, W.A., Baumgartner, S.E., Sumter, S.R., Valkenburg, P.M. (2015). The consequences of media multitasking for youth: a review Comput Human Behav. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2015.06.035

³Zhao, M., Li, J., Xu, R.H. et al. (2025). The impact of exercise interventions on sustained attention for children and adolescents with ADHD: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Autism Dev Disord. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-025-07187-y

⁴Shou, Q., Yamashita, M. & Mizuno, Y. (2025). Association of screen time with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms and their development: the mediating role of brain structure. Transl Psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-025-03672-1

I used to think autism meant headbanging or stimming in obvious ways. I didn’t see myself in the stereotypes, and I definitely didn’t think it explained my chaos. But then came TikTok.

It started innocently enough. Like many people, I downloaded the app during the pandemic to see what the fuss was about. The algorithm didn’t take long. Almost instantly, my For You page was filled with chaotic, rainbow-haired women my age talking about ADHD and autism. Women who looked like me. Women who were me.

I didn’t even have to search. They just appeared — video after video of people with the same explosive personality traits, the same sensory issues, the same thought patterns. The same trauma responses. The same jokes. The same blue hair.

At first, it was comforting. “That’s me!” I’d laugh. “Oh my God — that’s so me!” But then the laughter started to sting.

[Read: “I’m ‘The ADHD Doctor’ on TikTok. Here’s How the App Has Changed Me.”]

One video hit particularly hard. A woman — split-dyed blue and black hair, like mine — left her house to grab blueberries. The timestamp showed it had been over an hour when she came back through the door with five full shopping bags, arms overflowing. Her husband called out, “Did you get the blueberries?” And her face froze in horror. She hadn’t. She’d forgotten the one thing she went out for. I laughed out loud… then felt punched in the gut. Because I had done that exact thing — only with orange juice.

Once the algorithm clocked my reaction, it doubled down. Every time I opened the app, I saw someone like me: brushing their teeth and suddenly realizing the toilet roll needed changed… which led to changing the bin… which led to discovering their toothbrush in the kitchen beside the bin they forgot to empty. These bizarre, tangled thought spirals I thought were unique to me were suddenly just… everywhere.

As my friends discovered the app, my inbox started to fill with more versions of myself — daily scenarios acted out by strangers who looked like me, always with the same message: “This is so you.” People even said it in person: “You know that girl — the one who’s basically you on the Internet,” when they were talking about an AuDHD video.

And that’s when it hit me. I wasn’t special. I was one of thousands. Millions, even.

Weirdness as Identity, Stolen by TikTok

All my life, I’d felt weird, different. I had clung to that as a form of identity. Even when it hurt, even when I felt alone, I had accepted my quirks as mine. But TikTok held up a mirror I hadn’t requested — and in that mirror, I saw not one reflection, but hundreds. Thousands. My traits, once mine alone, were playing out on screens all over the world. It felt like I’d been cloned and scattered across the Internet.

That realization spiraled into a strange grief. I was relieved to have answers for my lifelong struggles, yes. But at the same time, I was grieving the person I thought I was. I had worn my difference like armor — if I couldn’t blend in, I’d be the loudest, weirdest one in the room. I didn’t realize how much of my identity hinged on feeling like the only one.

Seeing “me” reflected back so often, in so many strangers, made me feel exposed. Invisible, even. Was I just ADHD sprinkled with some autism — another neurodivergent stereotype of blue hair and mandalas? Had anything about me ever been unique?

I Don’t Need to Be One-of-a-Kind

For weeks, I found myself torn. I kept scrolling through these videos that made me laugh, cry, and feel understood. But they also made me feel hollow. Like my sense of self had dissolved. I started snapping the app shut, unable to face the steady stream of doppelgängers.

And then one night, I looked at my son — this messy, brilliant little boy who shares many of my quirks — and something shifted.

If I can see myself everywhere… maybe that means I was never alone.

Maybe there’s comfort in that.

Maybe I’m not a diluted version of a stereotype, but a real, whole person who happens to be neurodivergent — like so many others. And maybe that’s not a bad thing. Maybe it’s a blessing. Maybe I can see the humor in this — the light in myself by seeing it in others like me.

Because if I can find myself in all of these strangers, then maybe he will, too.

Maybe he’ll grow up seeing himself everywhere and never feel the kind of loneliness I felt as a child.

Maybe the weird won’t feel weird at all. That’s all I can hope for.

These days, I still fall into the TikTok rabbit holes. I still see my reflection in strangers. But now I feel a little more grounded. A little more grateful. I’m learning to let go of the need to be “one of a kind,” and embracing the strange, beautiful truth that we are never as alone as we think.

I may not be the only blue crayon in the box — but I’m still here, coloring outside the lines.

AuDHD in Women: Next Steps

• Read: TikTok Is My Therapist — The Dangers and Promise of Viral #MentalHealth Videos
• Read: ADHD, Autism, and Neurodivergence Are Coming Into Focus
• Read: “5 Unique Features of AuDHD in Women”

SUPPORT ADDITUDE
Thank you for reading ADDitude. To support our mission of providing ADHD education and support, please consider subscribing. Your readership and support help make our content and outreach possible. Thank you.

Some psychiatric disorders commonly co-exist because they share genes, according to a large study published in Nature that analyzed the genetic data of more than 6 million people worldwide.¹

International researchers examined and traced genetic connections among 14 conditions, including ADHD, anxiety disorders, autism spectrum disorder, bipolar disorder, major depression, schizophrenia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, Tourette syndrome, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and substance use disorders, such as opioid-use disorder, cannabis-use disorder, and nicotine dependence.

They identified 428 genetic variants linked to more than one disorder, along with 101 regions, or “hot spots,” on chromosomes with high concentrations of shared genetic variants.

Using statistical modeling, the researchers determined that the 14 studied conditions clustered into five groups of conditions that shared high genetic overlap:

1. compulsive disorders: obsessive-compulsive disorder, anorexia nervosa, and, to a lesser extent, Tourette disorder and anxiety disorders
2. internalizing disorders: major depressive disorder, anxiety disorders, and PTSD
3. neurodevelopmental disorders: ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, and, to a lesser extent, Tourette disorder
4. schizophrenia and bipolar disorder
5. substance use disorders: opioid use disorder, cannabis use disorder, alcohol use disorder, nicotine dependence, and, to a lesser extent, ADHD

The internalizing and substance use disorder groups demonstrated particularly high levels of shared genetic risk: Major depression, anxiety disorders, and PTSD shared about 90% of their genetic risk; schizophrenia and bipolar disorder shared roughly two-thirds of their genetic markers.

ADHD and autism spectrum disorder showed a strong genetic correlation, suggesting the two conditions share many of the same genetic risk factors. A separate study published in October 2025 found that later-diagnosed autism (after age 10) had a more significant genetic correlation to ADHD, as well as mental health conditions like depression and PTSD, compared to autism diagnosed at age 6 or younger. ²

The researchers also found that disorders with shared genetic risk often exhibit similar biological patterns in the specific genes active during development and the types of brain cells they affect. For example, genes active in oligodendrocytes (brain cells responsible for maintaining neuronal health in the central nervous system) were more strongly associated with internalizing disorders. In contrast, genes active in excitatory neurons, which stimulate other neurons, were more closely associated with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

About half of all people who meet the criteria for one psychiatric disorder will be diagnosed with a second or third condition in their lifetime.^{3, 4} According to a 2023 ADDitude survey of 1,500 readers, anxiety and depression are the two most common co-occurring conditions diagnosed alongside ADHD in adults, with co-diagnosis rates of 72% and 70%, respectively.

According to the researchers, this study represents the largest and most comprehensive analysis to date of genetic overlap among 14 psychiatric conditions. Findings from the study may help researchers and clinicians better understand the biological connections among psychiatric conditions and lead to more tailored treatments for patients.

Source

¹Grotzinger, A.D., Werme, J., Peyrot, W.J. et al. (2026). Mapping the genetic landscape across 14 psychiatric disorders. Nature. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-09820-3

²Zhang, X., Grove, J., Gu, Y., Buus, C. K., Nielsen, L. K., Neufeld, S. A., Koko, M., Malawsky, D. S., Wade, E. M., Verhoef, E., Gui, A., Hegemann, L., Geschwind, D. H., Wray, N. R., Havdahl, A., Ronald, A., St Pourcain, B., Robinson, E. B., Bourgeron, T., Warrier, V. (2025). Polygenic and developmental profiles of autism differ by age at diagnosis. Nature. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-09542-6

³ Kessler, R.C. et al. Lifetime prevalence and age-of-onset distributions of DSM-IV disorders in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication. Arch. Gen. Psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1001/archpsyc.62.6.593

⁴Kessler, R.C., Chiu, W.T., Demler, O. & Walters, E.E. (2005). Prevalence, severity, and comorbidity of 12-month DSM-IV disorders in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication. Arch. Gen. Psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1001/archpsyc.62.6.617

I worry the person I’m talking to will doubt I’ve really got it or mistake my revelation for a declaration of specialness.

I get why they might hear it that way. Some people do seem to center their identity around their neurodivergence and I understand that too. Endless flying-kicks to the ego inflict deep and lasting wounds and there’s a screw-you joy in shouting from the rooftops that you like who you are and have finally found your squad.

For me though, ADHD is only part of who I am. I’m different from the people I know who have it and they are different from each other as well. I don’t want others to hear those four little letters and put me in an ill-fitting box.

But that probably makes it all the more pressing that I push through the cringe and crack on with my disclosure.

There are loads of reasons why I feel I should talk about ADHD.

[Read: The ADHD Myths That Hurt Us Most]

1. To Explain That It’s Like an Iceberg

Public perception of ADHD is still negative and narrow: we’re chaotic, annoying and devoid of common sense. We bash things with sticks all day long and talk over each other non-stop. The stereotype overlooks inattentive attributes completely and defines us largely by what we lack and by our most conspicuous traits.

A lot of people with ADHD wouldn’t stand out in a crowd though, especially if they’re female. We’re skilled at concealing our inner struggles behind a slick-but-exhausting performance of normal.

The little quirks we do exhibit can look trivial or amusing to the casual observer, but they’re often the tip of a giant iceberg that quietly threatens to capsize our lives.

Being open about ADHD lets me dig into the detail of the many different ways it can manifest and how much is hidden from view. I like being part of that conversation and I think I have a duty to share what I know.

[Read: 3 Defining Features of ADHD That Everyone Overlooks]

2. To Help Friends Understand Themselves Better

It’s no accident that my account of lifelong symptoms often chimes with the person I’m talking to. ADHD people attract each other, after all. When someone recognizes themselves in my experience, they’re usually keen to learn more and some have gone on to pursue diagnosis, either for themselves or their children.

My own ADHD journey began when a friend shared a podcast that resonated so much it brought me to tears. Finding out my more troublesome traits were part of a pattern and not random failings as a human helped weaken the grip that shame sometimes has on me and which can wreak more havoc than the condition itself.

Talking about ADHD feels worth the discomfort when it helps get the message to people like me who need to hear it most.

3. To Take the Sting out of Stigma

Even if a person does not relate to my story of quiet dysregulation and self-sabotage, my willingness to be vulnerable can lead to reciprocal sharing.

Laying bare my own battles almost always results in chats about what others find difficult.

I used to worry that being honest would make me feel weak, but I’ve found that the opposite is true. I feel braver and stronger when I open up and it gives other people permission to do likewise.

4. To Make Working Life Easier

When I first got my ADHD diagnosis, I didn’t want to tell my employer. I was scared I’d be seen as incapable and worried the condition would be used to sweep real workload issues under the carpet.

I’m so glad I did come clean though. It made it easier to ask for accommodations, even informal ones. Small changes to my role and teaching hours have made me calmer and more productive and I feel like my managers have my back.

Conversations I have at work about ADHD soon turn to the things I excel at too and the stuff my colleagues find easy. That’s great for collaboration. If my workmate gets off on the gristle-chewing torment of detailed yearly planning, they can knock themselves out with their color-coded spreadsheets while I save my energy for bringing fresh, last-minute ideas when plans get upended as they so often do.

5. To Remind Us That Everyone Is Weird

Sceptics scoff when they hear how many people are being diagnosed with ADHD. But I’m surprised they’re surprised by the stats. It’s not uncommon and everyone is different. I thought we knew that by now.

I don’t see the rise in cases as proof of rampant overdiagnosis or the fragility of entire generations. I view it as long-overdue acknowledgement that the uniform, manmade and neurotypical-centric requirements of modern life are extremely hard for a lot of people to meet.

Reading about ADHD helped me pinpoint what I find tough and examine why that might be. But talking about ADHD to people who don’t have it opened my eyes to the many things others can struggle with – unforeseen changes, recognizing feelings, encountering buttons, for example. It gives me the chance to acknowledge that I know it’s not all about me.

I don’t feel special for having ADHD. I feel fortunate that my particular brand of weirdness fits into an established and well-researched cluster. Not everyone is that lucky.

6. To Assuage the Fear of Labels

Diagnosis has helped me a lot. I talk to myself more kindly now and am learning to soothe my nervous system when I need to persevere.

My ADHD label is not a shield behind which I intend to cower, emerging only to hurl rotten eggs and expletives at people who insist I do boring jobs. It’s a framework for understanding myself better so that I can capitalize on my strengths and work on the tough bits with greater insight and practical strategies.

7. To Make It So Normal It’s Boring

Talking about ADHD feels awkward. I still feel embarrassed when I bring it up. But I need to chuck my truth out there and have faith that if enough of us do the same, the stereotypes will melt away and at some point, someone like me will be able to mention their common difference to zero frowns or pigeonholing.

One day, I hope, ADHD will be a boring shortcut to explain how I function and what I do best.

Maybe by then everyone will have their own punchy acronym to help me understand them better as well. I might interrupt them to ask for more detail, but I promise I will never roll my eyes.

Explaining ADHD: Next Steps

• Read: 10 Ways ADHD Can Hide in Plain Sight
• Read: Coping with the Stigma of ADHD
• Read: Who Do You Tell About Your ADHD?

SUPPORT ADDITUDE
Thank you for reading ADDitude. To support our mission of providing ADHD education and support, please consider subscribing. Your readership and support help make our content and outreach possible. Thank you.

“You’d forget your head if it wasn’t glued on.”

“I heard things like, ‘Thank goodness she’s pretty because…'”

“The words were never as hurtful as the glares, the eye-rolling, and the silent treatment from family members who were constantly aggravated as I disrupted their peace.”

The messages that ADDitude readers have been subjected to about themselves and their neurodivergence would be shocking if they weren’t so ubiquitous. Sadly, their experiences mirror what we know about living with ADHD — that criticism is common and greatly reduces self-worth.

Words hurt, but ADDitudereaders also attest that the right ones can empower and heal. Read on to learn about the most frustrating messages our readers heard about themselves, and the messages and actions — from themselves and from others — that uplifted them and corrected the narrative.

[Read: “I’m Way Too Hard on Myself”]

“‘Why can’t you just [insert thing here]?’ I felt frustrated because I didn’t understand either! I didn’t understand why I couldn’t just do the thing that needed to be done. My mom would say, ‘Put out the fires at your feet first.’ You can’t just put out a whole forest fire at once. You need to start from where you’re at. It helped when I would feel overwhelmed. My mom would also quote Rollie Pollie Ollie: ‘Do the best you can because that’s the best you can do.’ It reminded me that I can’t expect more of myself than I’m able to give. Whatever I am able to do is good enough.” — Ella, Canada

“Any pointed comments about me being lazy or seeing others get exasperated with me to the point of sharp frustration or tears made me feel like something was wrong with me. Now that I understand why, it’s been helpful to mitigate my inner negativity, but I still have ways to go. What I’ve found helpful is finding people who coach and guide me without judgement — like when others tell me that they understand what I’m dealing with (e.g., hard time getting into the work or being easily frustrated).” — Jono, Canada

“I was ‘too much.’ My mom always told me it was OK if some things take me longer, at least I was getting them right.” — Megan, Utah

“I was told that I was dramatic, overly sensitive, impolite, lazy. My self-esteem is beginning to recover, but I still easily slip into berating myself. Being told that I was compassionate, gifted, and intelligent made me feel better about myself. I still hold on to these compliments.” — Ayanna, California

[Read: The ADHD Myths That Hurt Us Most]

“If I hadn’t been mentored by my college professor, I don’t know where I would be now. Her message, without any kind of sweetness, was that I was of great value.” — Jean, Michigan

“It didn’t matter what the specific words or situations were. The message was that I, me, myself, was wrong. The uplifting messages I got were from people I respected and who saw my abilities or efforts. It took awhile to see and hear them, and sometimes I thought they were negative. I also find a lot of lift in reading sports interviews. Athletes work through self-doubt far better than I have ever done.” — Jen, Massachusetts

“I was told that I was lazy and that I would succeed if I just put more effort in. I felt dumb and incapable. The most helpful support and feedback was given to me about other strengths: social skills, creativity, generosity, kindness. I felt seen in my musical abilities even though these were often non-traditional.” — An ADDitude Reader

“Worst messages: You are lazy. You are too combative. You are too loud and intimidating. You don’t know when to shut up. You are a know-it-all. You are disruptive and too much. Best messages: I love your honest and straightforward way. I know you won’t ever lie to me and that you always have my best interests in mind. You are the most caring and empathetic person I have ever met. You’ve changed my life. You always have such a unique perspective. I love how creative you are. You are inspiring. You should be a motivational speaker. These words made me feel seen and understood. That I could really make a difference and that my life has purpose. Like I could do anything.” — Carmen, Germany

“You think too much. You over-analyze. You dream too big. You focus on small details. You are too organized or structured for this fast-paced environment. You document too much. You talk too much. You schmooze too much. These are all skills that came in handy when I began working as a technical sales person. I had a boss recognize I was a people-person and had a way of organizing chaos. He made it known that what I perceived as my flaws, were actually my strengths.” — An ADDitude Reader

“You’re really smart but you’re not living up to your potential. You’re lazy. You don’t listen. You’re a terrible student. You can’t sit still. Stop making excuses for doing so poorly in school and start applying yourself. Those messages made me feel frustrated, angry, self-conscious, and disappointed in myself. I had a fifth-grade teacher who recognized I was a talented writer, and regularly encouraged me to keep developing my skills. Another English teacher also recognized my talents and made me feel like I was smarter than my parents and other teachers gave me credit for.” — Tom, Colorado

ADHD and Self-Esteem: Next Steps

• Read: “How Rewriting the Past Can Help You Overcome ADHD Shame”
• Read: Your Inner Critic Is Sabotaging Your Efforts. Mute It.
• Read: “‘The Bright Underachiever:’ Cruelties I Heard Growing Up with Undiagnosed ADHD”

SUPPORT ADDITUDE
Thank you for reading ADDitude. To support our mission of providing ADHD education and support, please consider subscribing. Your readership and support help make our content and outreach possible. Thank you.

The fact is, procrastination stems from avoidant thoughts. And those avoidant thoughts are often rooted in powerful and complicated emotions: uncertainty, fear of failure, overwhelm, guilt, fear of rejection, boredom/lack of motivation toward a goal that is not your own, performance anxiety, shame, and panic, to name a few common ones.

“The tricky, nefarious thing about procrastination is that it doesn’t happen in one big chunk,” said Laura E. Knouse, Ph.D., during her ADDitude webinar, “Stuck in Procrastination Mode? Turn Intention into Action with ADHD.” “Procrastination really accumulates over zillions of little, tiny avoidance moments.”

The first step to overcoming procrastination is recognizing when you are faced with an avoidant moment. Red flag may include thoughts like, “I’ll be able to focus better on this later” or “I’ll just clear some easy things off my plate first.” But it’s not always easy to catch yourself in an avoidance moment, and it’s even harder to interrupt or challenge one once it’s begun.

In her webinar, Knouse explained how to slowly, surely, and compassionately coach yourself through those pre-procrastination moments in order to close the gap between intention and action.

1. Question Whether Your Thoughts Are Serving Your Best Interests

Procrastination is often associated with negative automatic thoughts — like feeling shame or embarrassment over falling short on your gym goals, then escaping into your phone to calm those thoughts, which further delays or prevents exercise time.

But not all procrastination involves negative thoughts. Avoidance can be driven by deceptively positive thoughts like, “Oh, this will be easy; I don’t need to start now,” or “I can watch just one more episode and then do those dishes. I worked hard today and I deserve it.”

[Free Download: Finish Your To-Do List TODAY]

2. Expect That You Will Experience Avoidant Thoughts

Knouse’s research shows that people with ADHD are more likely than their neurotypical peers to experience avoidant automatic thoughts (AATs) that drive procrastination. Common avoidant thoughts include “I do better waiting until the last minute” and “Being impulsive is a big part of who I am.”

College students with ADHD, for example, experience AATs 62% of the time, while college students without ADHD experience them 35% of the time. This matters because a higher number of AATs is associated with greater challenges with inattentiveness, distractibility, and task avoidance.

3. Begin by Noticing Your Thoughts

Changing your procrastination patterns won’t happen overnight, and most of the work is in noticing the thoughts that lead to procrastination, even if those thoughts seem benign.

The next step is to identify ways to engage in the task despite an avoidance thought. You can decide ahead of time, for example, to set a timer for 20 minutes (or any chunk of time that you can manage) to work on the task. Or you may cue up a pump-up playlist like this one recommended by webinar attendees.

Coaching yourself through the task is also important. Think to yourself (or, better yet, say out loud): “You only have to do this for ___ minutes.” Be supportive and realistic with yourself about what you can do.

For more strategies to overcome procrastination and dismantle avoidance patterns, watch the full webinar replay at additu.de/030526

How to Stop Procrastinating: More Resources

• Read: What Stops Me From Starting?
• Read: How to Not Procrastinate When Task Avoidance Strikes
• Read: The Everyday Rationales That Let Procrastination In

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But people pleasing, as I and others with ADHD know, often results in little more than broken promises — to others, and to ourselves. People-pleasing behaviors like failing to set boundaries, readily assuming blame, and being overly agreeable for validation’s sake lead to unmet goals, dissatisfaction, burnout, and resentment.

What finally helped me address people-pleasing behaviors was a powerful reframe: I’m not pleasing people; I’m abandoning myself.

[Read: Self-Sabotage and ADHD — Are You Your Own Worst Enemy?]

It hit hard when I thought of how many times I’ve abandoned myself across my life, but I let this realization propel me to do better for myself.

How to Stop Abandoning Yourself

It takes time to unlearn people-pleasing tendencies. Start by asking yourself one question the next time you face a potential commitment: Does the activity nurture or drain my energy?

Depersonalize your response and try not to assign morality to the situation. Say your child’s school asks for volunteers to organize a bake sale. Instead of thinking, “I should volunteer because that’s what good parents do,” think of what it would require of you. Would you be able to volunteer and preserve enough energy to attend to your and your family’s needs at home?

As you set a boundary, remember that you can attend to activities in ways that meet your energy needs and values. The bake sale may be draining this time, but perhaps you can donate a store-brought treat to the event.

People Pleasing and ADHD: Next Steps

• Read: You Are Enough — How to Counteract ADHD Imposter Syndrome
• Read: When Perfectionism Stems from ADHD
  
• Read: 7 Self-Defeating Behaviors That Aggravate ADHD

This article was derived from the ADDitude ADHD Experts Webinar, “How to Accomplish Your 2026 Goals — One Day at a Time” with Caren Magill. Caren is an ADHD coach, entrepreneur, and YouTube creator.

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Better yet, I learned that she’s really open about her diagnosis. She told ESPN: “I have ADHD, and I love situations that I’m not expecting. It gives me a dopamine rush.”

Liu does have a slightly chaotic ADHD vibe. She’s rarely sitting still. She can appear charmingly clueless — like after her win, when she wandered off, just to be reminded that she needed to go get her medal. She says and does what she wants, even when it seems unexpected or a little silly. She cracks jokes at press conferences. She screamed, “Now that’s what I’m f*ckin’ talking about!” into the camera after her win. (It has since become a meme). She cheers for her fellow skaters.

In short, Liu is everything I was told NOT to be as a neurodivergent athlete myself.

Like Liu, I have ADHD and am a figure skater. Unlike her, I am not an Olympic champion, have never done a quadruple lutz (although I have done a double), and don’t have the guts to color my hair or pierce my frenulum. (I cried when I got my ears pierced.)

[Read: Olympians, Professional Athletes, and Sports Legends with ADHD]

But like Liu, I also had an interesting journey to understanding my ADHD.

Liu got evaluated for ADHD when she realized she had 145 unfinished homework assignments in her final year of high school. She struggled with procrastination, and like many of us, needs novelty and challenge to focus.

I was diagnosed at 11, promptly forgot (I didn’t take meds, for various reasons), and was re-diagnosed 20 years later when I erroneously sought diagnosis and treatment for OCD. (A path so many women with ADHD walk).

Like everyone else, I felt the joy when Liu skated at the Olympics. I was perhaps more invested because I’d interviewed her when she first burst on the Junior scene — a tiny 13-year-old who had the hopes and dreams of the skating community resting on her petite shoulders.

Her Olympic win is even more impressive when you learn her backstory: she retired at 16 after a disappointing sixth-place finish at the 2022 Olympics, took two years off, climbed Mount Everest, and still came back to claim not only Olympic gold but also the World title in 2025.

She quit because she couldn’t stand the pressure anymore. She didn’t like feeling like a “puppet.” And she really didn’t like not making her own choices about not just her skating, but her life.

Liu came back because she missed the adrenaline rush, and skating again was fun. But with one caveat: everything — music, costumes, diet, training — would be on her terms.

And that turned out to be the missing link. By giving herself accommodations and taking control of her life, Liu showed us all what can happen when we choose to do things our way, not the neurotypical way.

What Alysa Liu’s Burnout Can Teach High-Functioning ADHD Women

Many high-functioning ADHD girls and women (perhaps including Liu) never get diagnosed or get diagnosed later in life because they appear to be doing more than fine. They excel in academics. They dominate in sports. They pour themselves into whatever captures their hyperfocus. From the outside, everything looks great. But inside, they’re floundering.

In highly controlled environments — like elite figure skating — this can feel even more suffocating. The constant pressure to perform, conform, and comply collides with a brain that craves autonomy and novelty.

There’s also a prevailing narrative in sport that struggle equals growth. That discipline is the price of success. It looks like logging hours on the ice while your mind is quietly collapsing. It’s denying your own wants and needs so you don’t let anyone down.

I lived this. I wasn’t an Olympian, but I was a competitive figure skater for over 20 years. I was surrounded by Olympians who coached and trained alongside me, and I spent years wondering why I couldn’t just commit, work harder, and do what they did. My perfectionism made me walk away at 18. Though I returned to the sport, like Liu, and saw moments when I stopped performing neurotypically, I still burned out — a decision my body made for me.

What I admire most about Liu is that she didn’t wait for that. She chose to walk away before it broke her — and chose to come back only when she could do it on her own terms. She didn’t try to fit back into the old system. She built a new one.

Alysa Liu Is the Role Model I Didn’t Know I Needed

To be fair, Alysa isn’t the only athlete to open up about their mental health. But the way she talks about ADHD — openly celebrating it — is refreshing.

In a sport that has historically prized tight control over bodies, speech, and appearance, that’s revelatory. It makes her a figure skating icon for a whole new generation — one that makes its own rules and celebrates its own individuality.

ADHD brains like ours aren’t wired for obligation. We need careers and pursuits that are novel, that bring new challenges, that keep us guessing. That’s why so many athletes, entrepreneurs, and creatives are neurodivergent — we thrive on the unknown.

But when those pursuits become routine, we lose interest fast. It starts feeling like slogging uphill, with burnout at the summit.

This is almost certainly where Liu ended up before her retirement. So she left. And when she came back, she made sure joy came first.

And while most of us will never win an Olympic medal, we can learn from how she got there. We can find ways to accommodate ourselves. We can be honest and authentic instead of performing what we think people want. We can ask for help. We can honor our own process — the wandering attention, the scattered practices, the FaceTime calls mid-warmup — and trust that when our energy is ready, it will show up.

The biggest lessons we can learn from Liu: Be yourself. Do what you need to do for you. Follow your interests, because that’s where your success lies.
Maybe the only thing we need to change is what we lead with.
Alysa led with joy. And she won.

Christie Sausa, MS, is a dual-sport neurodivergent athlete who writes the Not Your Average Athlete blog.

Athletes with ADHD: More from ADDitude

• Read: Sports Psychology Tricks That Work for ADHD Brains
• Read: “Maybe I’m Not Just Thoroughly Messed Up” Olympian Molly Seidel On Her Late ADHD Diagnosis
• Read: How Swimming Saved Michael Phelps

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To complement ADDitude magazine’s Spring 2026 cover story on autism, we invited readers to share artwork that captures the diversity and depth of life on the spectrum for them. Here, we spotlight seven artists whose artwork is as varied as the autistic community itself.

“My art is as detailed as my cluttered brain folds, and the detailed artworks that conceal things in the nooks and crannies are most representative of how this autistic person sees the world.”

Kimberly Gerry-Tucker
Connecticut

“I painted this piece to understand myself better, to feel free and renewed. This piece represents strength and humility talking with each other in my inner universe.”

Marcele Silvina Rodrigues White
Epsom, United Kingdom

“I originally painted this piece to explore colors and textures and to capture the magic I see in nature. As a neurodivergent person, this painting is me: bright, bold, beautiful, and sometimes, a little chaotic, just like Mother Nature.”

Casey-Lee Flood
Hai’kū, Hawaii

“I drew this image because, my whole life, I felt like an alien who didn’t belong. Today, this alien stands proud in a sea of other neurodivergent folks. I finally feel seen and accepted for who I am.”

Cat Contillo
Newburgh, New York

“Many people are under the false understanding that individuals with autism are restricted by their diagnosis and act according to their prescribed identity. The sky here is visible and asks for attention, just as autism is still characterizing and relevant but isn’t the most important thing on the canvas.”

Lilly Corradetti
Ontario, Canada

“There is beauty and vibrance in embracing neurodivergence. I have learned to move with the dance of darkness, light, and color, in the emergence of self, and integrating who I am.”

Angela Taylor
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

“I wanted to portray the complexities of what it is like for neurodivergent people to mask, and how much of ourselves we lose in the process. It is my first piece of work, and, because of that, I found it cathartic to finally put my experiences of masking down on canvas. As chaotic as it looks, it’s very real.”

Lilya Taylor
Portsmouth, United Kingdom

Understanding Autism: Next Steps

• Free eBook: The Truth About Autism in Adults
• Read: “My Art Style is Expressive, Bold, and Moving — Like Me.”
• Read: “A Big Part of Unmasking Is Honoring Your Limits”

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Thank you for reading ADDitude. To support our mission of providing ADHD education and support, please consider subscribing. Your readership and support help make our content and outreach possible. Thank you.

Today, Vittert is a NewsNation TV anchor and author of a book with Don Yaeger. Born Lucky: A Dedicated Father, A Grateful Son, and My Journey with Autism (#CommissionsEarned) illuminates the ferocity of parental love and support in the face of adversity. Here, he speaks with ADDitude.

Q: Why did you write this book with your dad, and why now?

LV: We wrote this to give parents the hope that my parents didn’t have when I was diagnosed. I had behavioral issues and sensory issues. My parents were told by an expert that it was difficult to know what was going on in my mind and that they couldn’t do much for me.

Born Lucky is a love letter to my dad, who encouraged me to reach my full potential. It follows the arc of my development from not being able to understand human interaction to being able to get along and function in the real world. We want parents to know that they have enormous agency and power to affect the outcomes of their kids’ lives.

Q: Can you talk more about the challenges of growing up autistic and how, as you say in the book, it led you to become resilient?

[Is My Child on the Autism Spectrum? Take This Test To Learn More]

LV: I was in and out of four schools by fifth grade. Two weeks into seventh grade, the principal told my parents, “Everyone in this school thinks Lucky is weird and, frankly, I do too.”

I had lots of meltdowns. If a kid touched me in line, I’d turn around and hit them because touch felt very threatening to me. If kids were being serious, I’d tell a joke. I didn’t understand how to interact, and the rejection was so persistent and stinging that I cried myself to sleep every night.

My dad was my best and only friend. He gave me an immense amount of love and care, and he always made me go to school the next day. My parents were very clear that I could not expect the world to change for me. This made me resilient. I always say the best training for the Washington newsroom was middle school!

In 2021, I had just been asked to leave by my employer, Fox News, had broken up with my longtime girlfriend, and was living in my parents’ guest bedroom. My dad and I were talking one night, and I was feeling sorry for myself. He said, “If you could get up and go to school day after day as you did in eighth grade, you can get through this.”

[Get This Free Download: What Are Your Teen’s Weakest Executive Functions?]

Q: How did you build the social skills you felt you needed to interact with people? 

LV: I still struggle every day with the things my dad and I worked on for 15 years: how to listen, how to understand where someone else is coming from emotionally, how to match that emotion.

My dad used to take me to lunch with his friends, and, when I was talking too much, rather than say, “Be quiet,” he’d tap his watch as a cue for me to stop. Later, we’d talk about it. He’d say, “When you interrupted Mary to talk about something else, why did you think that’s what she wanted to talk about?” I’d say, “Well, that’s what I wanted to talk about.” Then we’d role-play. He was teaching me how to interact with others. Social dynamics are innate for other people. For me, they’re a learned skill.

Q: What qualities do you credit for your success as a TV anchor and now author?

LV: I was taught that you can control just two things in life: your character and your hard work. I was taught to work like hell. When I started in journalism, my quest was to outwork everybody. It’s hard to beat a man who won’t quit.

Parental Love: Next Steps

• Free Download: Help Your Child Develop Positive Self-Talk
• Read: Your Positive Parenting Toolkit Has Arrived
• Read: Autism and ADHD: The Complete Playbook for Social Challenges
• Read: A Dad’s Role in Modeling Social Skills

Leland Vittert is the anchor of On Balance with Leland Vittert at NewsNation.

Carole Fleck is Editor-in-Chief at ADDitude magazine.

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A staggering 78% of ADDitude readers say they’ve been gaslit by a provider, according to a poll of 194 respondents conducted during a February 2026 webinar with Jennifer Fraser, Ph.D., titled “Medical Gaslighting: When Willful Ignorance Causes Doctors to Dismiss Your ADHD Concerns.”

Is there a difference between gaslighting and provider ignorance? What makes people with ADHD susceptible to gaslighting? It is possible to resist gaslighting and heal from past experiences of self-doubt?

Fraser addressed these questions in her webinar and provided evidence-based strategies to protect from future gaslighting while healing from past dismissals. Whether you’re seeking an ADHD diagnosis or advocating for better treatment, these three takeaways will help you find your voice at the doctor’s office.

1. Whether It’s Gaslighting or Ineffectiveness, the Result Is the Same

One definition of gaslighting says it is a form of psychological or emotional abuse that involves lying, manipulation, and challenging a person’s reality to gain control over them. Another says it is the act or practice of grossly misleading someone, especially for one’s own advantage.

These definitions suggest that not every dismissive doctor is engaging in intentional gaslighting. Many physicians are unfamiliar with new ADHD research, including studies about how it presents in historically overlooked populations (e.g., women, people of color, older adults). Still, the damage may be done regardless of intent.

“Regardless of whether the gaslighting is intentional or you are being misdiagnosed… it still is going to make you feel off-kilter,” Fraser explained. “It’s going to make you question yourself, question your own reality.”

That said, a doctor who lacks knowledge but remains curious can become a partner in your care.

2. ADHD Creates Unique Vulnerabilities to Gaslighting

People with ADHD often arrive at a doctor’s office already questioning their reality. Negative messaging around their symptoms — often misinterpreted by others as character flaws — and pressure to adhere to neurotypical standards of functioning create deep self-doubt. When a doctor questions a patient’s story or suggests that what they believe to be ADHD symptoms are actually depression, anxiety, or something else, it compounds self-doubt.

Women may be especially susceptible to medical gaslighting, as science has historically focused on male bodies, leaving providers with significant knowledge gaps. Women also tend to mask symptoms, and are frequently told they can’t have ADHD because they weren’t diagnosed as children or they’re “too successful” to have it.

3. You Can Protect Yourself from Gaslighting

From sharpening your senses to learning to trust your gut, you can train your malleable brain to resist gaslighting through daily practice, Fraser said. To help you learn to trust your gut, for example, you can develop your emotional vocabulary, which will help you articulate your experiences with more precision.

To learn more about how to spot gaslighting, defend against it, and effectively advocate for yourself, watch the full webinar at additu.de/022426.

Medical Gaslighting and ADHD: Resources

• Free Download: How to Talk to Your Doctor About Medical Research
• Read: “Medical Gaslighting Convinced Me That I Didn’t Have ADHD”
• Read: A Clinicians’ Guide to Better Patient Communication

SUPPORT ADDITUDE
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The ADHD brain relies heavily on visual cues; when we can’t see something, it often ceases to exist. We leave items out on counters not from laziness, but as a necessary memory prompt. Our partners may see the piles and think that we expect them to clean up after us. This, in turn, can cause resentment and tension in the home.

In my current relationship, although I’m the one with ADHD, my sentimental non-ADHD partner struggles to let go of things (don’t get me started on what he’s saved). Clutter tolerance isn’t necessarily about ADHD. It’s about understanding each other’s needs and triggers.

[Read: Making Peace With Your Clutter]

4 Steps to Finding Compromise

1. Start with understanding.

I have OCD and cannot eat comfortably in my kitchen unless it is clean and decluttered. My partner needs to understand and respect this. Likewise, when he has clothing piled on his stationary bike, I can tolerate that. Pick your battles and clarify why they matter.

2. Explain the ADHD brain.

Help your partner understand that visible organization is a memory strategy, not laziness. If the ADHD brain can’t see something, it literally forgets that the thing exists. And who wants to buy multiples of everything? For your part, recognize that this may not just be an aesthetic preference; the clutter may create genuine anxiety for your partner. Understanding both sides transforms judgement into compassion.

3. Create designated spaces.

Establish “ADHD-friendly zones” where items can remain visible — a section of a counter, a specific shelf, or a rolling cart. Meanwhile, maintain “calm zones” that stay clear for the partner who needs visual peace.

[Read: Put a Stop to Household Clutter Once and for All]

4. Make it functional for both.

Use clear containers and label everything. A beautiful tray for daily essentials satisfies both accessibility and tidiness needs. Create systems that work with ADHD brains while maintaining visual order.

The solution is not to force the ADHD partner to hide everything or to make the clutter-sensitive partner accept chaos. Successful couples find compromise through understanding and communication.

Jami Shapiro is the founder of Silver Linings Transitions, a San Diego-based senior and specialty move management and home organization company. She is the host of the Grandma Has ADHD podcast.

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ADHD traits in childhood predict physical health problems in midlife, but early exercise interventions may offset this risk, suggest two new studies.

A cohort study of 10,930 participants published in JAMA found that adults with severe childhood ADHD traits had more physical health problems and greater physical health-related disability by age 46 compared to those with less severe ADHD symptoms by age 10.¹

The researchers reported that 42.1% of participants with higher ADHD traits in childhood developed multimorbidity (two or more co-occurring physical health conditions) by age 46. In comparison, just 37.5% of participants with fewer ADHD traits experienced the same health outcomes. Notably, the link between ADHD traits and physical health-related disability appeared much larger in women than it did in men.

Cumulative exposure to health risk factors, such as smoking, alcohol use, psychological distress, low educational attainment, and high body mass index, explains part of the association between ADHD, multimorbidity, and physical disability. However, the researchers emphasized that the direct association between ADHD and physical health outcomes remained significant.

“Clinicians should be aware of the increased rates of physical health problems and associated disability in people with ADHD and should proactively address potential contributing health risk factors,” they wrote. “Integrated interventions addressing mental health, physical health, and key health risk factors may help to reduce chronic conditions in this population.”

The JAMA study analyzed data from the population-based 1970 British Cohort Study, which included people born in England, Scotland, and Wales during the same week in 1970, with follow-up data collected over 46 years.

Increased Mortality Risk for People with ADHD

Untreated physical health problems and co-occurring conditions could reduce the life expectancy of people with ADHD at a higher rate than seen in the general population. A January 2025 study published in The British Journal of Psychiatry comparing the mortality rates of people diagnosed with ADHD to people without ADHD found that the life expectancy for women with ADHD is 8.6 years shorter than that of women without ADHD, while the life expectancy of men with ADHD is 6.8 years shorter. ²

“Adults with diagnosed ADHD are living shorter lives than they should,” the study’s authors wrote. “We believe that is likely caused by modifiable risk factors and unmet support and treatment needs in terms of both ADHD and co-occurring mental and physical health conditions.”

Exercise Interventions Improve Long-Term Mental Health

A 2023 treatment survey of 11,000 ADDitude readers reported positive benefits of exercise. About half of the respondents who exercise regularly rate this ADHD treatment as “extremely” or “very” effective. A staggering 94% of caregivers and 95% of adults recommend exercise to treat ADHD symptoms. However, only 13% said a doctor had recommended exercise to reduce symptoms, and just 37% said physical activity was part of their treatment plan.

“When I get into a good stride with routine exercise, it almost always goes hand-in-hand with better eating habits, better focus, energy levels, mental clarity, and stronger relationships and productivity,” said one adult with ADHD. “Exercise is undoubtedly a crucial piece of the (treatment) puzzle.”

“Depression can really take hold of my 10-year-old son,” one parent said. “We see great improvements after physical activity. He enjoys the elliptical, rower, spin bikes, automatic stepper, and treadmill.”

A new meta-analysis including 18 studies further explores the potential of exercise as an effective adjunctive approach for improving mental health in individuals with ADHD when it is integrated into a multimodal treatment plan that includes pharmacotherapy, behavioral therapy, or psychoeducation.
Exercise interventions produced small-to-moderate improvements in depressive symptoms, anxiety, and emotion regulation in individuals with ADHD, according to the study published in Frontiers in Psychology.

Mind-body integrated exercises, such as yoga and tai chi, significantly improved both depression and anxiety symptoms compared to physical exercises (e.g., structured fitness or sports without a mindfulness component), which did not show significant improvements across outcomes.

The researchers suggest that this advantage may stem from the “mind-body integration” of activities like yoga. By combining physical movement with breath awareness, focused attention, and present-moment acceptance, mind-body exercises directly target emotional dysregulation and attentional control, which are core components of ADHD.

Results from the meta-analysis found that adolescents with anxiety who practiced mind-body exercises experienced the greatest improvements. While children showed moderate improvement, the results were not statistically significant. These discrepancies could be due to developmental differences: Adolescents may be better able to engage with and benefit from the psychological components of exercise, while younger children may require more play-based or gamified approaches.

In addition, the most statistically significant reduction in depressive symptoms occurred from moderate-intensity exercise, whereas low-intensity and high-intensity exercises did not demonstrate measurable benefits for depression, anxiety, or emotion regulation.

While intervention length varied widely (from single sessions to 20-week programs), with no clear differences emerging across durations, single sessions demonstrated immediate short-term anxiety-reducing effects. However, to sustain benefits, longer-term participation may be necessary, the researchers suggest.

They emphasized that the study’s overall findings should be viewed as hypothesis-generating rather than definitive. “Because study designs and exercise protocols varied considerably, the results should be interpreted cautiously, and more rigorous research is needed before definitive clinical guidelines can be established,” they wrote.

Sources

¹Stott, J., O’Nions, E., Corrigan, L., Cotton, J., Donnellan, W.J., et al. (2026). Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Traits in Childhood and Physical Health in Midlife. JAMA Netw Open. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.54802

²O’Nions, E., El Baou, C., John, A., Lewer, D., Mandy, W., McKechnie, D.G.J. et al. (2025). Life expectancy and years of life lost for adults with diagnosed ADHD in the UK: matched cohort study. The British Journal of Psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.2024.199

³Shenning, Z., Yaoqi, H., Wenying, S., and Xiangqin, S. (2026). The effect of exercise interventions on mental health in children and adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: a meta-analysis. Front. Psychol. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1748777