If someone doesn’t value spending time with me as much as I value spending time with them, I feel rejected. Last month, I said to one of my closest friends that I would like to hang out with him more like we used to. He said that he was cool with the way things are. This hurts a lot. What can I do to make this less painful?”

When teens with ADHD struggle with rejection sensitive dysphoria, it affects their relationships — and their self-esteem. Often, they don’t know how to cope with their intense emotions and, feeling overwhelmed, they may lash out at friends and/or family members.

[Read: Why ADD Makes You Feel. So. Much.]

One of my teen clients told me: “When I come home from school, sometimes I just can’t hold it all together. I yell at my mom and then I feel bad afterward, but I know that I can’t get kicked out of my family.” Other kids will withdraw quietly into their rooms and swallow their pain. As parents, there’s a fine line between supporting your adolescent in managing their big feelings and intervening to diminish their distress.

While some ADHD non-stimulant medications or antidepressants, such as SSRIs, can reduce sensitivity and overwhelm, the following behavioral tools can be very effective to quiet the inner critic, shift perspectives, and develop self-confidence.

Sharon Saline, Psy.D., a licensed clinical psychologist, is an expert in how ADHD, learning disabilities, and mental health issues affect children, teens, and families. She is the author of What Your ADHD Child Wishes You Knew.

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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.

May 1, 2023

Hormonal fluctuations worsen symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) for men and women alike, and the severity grows more pronounced with age, according to a recent ADDitude survey of 1,829 adults with ADHD. Across genders, ADDitude readers almost equally cited progressively more debilitating challenges during the marked hormonal shifts of puberty, pregnancy, postpartum (the time after childbirth), perimenopause, menopause, and andropause (often called male menopause).

These findings suggest that the traditional view of ADHD — as a childhood disorder that resolves after puberty — was entirely backward.

In reality, both women and men with ADHD report the greatest symptom severity from ages 50 to 59 — during menopause and andropause, respectively. On a scale of 1 (minor impact) to 5 (life-altering), ADHD symptoms from age 50 to 59 earned a 4.24 rating from women and a 4.14 rating from men. In contrast, symptoms during childhood earned ratings of 2.79 and 2.9, respectively. Fading memories, late diagnoses, and recency, or availability bias, may factor into these ratings, but the stories shared by ADDitude readers support the idea that ADHD grows more pronounced — not less — with age.

“The reason so many women are not diagnosed until menopause and beyond is because estrogen falls, leaving our brains when we need it more than ever,” wrote one Californian diagnosed with ADHD at age 62. “Estrogen and dopamine go hand in hand — or, rather, synapse to receptor! Whatever dopamine you have in the center of your brain needs estrogen to get it moving to the frontal lobe, where executive function takes place. It’s a travesty that menopausal women are typically left to feel like we have finally lost our minds.”

Another interesting survey finding that contrasts with traditional thinking: The rate of inattentive-type ADHD was nearly identical across genders, impacting 36.6% of women and 37.9% of men.

[Get This Free Download: Hormones & ADHD in Women]

Both genders share more in common than we might have imagined, however distinct and important differences do exist. For one, women with ADHD are far more likely to experience debilitating comorbidities. According to the ADDitude survey:

• Anxiety affected 77.6% of women surveyed (with an average age of 46.4) and 68.9% of men surveyed (with an average age of 47).
• Depression impacted 67.9% of women and 61.3% of men.
• Migraines were cited by 25.8% of women and 13.4% of men.
• Eating disorders affected 16.5% of women and 7.9 percent of men.

Other important gender differences influenced by hormonal spikes and dips were revealed in the ADDitude survey.

Hormonal Changes: ADHD in Puberty

Men said their ADHD showed up in puberty, when testosterone production increases nearly 30-fold¹, by way of the following:

• Academic performance issues: 61%
• Anger or hostile behavior: 49%
• Risk-taking behavior 42%

[Read: Boys 2 Men — When ADHD and Puberty Collide]

For women with ADHD, adolescence was marked by the following:

• Feelings of sadness or depression: 70%
• Rejection sensitive dysphoria: 63%
• Greater worry or anxiety: 58%

A staggering two-thirds of women surveyed said they have experienced premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and/or premenstrual dysphoria disorder (PMDD) — well over the  prevalence of PMS and PMDD in the general population.² Survey takers said they experiences the following PMS and PMDD symptoms:

• Irritability: 80%
• Mood swings: 79%
• Cramps or discomfort 79%
• Tension/anxiety: 68%
• Lack of focus/concentration: 66%

“For me, PMDD meant suicidal ideation, increased meltdowns and shutdowns, a decrease in emotional regulation, extreme sensitivity to rejection, and intrusive thoughts,” said a 39-year-old woman diagnosed with ADHD, anxiety, and autism.

Women also were more likely to report social anxiety, self-harm, and eating disorders in adolescence. “I didn’t show any signs of ADHD or major depressive disorder until I started menstruating. Then all hell broke loose,” said a 41-year-female diagnosed just two years ago.

Men were more likely to report illegal drug use, hypersexuality, and anger-management problems in adolescence than were women. Testosterone levels typically reach their peak around age 20, when challenges shift to procrastination, emotional dysregulation, and relationship problems, according to the ADDitude survey.

“I have always had procrastination and time-management issues, but porn and masturbation became my dopamine release in adolescence, and after the pleasure, it became exhausting,” wrote one 31-year-old male with combined-type ADHD. “It’s been almost 20 years, but my porn addiction hasn’t gone despite trying in multiple ways.”

Hormonal Changes: ADHD in Pregnancy

During pregnancy, a woman will produce more estrogen and progesterone than she will throughout the rest of her life. For 20% of women surveyed, heightened hormones during pregnancy brought greater focus, drive, organization, and sleep.

“My sleep problems completely resolved in pregnancy (I was able to fall asleep easily at a ‘normal’ time and wake up when needed in the morning),” said one 34-year-old woman in the UK. “I was able to focus and felt the most productive I’ve ever felt in my life.”

But 44% of women said they noticed no difference in ADHD symptoms during pregnancy, perhaps because spiking hormone levels were offset by discontinued stimulant medication use (98% of women said they stopped treatment in pregnancy). Another 36% of ADDitude readers said their ADHD symptoms worsened in pregnancy with exhaustion, poor memory, emotional dysregulation, and sensitivity topping the list.

[Free ADDitude Webinar: ADHD, Pregnancy, and Motherhood]

Hormonal Changes: Postpartum and ADHD

Estrogen and progesterone fall off a cliff following childbirth, contributing to postpartum depression in roughly 15% of women.³ Among our survey takers, the rate of self-reported postpartum depression skyrockets to 61%. ADDitude readers reported that symptoms of postpartum depression lasted roughly one year, and included the following:

• Crying spells: 76%
• Feelings of worthlessness, shame, guilt, or inadequacy: 72%
• Mood swings: 66%
• Irritability: 62%
• Lack of concentration: 58%
• Sleep problems: 57%

“It still makes me sad, nearly 20 years later,” said one 49-year-old woman with inattentive ADHD who suffered postpartum depression. “I didn’t want to hold my child and actively sought to hand him off to others in the early weeks. I felt strongly that I wanted a redo, that this wasn’t what I had expected…. I still feel robbed of that miraculous time, but my son and I are closer now than ever — he’s awesome and gives great hugs. Maybe that makes up for it a little.”

Almost half of ADDitude survey respondents said they were not offered any treatment for their postpartum depression, while 41% were prescribed antidepressants and 20% received therapy. “I thought I was a bad mom for feeling how I did, so I masked my issues,” said one 50-year-old mother with ADHD in Colorado.

“The nurses I spoke to did not recognize my postpartum depression and told me it was probably a normal hormonal drop, but things never improved,” said a 36-year-old mother in Pennsylvania.

Hormonal Changes: ADHD in Menopause and Andropause

In 2022, ADDitude fielded a survey of nearly 4,000 women regarding ADHD symptoms in menopause, when production of both estrogen and progesterone drop. It found, among other things, that 70% of women said ADHD had a “life-altering” impact in their 40s and 50s — a finding echoed in the latest ADDitude survey, which found that half of women called ADHD “extremely severe” in menopause.

The most debilitating symptoms during menopause, they said, were the following:

• Procrastination and time management: 79%
• Working memory problems: 74%
• Feelings of overwhelm: 72%
• Greater disorganization: 70%

“Menopause coincided with my ADHD diagnosis, starting medication for ADHD, 1-on-1 and group therapy, and I have better coping strategies now than I have ever had,” said a 55-year-old woman diagnosed with ADHD four years ago. “The sadness is still there, for what I have lost and my struggles, but I feel I have developed wisdom, self-acceptance, and awareness.”

In men, testosterone levels gradually drop with age, triggering andropause in their 40s and 50s. Nearly three-quarters of ADDitude survey respondents aged 40 and older said they have experienced andropause, which heightened these symptoms:

• Procrastination and time management: 79%
• Feelings of sadness and/or depression: 70%
• Work performance issues: 68%
• Working memory problems: 67%

For many, it was difficult to assign blame to dwindling testosterone, or one of many other life factors during this life stage — namely, divorce, the death of parents, the loss of a job, other health problems, or decades of low self-esteem and a feeling of failure.

“My anger at the world increased and I always felt unsettled,” said one 61-year-old man about how andropause impacted his mental health. “I experienced drug use and fear of sexual failure. I was either bored of things or obsessing on things, feeling frustrated, and intensely trying to please people.”

“In my 40s and 50s, I started to feel an accumulation of self-doubt as I questioned why I was not successful and why I was so self-isolating. I was just not feeling good about myself,” said a 58-year-old male who noticed signs of stress, anxiety, and physical deterioration that led him to seek a diagnosis late in life. “This carried a heavy burden of not feeling pride or confidence in myself, of not liking who I had become, and of never being able to let go of my failures to move on.”

Hormonal Changes and ADHD: Next Steps

• Free Download: Menopause & ADHD — Treatments & Interventions
• Read: Perimenopause Problems — How Changing Hormones Exacerbate ADHD Symptoms
• Read: Inside the Aging ADHD Brain
• Resource Hub: The Ages & Stages of ADHD

Anni Layne Rodgers is general manager at ADDitude.

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.

Sources

¹ Nottelmann, E. D., Susman, E. J., Inoff-Germain, G., Cutler, G. B., Jr, Loriaux, D. L., & Chrousos, G. P. (1987). Developmental processes in early adolescence: relationships between adolescent adjustment problems and chronologic age, pubertal stage, and puberty-related serum hormone levels. The journal of pediatrics, 110(3), 473–480. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0022-3476(87)80521-8

² Clark, K., Fowler Braga, S., Dalton, E. (2021). PMS and pmdd: Overview and current treatment approaches. US Pharm, 46(9), 21-25. Retrieved from https://www.uspharmacist.com/article/pms-and-pmdd-overview-and-current-treatment-approaches

³ [1] Bauman, B. L., Ko, J. Y., Cox, S., D’Angelo Mph, D. V., Warner, L., Folger, S., Tevendale, H. D., Coy, K. C., Harrison, L., & Barfield, W. D. (2020). Vital Signs: Postpartum Depressive Symptoms and Provider Discussions About Perinatal Depression – United States, 2018. MMWR. Morbidity and mortality weekly report, 69(19), 575–581. https://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6919a2

When your teen opens up, try to determine whether she just wants a safe space to vent or she is uncertain and seeking guidance. Knowing is half the battle. A teenager’s primary job is to move away from their parents little by little to eventually become fully independent. Teens are a lot like toddlers—venturing farther from you to test their independence, but still requiring support as they face a host of dangers they don’t understand. Your role is to encourage safe exploration and stand by.

You can do this by listening reflectively and asking thoughtful questions. Your best strategies will be to reflect on what you’re hearing, to be honest about your own uncertainty, and to ask what she needs. If she does want guidance, be sure to keep your advice simple, brief, and nonjudgmental.

[Download: Free Parenting Guide for ADHD Caregivers]

You might say something along these lines:

• “It sounds like this situation with Suzie is really frustrating. I have some thoughts about how you might handle it, but I’m not sure that’s what you want right now.”
• “Seems like you’re facing a tough choice. What would be the positives if you made choice A? What about B? Are there any negatives to either choice?”
• “Gosh, that is a dilemma. How would you feel if you didn’t (do the thing, say the thing)?”
• “I see how much thought you’re giving to this, and I get how challenging this must be. What does your gut say?”

Walking alongside her as she thinks about and solves her own problems is far more powerful, and supportive of a growth mindset, than is solving the problems for her. But don’t be surprised if she resists answering your questions. If her response is a sigh and an eyeroll, show your reflective listening with responses like, “I get it. Wow, that’s hard.”

Remember to acknowledge her thoughtfulness, as praise is scarce for many teens who have ADHD. You might say, “Thanks for including me as you think this through. I’m really impressed by how you’re handling it.” For a teen who struggles (and let’s face it: what teen doesn’t?), knowing you’re her ally, confidante, and biggest cheerleader can be the best scaffold in the world.

Parenting Teens with ADHD: Next Steps

• Download: Questions to Get Your Child Talking
• Read: “When Fixing His Problems Didn’t Fix Anything, I Finally Learned to Listen.”
• Read: Don’t Freak Out! And 13 More Rules for Navigating Teen Behavior Challenges

Merriam Sarcia Saunders, LMFT, is a licensed psychotherapist working with parents who have children with ADHD. She is the author of five books on ADHD and the creator of the on-demand course, How to Parent ADHD: 5 Steps to the Relationship You Want with Your ADHD 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.

April 24, 2023

One in four middle and high school students has reported abusing prescription stimulant medications used to treat ADHD, according to a cross-sectional study recently published in the journal JAMA Network Open. ¹ Non-medical use of prescription stimulants among teens remains more prevalent than misuse of other prescription drugs, including opioids and benzodiazepines, the research found.

According to researchers at the University of Michigan, students who used marijuana in the past 30 days were four times more likely to abuse ADHD medications than teens who did not use cannabis. In addition, stimulant drug abuse was 36% more likely to occur in schools with a large population of students with stimulant medication prescriptions to treat ADHD than it was in schools with fewer students using prescription stimulants like Adderall or Ritalin. (Studies have shown that one in every nine high school seniors reported taking prescribed stimulants for ADHD.) (², ³)

According to the research, other factors associated with increased rates of stimulant drug abuse included:

• Schools located in suburban, non-Northeastern regions of the U.S.
• Schools with a high proportion of parents with a college degree
• Schools with a higher proportion of white students
• Schools with a medium amount of binge drinking among students (10%-19% of the total student body)

Prolonged stimulant abuse, researchers said, can lead to several detrimental health effects, including cardiovascular conditions, depression, anxiety, seizures, overdoses, psychosis, and stimulant use disorder.

“The key takeaway here is not that we need to lessen prescribing stimulants for students who need them, but that we need better ways to store, monitor, and screen for stimulant access and use among youth to prevent misuse,” said study author Sean Esteban McCabe, Ph.D.

For the study, the University of Michigan research team analyzed data collected between 2005 and 2020 by Monitoring the Future, a National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) multi-cohort survey that measures drug and alcohol use among adolescents nationwide. More than 230,000 teens in grades 8, 10, and 12 from 3,284 secondary schools participated in the survey.

Dangers of Stimulant Misuse

Counterfeit Medication

Demand for prescribed stimulants to treat ADHD symptoms increased substantially from 2020 to 2021, a recent U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report found. According to the CDC report, prescription stimulant fills were highest among males and females aged 5–19 and 15–24 years, respectively. ⁴

Previous studies have reported that more than half of adolescents who misuse prescription stimulants get the medication for free from friends or relatives. ⁵ However, illicit medications are increasingly obtained via online drug markets and social media referrals, making it harder to differentiate real and counterfeit medications. ⁶

“The drug supply has rapidly changed,” said National Institute on Drug Abuse Director Nora Volkow in a press release about the study. “What looks like medications — bought online or shared among friends or family members — can contain fentanyl or other potent illicit substances that can result in overdoses. It’s important to raise awareness of these new risks for teens.”

Students who use counterfeit medications often believe they are obtaining the actual medication as dispensed by a pharmacist, explained Kevin Antshel, Ph.D., professor of psychology at Syracuse University. “However, students obtaining counterfeit medications may purchase a product that is laced with potentially lethal amounts of drugs, usually fentanyl or methamphetamine,” Antshel said. “Fentanyl is especially concerning. A lethal dose of fentanyl is roughly the size of a few grains of salt.”

In May 2022, two Ohio State students died from suspected use of counterfeit stimulant medication laced with a synthetic opioid.

Drug Diversion

The University of Michigan researchers recommended that caregivers educate teens about the consequences of drug diversion (selling or sharing prescribed medications). “Nearly a quarter of adolescents who are prescribed stimulant therapy will be approached to divert their stimulant medications by their peers before the completion of high school (and more than half [54%] during college),” they wrote. ⁷, ⁸

Theresa E. Laurie Maitland, Ph.D., coordinator of the Academic Success Program for Students with learning differences and ADHD at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, learned first-hand how widespread medication diversion is on college campuses.

“I asked a graduating senior if he had any advice for me. He said, ‘There’s one topic I wish you’d talk about with all students taking ADHD medication: How to handle the demand they will face to give away or sell their pills!’

“I was shocked but hid my reaction and listened attentively,” she said. “The student had been open about stimulant use, and the news spread quickly among his peers and classmates. He was often approached to sell or hand over ‘just one pill.’”

The FDA classifies stimulants as Schedule II controlled substances. Most state laws follow federal laws, with criminal penalties for possession without a prescription.

“Even if no money is exchanged, sharing your medication is, technically, ‘dealing drugs,’ and anyone who expects you to do it isn’t a true friend,” said Susan Yellin, Esq., Director of Advocacy and Transition Services at The Yellin Center for Mind, Brain, and Education in New York.

How Parents Can Help Teens

“The diversion of stimulant medication has serious legal and health risks for undiagnosed students and major personal, legal, and financial consequences for teens diagnosed with ADHD,” Maitland said. “We must inform those with ADHD about this important issue.”

Maitland offered the following suggestions to caregivers and teens:

1. Talk to Family Physicians
“For middle and high school students, doctors can provide printed or video material explaining the legal and health risks associated with sharing or selling stimulants,” she said.

2. Value Your ADHD Diagnosis
It’s important that adolescents understand and accept their ADHD diagnosis, and that parents include them in healthcare decisions. “When students accept their diagnoses and value their medication, they have no desire to give or sell their pills to others,” Maitland said.

3. Use Discretion
Teens must store their ADHD medications in a lockbox or other secure device. They should also use discretion when sharing information about their stimulant use. “Many students have told me it is best not to discuss one’s stimulant use until they make friends (or maybe not at all),” Maitland said.

4. Foster Open Dialogue
Parents should talk with their children about the health and legal risks of misusing, sharing, or selling medication and potential scenarios they may encounter.

Teens can even role-play what to say if a family member, friend, or stranger asks them for pills. “Have teenagers rehearse several scripts to prepare them to say ‘no’ and to deal with pressure,” Maitland said.

Most importantly, Maitland continued, “Young people need to know they can turn to us in awkward situations and talk with us about something they regret having done.”

Sources

¹McCabe, S.E., Schulenberg, J.E., Wilens, T.E., Schepis, T.S., McCabe, V.V., and Veliz, P.T. (2023). Prescription Stimulant Medical and Nonmedical Use Among US Secondary School Students, 2005 to 2020. JAMA Netw Open. (4):e238707. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.8707

²Garfield, C.F., Dorsey, E.R., Zhu, S., et al. (2012) Trends in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Ambulatory Diagnosis and Medical Treatment in the United States, 2000-2010. Acad Pediatr. 12(2):110-116. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22326727/

³Xu, G., Strathearn, L., Liu, B., Yang, B., and Bao, W. (2018) Twenty-Year Trends in Diagnosed Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Among US Children and Adolescents, 1997-2016. JAMA Netw Open. 1(4):e181471. https://10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2018.1471

⁴Danielson, M.L., Bohm, M.K., Newsome, K., et al. (2023). Trends in Stimulant Prescription Fills Among Commercially Insured Children and Adults — United States, 2016–2021. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2023;72:327–332. https://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7213a1

⁵Compton, W.M., Han, B., Blanco, C., Johnson, K., Jones, C.M. (2018) Prevalence and Correlates of Prescription Stimulant Use, Misuse, Use Disorders, and Motivations for Misuse Among Adults in the United States. Am J Psychiatry. 175(8):741-755. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.2018.17091048

⁶Moyle, L., Childs, A., Coomber, R., and Barratt, M.J. (2019). #Drugsforsale: An Exploration of the Use of Social Media and Encrypted Messaging Apps to Supply and Access Drugs. Int J Drug Policy. 63:101-110. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugpo.2018.08.005

⁷McCabe, S.E., Teter, C.J., and Boyd C.J. (2006). Medical Use, Illicit Use, and Diversion of Abusable Prescription Drugs. J Am Coll Health. 54(5):269-278. https://doi.org/10.3200/JACH.54.5.269-278

⁸McCabe, S.E., West, B.T., Teter, C.J., Ross-Durow, P., Young, A., and Boyd, C.J. (2011). Characteristics Associated with the Diversion of Controlled Medications Among Adolescents. Drug Alcohol Depend. 118(2-3):452-458. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2011.05.004

Register to reserve your spot for this free webinar and webinar replay ►

Not available June 6? Don’t worry. Register now and we’ll send you the replay link to watch at your convenience.

Adolescents with ADHD are more likely to experience bullying for a variety of reasons, including missing social cues, blurting out in class, struggling academically, having difficulty making friends, displaying a lack of empathy, being clumsy or having poor impulse control, and associating with peers who are more likely to engage in bullying. Students in middle and high school may even believe they bring bullying on themselves due to their inappropriate behavior.

The effects of bullying can be devastating. Adolescents who are bullied experience negative mental health outcomes, including depression and anxiety, that can last into adulthood.

In this webinar, you will learn about:

• Research suggesting adolescents with ADHD are more likely to experience bullying
• Predictors of bullying
• How to identify the signs of bullying
• Strategies to prevent further bullying
• Approaches to use if your child is the bully

Have a question for our expert? There will be an opportunity to post questions for the presenter during the live webinar.

Meet the Expert Speaker:

Dr. Rosanna Breaux is a licensed clinical psychologist, director of the Virginia Tech Child Study Center, and Assistant Professor of Psychology. Her research focuses on the social, emotional, and academic functioning of children and adolescents, particularly those with ADHD. Dr. Breaux is also working to evaluate and disseminate the RELAX intervention, which targets emotion dysregulation and interpersonal conflict in adolescents.

Webinar Sponsor

The sponsor of this ADDitude webinar is…

Play Attention: NASA Inspired technology that improves executive function & self-regulation. For over 25 years PLAY ATTENTION has been helping children and adults thrive and succeed. Tufts University School of Medicine found Play Attention significantly improved attention, executive function, academic performance and behavioral control of ADHD students. Your program will include a Lifetime Membership and a Personal Executive Function Coach to customize your plan along the way. Home and professional programs available. Call 828-676-2240 or click here for our FREE eBooks on Executive Function, Anxiety, Self-Regulation, Mindfulness, and more! | www.playattention.com

ADDitude thanks our sponsors for supporting our webinars. Sponsorship has no influence on speaker selection or webinar content.

Certificate of Attendance: For information on how to purchase the certificate of attendance option (cost $10), register for the webinar, then look for instructions in the email you’ll receive one hour after it ends. The certificate of attendance link will also be available here, on the webinar replay page, several hours after the live webinar. ADDitude does not offer CEU credits.

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Not available May 18? Don’t worry. Register now and we’ll send you the replay link to watch at your convenience.

Inexperienced teen drivers with ADHD face an outsized risk for serious motor vehicle accidents due to attention deficits, impulsivity, and other ADHD-related challenges. Understanding the factors that contribute to elevated driving risk, as well as strategies and training plans that can mitigate these risks, is critical for caregivers and teen drivers.

In this webinar, you will learn about:

• Research that documents the driving risks associated with ADHD
• Factors that contribute to this risk, including one key mechanism: visual inattention
• Factors that lessen the risk of accidents, including environmental changes in the driving environment, pharmacological intervention (i.e., stimulant medication), and a new training program targeting visual inattention, enhanced FOcused Concentration and Attention Learning (FOCAL+)
• Practical tips for navigating driving as a developmental milestone with your neurodivergent teen

Have a question for our expert? There will be an opportunity to post questions for the presenter during the live webinar.

Meet the Expert Speaker:

Annie Artiga Garner, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at Saint Louis University and a licensed clinical psychologist in Missouri. Her clinical and research expertise is in ADHD across the lifespan, with a particular focus on the impact of ADHD on driving. Dr. Garner co-developed FOCAL+ and was a co-investigator on a study examining the effect of FOCAL+ for teen drivers with ADHD.

Webinar Sponsor

The sponsor of this ADDitude webinar is…

Brain Balance is an integrative cognitive development program designed to help kids with ADHD, Learning Differences, Anxiety & beyond. An exploratory study with Harvard’s McLean Hospital found the Brain Balance Program to be as effective as low-dose stimulant medication in alleviating ADHD symptoms in children. Visit brainbalance.com to learn more about Brain Balance today.

ADDitude thanks our sponsors for supporting our webinars. Sponsorship has no influence on speaker selection or webinar content.

Certificate of Attendance: For information on how to purchase the certificate of attendance option (cost $10), register for the webinar, then look for instructions in the email you’ll receive one hour after it ends. The certificate of attendance link will also be available here, on the webinar replay page, several hours after the live webinar. ADDitude does not offer CEU credits.

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Technology is an inescapable — and important — facet of everyday life for teens. Video games and social media allow adolescents to connect with friends, have fun, and learn new ideas. But for teens with ADHD, in particular, video games and social media can become addictive and lead to an unhealthy lifestyle. Some teens may resist doing homework or other tasks to stay online. It is important for caregivers and teens to discuss what makes screen use problematic and to develop strategies for screen use that is balanced and healthy.

In this webinar, caregivers will learn:

• About the symptoms of behavioral addictions and how these relate to screen use
• How video games, social media, and technology in general are designed to be addictive, and how this can be particularly problematic for teens with ADHD
• Approaches to discuss and instill healthy gaming and social media use in your teen
• Identify specific tools and treatments to help those struggling with problematic screen use

Watch the Video Replay

Enter your email address in the box above labeled “Video Replay + Slide Access” to watch the video replay (closed captions available) and download the slide presentation.

More on Addictive Technology & Teens with ADHD

• Download: An Ethic’s Manual for Your Teen’s Electronics
• Read: WHO Classifies Gaming Disorder As a New Mental Health Condition
• Read: “How Much Screen Time Is Too Much?”

Obtain a Certificate of Attendance

If you attended the live webinar on April 19, 2023, watched the video replay, or listened to the podcast, you may purchase a certificate of attendance option (cost: $10). Note: ADDitude does not offer CEU credits. Click here to purchase the certificate of attendance option »

Meet the Expert Speaker:

Jeremy Edge, LPC, IGDC, is the owner and founder of the counseling practice, Escapingthe.com, PLLC. Jeremy is an international gaming disorder certified counselor, which is the leading certification for working with people with gaming disorder. He’s also obtained a digital wellness certificate through the Digital Wellness Institute. He provides counseling services to help clients experience balanced, healthy screen use.

After personally experiencing the negative effects of problematic gaming, Jeremy devoted his work to helping those find balance with online activities. In addition to problematic screen use, Jeremy works with men of all ages, and his team works with teens, young adults, adults, and families.

He received his Master’s degree in community counseling at University of Texas San Antonio and a Bachelor’s degree in psychology from UT Tyler. Jeremy is married to a pediatrician and they live in Dallas with their two kids.

Webinar Sponsor

The sponsor of this ADDitude webinar is….

The first college in the U.S. to exclusively serve students who learn differently (dyslexia, ADHD, autism, executive function challenges, etc.), also offers short-term programs that help neurodivergent high schoolers make the successful transition to college, academically and socially. Visit www.landmark.edu/teen to learn more about residential and online options.

ADDitude thanks our sponsors for supporting our webinars. Sponsorship has no influence on speaker selection or webinar content.

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Ask any teen or young adult with ADHD if they’re ready to embark on independent living and adulting without supervision, and they’ll likely say “Yes, I’ve got this!” Ask the parents of those kids the same question, and they’ll likely say, “I’m not so sure!” As we know, kids with ADHD often lag behind their neurotypical peers in emotional maturity and executive functioning, so it’s natural for parents to feel uncertainty as college, trade school, or a first job beckons.

Coaching experts Elaine Taylor-Klaus and Diane Dempster of ImpactParents will share the five most important life skills that every teen or young adult with ADHD needs before they venture out on their own, and they will discuss how they helped their own young adult children build independence and thrive.

In this webinar, you will learn:

• About tools to foster independence and approaches to engage your kids in understanding what it takes to move into a more independent life
• How to build the skills that teens and young adults with ADHD need to embark on a journey to college or trade school, or to enter the workforce
• How to help your teen or young adult build a foundation for a successful and fulfilling life on their own terms

Watch the Video Replay

Enter your email address in the box above labeled “Video Replay + Slide Access” to watch the video replay (closed captions available) and download the slide presentation.

More on Life Skills for ADHD Teens

• Download: 5 Ways to Build Self-Advocacy Skills
• Read: Life Advice (& Apps) That Makes an Immediate Impact
• Read: 7 Executive Functioning Deficits That Deflate Motivation for Teens with ADHD

Obtain a Certificate of Attendance

If you attended the live webinar on April 13, 2023, watched the video replay, or listened to the podcast, you may purchase a certificate of attendance option (cost: $10). Note: ADDitude does not offer CEU credits. Click here to purchase the certificate of attendance option »

Meet the Expert Speaker:

Elaine Taylor-Klaus, MCC, is first and foremost the mom in an ADHD ++ family with four successful young adults. A Master Certified Coach, international speaker, author and educator, she’s the co-founder of the first global coaching organization for parents and professionals of neurodiverse kids, ImpactParents.com and a trusted advisor to executives, parents, health care and education professionals. ImpactParents specializes in training, coaching and support for parents, and has certified hundreds of professionals around the world in neurodiversity-informed coaching skills. In addition to working privately with families of very complex kids, Elaine and co-founder Diane (below) have trained and mentored an extraordinary group of coaches to support the parents of ImpactParents. Her books include Parenting ADHD Now!, Parenting with Impact, ADHD in Reality, and The Essential Guide to Raising Complex Kids with ADHD, Anxiety and More. (#CommissionsEarned)

Diane Dempster, MHSA, CPC, PCC is a professional coach, speaker, author and educator with 20 years of corporate leadership experience. Diane is the co-founder of ImpactParents.com, co-creator of Sanity School® and the Sanity School® Certification Program for professionals. An experienced leader, expert in change management, and all-around life-sherpa, Diane helps clients create deep, sustaining change and open their eyes to life. And no one needs this more than parents of complex kids. Diane received a Masters from the University of Michigan and coaching certification from the Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching (iPEC).

#CommissionsEarned As an Amazon Associate, ADDitude earns a commission from qualifying purchases made by ADDitude readers on the affiliate links we share.

Listener Testimonials

“The comments at the end about parents, who were late diagnosed ADHD, forgiving themselves was very important to hear. I’ve been beating myself up for years now for what I wasn’t able to give my kids.”

“Wonderfully gentle introduction of shifting viewpoints and goals from productivity to process. All would benefit from this discussion!”

“Thank you! My daughter is starting college in the fall. I admit I am terrified, but this webinar helped me feel calm.”

Webinar Sponsor

The sponsor of this ADDitude webinar is…

Play Attention: NASA Inspired technology that improves executive function & self-regulation. For over 25 years PLAY ATTENTION has been helping children and adults thrive and succeed. Tufts University School of Medicine found Play Attention significantly improved attention, executive function, academic performance and behavioral control of ADHD students. Your program will include a Lifetime Membership and a Personal Executive Function Coach to customize your plan along the way. Home and professional programs available. Call 828-676-2240 or click here to schedule your free 1:1 consultation! | www.playattention.com

ADDitude thanks our sponsors for supporting our webinars. Sponsorship has no influence on speaker selection or webinar content.

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When a child feels secure in their caregivers’ love and encouragement, strong self-confidence and self-esteem naturally follow suit. When a child’s ADHD is fully recognized and understood, that is when their strengths get unlocked and futures become clear. How do you get from here to there? One step at a time.

Step One: Learn Everything About ADHD

ADHD is like an iceberg. The complexities beneath its surface (including its high co-occurrence with other conditions) are seldom recognized and often criticized unfairly, leading many children with ADHD to develop damaging self-beliefs. They are not lazy or unmotivated or slow; they have a unique neurological footprint. Understanding and communicating that is key.

ADHD and Executive Function Deficits

ADHD impairs executive function — the brain skills we use to succeed in school, work, and other realms of life. You and your child must understand that deficits in executive skills makes it difficult to…

• …be on time
• …get started on tasks
• …juggle information in the mind
• …initiate work independently
• …set priorities
• …be organized
• …complete long-term projects
• …submit work on time
• …remain calm in stressful situations

ADHD and Delayed Maturity

Maturation of the ADHD brain lags about three to five years behind that of the non-ADHD brain.¹ The delay affects the brain’s prefrontal regions, which control the aforementioned executive functions and other important cognitive processes. What does this mean? You need to adjust your expectations about your middle schooler or high schooler in comparison to their peers. Developmentally, your 14-year-old’s “executive age” may be closer to 11 or 12 years old, for example. As is the case for many people with ADHD, your child might experience a maturation spurt in their early 20s as the brain continues to develop.

[Get This Free Download: Explaining the ADHD Iceberg to Teachers]

Learning Challenges

As many as 45% of children with ADHD have a learning difference like dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia, or another condition that requires academic supports.²  It’s also common for students with ADHD to have learning challenges that affect written expression, memorization of facts, reading comprehension, complex multi-step math, and other areas. Be sure that your child understands how both their ADHD and learning differences show up in the classroom.

As you teach your child about ADHD, be sure to separate them from the condition. Depersonalize ADHD when you approach your child; educate and give your child a choice. Say something like “People with ADHD have trouble getting started, and I’ve noticed that sometimes that’s a challenge for you.”

Step Two: Establish Learning Habits for Ongoing Support

From disorganization to tardiness, the challenges that children and young teens face in middle and high school are essentially the same challenges that exist in college and at work. Identify your child’s unique learning and executive function challenges early on so that they can receive accommodations and practice using appropriate tools and compensatory strategies in school and beyond.

Bolster Executive Function Skills

For Help with Task Initiation

• Use timers, alerts, or verbal reminders to indicate that it’s time to start. Present these tools as choices to your child to increase compliance. Say, “Do you want to set a timer to start your homework or do you want me to remind you to get started?” Perhaps you may even have to sit with your child to help them get started.
• Review the instructions together. Have your child contact a classmate if the assignment is unclear.
• Start with physical activity. Some children focus better while moving, so let your child walk around and read if it helps with task initiation.
• Work in 10-20 minute chunks with breaks in between so that your child can reenergize their brain. This helps make the task feel less overwhelming.

[Read: Where Do I Start?!? How to Organize and Initiate a Big Project]

For Help with Time Awareness

• Externalize time. Use devices and tools like smartwatches, wrist devices, analog clocks, visual timers, smartphones, paper calendars, and white boards as appropriate to make time (an abstract concept) and important events (due dates, extracurriculars, etc.) stand out visually.
• Practice time estimation. Ask your child how long they think a task like homework will take them. Record their answer and compare it to the actual time to gauge and enhance their time awareness. Typically, students are surprised that the work takes less time than they predicted. Similarly, ask your child how long they think it takes to get to their first class of the day on time. Make sure your child accounts for things like getting ready, traffic, parking the car, walking to the building, going to their locker, saying hello to friends, and “oops” time.
• Schedule backwards. Make it a habit to start with the end in mind as a best planning practice. Scheduling backwards for a long-term school project, for example, will help your child see how far in advance they must start working.
• Ask others for help staying on task. Teachers, for example, can gently redirect your child if they get distracted. You can also ask a classmate to help keep your child on task with a signal.

To Enhance Working Memory and Help Your Child Remember

• Link new with old. Tie in new material to your child’s prior knowledge to reinforce learning.
• Information in multiple formats — posters, photos, video, hands-on projects, texts, graphic organizers, maps, and other mediums and tools — help to convey information.
• “Read to the clip.” Place a paper clip after every 8 to 10 pages of a long reading assignment, and have your child read until they get to the clip. This will segment the text and give your child time to digest information. Also, consider having your child write key text points on sticky notes as they read.
• Talk about it. The more your child talks about what they learned, the more likely they are to remember it.
• Use mnemonics. Set new information to the tune of your child’s favorite song, a rhyme, or an acronym. Humor helps jog memory, too.
• Short water and snack breaks give your child’s brain time to reenergize and reengage with information.
• Allow fidgeting or some movement to enhance concentration. The more difficult the task, the more movement required.

To Stay Organized

• A planner or organizer, whether digital or paper, is a must for all students.
• Color-code and use different folders for each class.
• Do a weekly bookbag cleanup together. Sort through papers and don’t throw out any documents until the end of the year, just in case they are needed.
• Keep a launch pad — a single place for your child’s bookbag, school supplies, and other must-haves — by the door. Place completed work and book bags on the launch pad the night before.
• Establish a homework routine. Agree on a start time and location. (Present them as choices to your child.) Double check assignments wherever they are posted (on paper, text, apps, the school’s online portal, etc.)
• Divide long-term projects into small segments to keep your child engaged. If possible, have the teacher assign due dates to the smaller segments and grade them.
• Monitor your child’s progress on homework and long-term projects for additional support.
• Ask the teacher for a sample of a completed long-term assignment for your child’s reference.

For Effective Studying

• Practice exams are great for previewing questions and concepts.
• Distributed study sessions will always be better than cramming. Your child should spend about 15 minutes reviewing for a test the night prior.
• Moderate exercise prior to studying can prime your child’s brain for maximum focus and retention.
• Slowly sipping a sugary drink can boost alertness as your child’s studies.

Step Three: Explore a Variety of Careers and Interests

Expose your child to as many careers as you can while they are in middle school and high school.

• Follow your child’s interests and skills. Seek lessons in music, acting, art, sports, robotics, gaming, and other activities they enjoy. You want your child to gravitate to a career that aligns with their best self.
• Match your teen to a summer job or a volunteer (shadow) position that aligns with their interests.
• Investigate the school’s career and college resources like career interest inventories/aptitude tests, career days, counseling services, transition plans, etc.

What to Do After High School? Don’t Fear the Gap Year

Many students with ADHD and learning differences rush into college without a clear path. As a result of this premature launch, they flounder and may ultimately drop out. A gap year can help your child plan out their future, increase their confidence, and seamlessly transition to a new, challenging environment. Most teens and young adults go to college within a year of the gap year experience, and colleges are eager to admit students with such experience.

If a gap year is the best option for your child, work together to create a structured gap year plan. Your child’s gap year may involve taking one community college or technical class, and working part-time or volunteering in a field of interest, for example. Ultimately, the goal is to help your child identify a career path.

Step Four: Prioritize a Positive Parent-Child Relationship

Experiencing success in school does wonders for a child, but grades don’t necessarily predict success in life. More often, happiness and wellbeing flow from a positive parent-child relationship.

• Protect and treasure your relationship with your child. Focus on the good and elevate your child’s strengths. Give yourself an attitude check-up if you are fixating on negatives.
• Manage your expectations. You will have to support your child longer than other caregivers, but it’s what your child needs. Give yourself permission to be involved and to do whatever it takes to help your child succeed. Be patient as you give your child the gift of time to help them become more and reach their full potential. By working together, you will get there.

What to Do After High School: Next Steps

• Free Download: 8 Ways to Strengthen Your Teen’s Executive Function Skills
• Read: How to Shepherd — Not Carry — Your Child Toward Fulfillment
• Read: The 4-Year College Track is Not Right for Everyone

The content for this article was derived, in part, from the ADDitude ADHD Experts webinar titled, “Getting Ready to Launch: Setting Up Middle and High School Students for Success and Independence” [Video Replay & Podcast #425],” with Chris Dendy, M.S., which was broadcast on October 13, 2022.

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.

Sources

¹ Shaw, P., Eckstrand, K., Sharp, W., Blumenthal, J., Lerch, J. P., Greenstein, D., Clasen, L., Evans, A., Giedd, J., & Rapoport, J. L. (2007). Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder is characterized by a delay in cortical maturation. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 104(49), 19649–19654. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0707741104

² DuPaul, G. J., Gormley, M. J., & Laracy, S. D. (2013). Comorbidity of LD and ADHD: implications of DSM-5 for assessment and treatment. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 46(1), 43–51. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022219412464351

February 21, 2023

Teen girls in the U.S. are “engulfed in a growing wave of sadness, violence and trauma,” according to a report released last week by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that found alarming increases in rates of rape, depression, suicidality, and cyberbullying among adolescents.¹ “The numbers are unprecedented,” said Kathleen Ethier, director of the CDC’s Division of Adolescent and School Health. “Our young people are in crisis.”

The CDC report echoes findings from a 2022 ADDitude survey of 1,187 caregivers, which found that an astounding 75% of adolescent girls with ADHD also have anxiety, 54% suffer from depression, more than 14% have a sleep disorder, and nearly 12% report an eating disorder — more than three times the national average for neurotypical women.

“The kids are not alright. Not at all,” wrote one ADDitude reader who works as a youth therapist.

[The ADHD Symptom Test for Teen Girls]

The CDC report, based on the most recent Youth Risk Behavior Survey, included a nationally representative sample of students in public and private high schools, and it found that adolescent health risks have ballooned to levels never seen before—especially for girls. Its findings include the following:

• Nearly 60% of teen girls reported persistent feelings of sadness and hopelessness during the past year, double the rate reported 10 years ago, and twice the rate in boys. For LGBTQ+ teens, this number jumped to a startling 70%.
• 1 in 3 of girls seriously considered attempting suicide during the past year, up nearly 60% from a decade ago.
• At least 1 in 10 girls attempted suicide in the past year. Among LGBTQ+ youth, the number was more than 1 in 5.

Girls with combined type ADHD are 3 to 4 times more likely to attempt suicide than are their neurotypical peers, and they are 2.5 times more likely to engage in non-suicidal self-injuring behavior, said Stephen Hinshaw, Ph.D., in an ADDitude webinar titled, “Girls and Women with ADHD.” The 2022 ADDitude survey found that 18% of girls with ADHD had engaged in self-harm in the past two or three years, as opposed to 9% of boys; it did not specifically ask about suicidality, however anecdotal reports from caregivers are both frequent and frightening.

“A few years ago, I would have been shocked by these numbers,” said one mom of a teen daughter recently diagnosed with ADHD. “But in 2021 my girl was admitted to a clinic for suicidal ideation. She is still here and working on her mental health daily.”

Only 6% of caregivers rated their adolescents’ mental health as “very good” in the ADDitude mental health survey. Contributing to elevated rates of depression, self-harm, and suicidality among teen girls with ADHD are poor response inhibition and peer victimization, as well as a history of maltreatment, such as physical abuse, sexual abuse, or neglect, Hinshaw said.

“I can’t tell you how many mums are holding their girls tight as they self-harm their way through adolescence,” wrote one ADDitude reader in Canada.

[ADHD and Self-Harm: How to Help the Girls Who Suffer Most]

“We are gaslighted, misdiagnosed, or expected to suck it up,” wrote an ADDitude reader on Instagram. “The wait times for help are not OK, and once you finally do get ‘help,’ they barely listen or dismiss your concerns.”

Sexual Violence at an All-Time High

Among the CDC report’s more distressing findings was a stark increase in sexual violence among teen girls. It found the following:

• 1 in 5 girls recently experienced sexual violence
• 14% have been forced to have sex, an increase of 27% over the past 2 years
• For American Indian or Alaska Native girls, that number jumped to 18%, and for LGBTQ+ teens, it was 20%

“For every 10 teenage girls you know, at least one of them, and probably more, has been raped,” Ethier said during a press briefing.

The prevalence of sexual violence causes significant and understandable anxiety. According to the ADDitude survey, 20% of girls expressed anxiety about physical or sexual assault, as opposed to 7% of boys.

The CDC’s study reflects this anxiety, reporting that:

• 10% of girls did not go to school in the past 30 days because of safety concerns, nearly double the rate from 10 years ago; the same was true for 7% of boys.
• School avoidance rates were higher among LGBTQ+ students, at 14%; American Indian and Alaska students, at 13%; and Black students at 12%.

The prefrontal cortex in a developing brain is especially sensitive to the effects of stress and “children with ADHD may be even more sensitive to the effects of traumatic stress,” said Cheryl Chase, Ph.D., in her ADDitude webinar, “How Stress and Trauma Affect Brain Development.” In other words, the trauma of sexual violence leaves lasting scars.

The mother of a girl with ADHD explained the long-term implications of a sexual assault on her daughter’s health and well-being four year after the attack: “When she was a freshman in college this past year, she was re-triggered while in public talking to a boy who touched her inappropriately without her consent.”

Cyberbullying Twice as Likely for Girls

Whether in school or online, girls are more likely to be victims of bullying, according to the CDC report.

• 1 in 5 girls said they were bullied through texting and social media, almost double the percentage of boys who were cyberbullied
• In school, 17% of girls and 13% of boys reported experiencing bullying in school over the past year

Among teens with ADHD, the rates of bullying are much higher. According to ADDitude survey respondents, 60% of girls with ADHD have been bullied at school, 58% on social media and 44% in text messages.

“We know that kids who are neurodiverse are often seen as peculiar and different,” explained Sharon Saline, Ph.D. “You miss social clues, you blurt things out, and chances are you’re more likely to experience bullying and be socially excluded.”

This was the case for the daughter of an ADDitude reader in Wisconsin: “Bullying has been around my daughter’s lack of age-appropriate social insight and her emotional reactivity. Girls exclude her from group texts. Friends screenshot the negative posts others create about her, and she then ruminates until her mood totally plunges.”

Bullying is a widespread problem, and so is the response (or lack thereof) from most schools;  72% of ADDitude survey respondents who reported that their kids were the victims of bullying also said they were dissatisfied with the school’s response.

“The lack of help in the public school system is so disappointing,” wrote an ADDitude reader on Instagram. “They claim to not be tolerant of bullying, yet anytime you seek help you’re met with nothing but rotating doors and promises of help that go undone.”

Substance Use Higher in Girls

Teen girls are more likely to use alcohol, marijuana, vaping, and illicit drugs, according to the CDC.

• Alcohol: 27% of teen girls reported drinking in the last month vs 19% of boys
• Vaping: 21% of girls reported vaping in the last month vs 15% of boys
• Illicit drugs: 15% of girls reported ever using illicit drugs vs 12% of boys
• Misuse of prescription opioids: 15% of girls reporting ever misusing opioids vs 10% of boys

“ADHD affects substance abuse in both children and adults,” explained Walt Karniski, M.D., in a recent ADDitude webinar on ADHD medication. “Children with ADHD are more likely to smoke and to begin smoking at younger ages. They’re more likely to use alcohol at younger ages and more likely to abuse alcohol as adults.”

“A Level of Distress that Calls on Us to Act”

In the introduction to its 89-page report, the CDC authors clearly state its takeaway: “Young people in the U.S. are collectively experiencing a level of distress that calls on us to act.”  The CDC urges schools to act swiftly and thoughtfully for maximum impact.

“Schools play an integral role in promoting wellness and connectedness, and facilitating protective factors among students,” said Anna King, president of the National PTA. Specifically, the report highlights the importance of implementing quality health education, connecting young people to needed services, and making school environments safer and more supportive.

“It’s about time someone noticed, besides all the struggling parents and kids,” wrote one ADDitude reader in New York.

How Can Parents Protect Their Kids?

Keep lines of communication open

“As girls reach the teen years, they naturally want to emancipate from adult control,” Chase says. “But teens’ brains have more ‘accelerators’ than ‘brakes,’ so they need a loving, interested adult to guide them.” This is doubly true for teens with ADHD, whose executive function weaknesses may exacerbate impulse control. So, how do you stay connected with a teen who seems intent on pushing you away?

• Prioritize a positive relationship

Sources for conflict between adolescents and parents abound, but Saline advises that parents pick their battles. “Your Number One agenda item as the parent of a teen is maintaining a positive connection,” Saline says. “So that they will come and talk to you if they need help.”

To build that connection, Chase emphasizes the importance of unstructured time together. “Going for walks, grabbing a smoothie together, playing a game,” she suggests. “Time just to ‘be’ and if they want to talk, they can.” Don’t wait for your teen to reach out to you. Be proactive, and invite them to do something low-key and stress-free every week or two.

• Make communication routine

When teens push back against their parents, seeking autonomy and space, anxious parents often ask a lot of questions, which can make teens feel hounded, Saline says. Keep communication open without putting teens in the hot seat by making conversations routine. Saline suggests instituting a family-wide practice of sharing one “happy” and one “crappy” thing that happened during the day — at dinner or in the car ride home. If it’s a daily practice in which everyone participates, your daughter won’t feel singled out.

• Actively listen, rather than offer unsolicited advice

When your child share experiences with you, practice active listening to ensure the communication continues. Allow your child tell their story, uninterrupted, and follow up with reflective statements, like “I think I’m hearing you say…”  Avoid swooping in with unsolicited advice — that’s the fastest way to get a teen to shut down, according to Chase and Saline.

Help your daughter find treatment

Depression, anxiety, trauma, and self-harm are all treatable, and a mental health professional can help you figure out what avenue of treatment to pursue. If you sense something’s persistently troubling your teen, Chase urges you not to wait to find them a therapist. “It’s like going to the dentist with a toothache,” she explains. “It doesn’t mean they are broken.”

Cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, and medication are among the most common interventions. If trauma is involved, consider somatic therapy, which increases awareness of the sensations in the body as a form of healing.

If your child has ADHD, consider that ADHD treatment may decrease their risk for other challenges. Hinshaw says that treating ADHD can decrease rates of suicidality in teens. “Treatment is a huge antidote to internalization, self-stigma, and the belief that there’s something wrong with you,” he explains. In addition, multiple research studies have indicated that children and adults with ADHD who are taking stimulant medication are less likely to engage in substance use than are their untreated peers.

Get Help

Suicide &Crisis Lifeline: Call or Text 988
988lifeline.org

National Sexual Assault Helpline: 1-800-656-HOPE

National Substance Abuse Helpline: 1-800-662-HELP

Stop Bullying

Mental Health in Teens: Next Steps

• Read: Special 2022 Mental Health Report from ADDitude
• Read: Compare & Despair: Social Media & Mental Health Concerns in Teens with ADHD
• Self-Test: Signs of Depression in Teens
• Learn: Nearly One in Four Women with ADHD Has Attempted Suicide

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.

Source

¹Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2023). U.S. Teen Girls Experiencing Increased Sadness and Violence. Youth Risk Behavior Survey cdc.gov/healthyyouth/data/yrbs/pdf/YRBS_Data-Summary-Trends_Report2023_508.pdf

ADHD and dyslexia commonly appear together and are highly treatable. Ultimately, the way in which you talk to your child about these conditions will depend on their age. But for all ages, you’ll want to nurture strengths, instill a growth mindset, and show unconditional love and support.

Talking with Younger Kids

• Explain what dyslexia and ADHD mean. Emphasize that everyone’s brain is different. For example, some people have a passion for art, others for nature and the outdoors. Young children are likely already aware of their reading challenges and other areas where they struggle, so it’s best to focus on neurodiversity and inherent differences. Let them know that dyslexia won’t prevent them from being terrific at school and at activities outside of school.
• Lead with your child’s strengths. Support their interests and notice where they shine. Are they great with pets? Maybe they’re a wonderful sibling? Ask them what they enjoy; their answers might surprise you.

[Watch: When Dyslexia and ADHD Overlap]

Talking with Tweens and Teens

• Be honest. I’m not afraid to tell my patients at this age that co-occurring dyslexia and ADHD means they’ll have to work a bit harder than their peers. Explain that they might have trouble reading or copying teachers’ instructions from the board. They might need to accept extra tutoring or classroom supports. Honesty about these challenges will validate your child’s experiences and reduce shame.
• Be optimistic. Help your child understand that dyslexia is not a sign of lower intelligence. Assure your child that you and their teachers will work to support them and help them succeed.
• Maintain perspective. Remind your child that there is more to them than ADHD and dyslexia. They are not defined by these conditions, but by who they are as individuals. Involve them in activities they’ll enjoy, such as Scouts, sports, or volunteering, to offset the pressures of school.
• Boost self-esteem. Encourage your teen to join a support group that helps connect them to peers with shared experiences. Your child will be able to talk openly about their challenges with others who simply get it, and this will do wonders for their self-confidence.

[ADDitude Directory: Find a Specialist Near You]

Ways to Encourage Reading

• Listen to audiobooks and have your child read along with them.
• Identify books your child might like, such as graphic novels or books about topics that interest them.
• Read a book together and take turns reading out loud.
• Use spell-check or online dictionaries to help with homework if permitted.
• Use apps that make decoding words into a game.

Talking About Dyslexia: Next Steps

• Download: Signs of Dyslexia at Every Age
  
• Read: The Best Way to Explain Learning Disabilities to Your Child
• Read: Famous People with Dyslexia, Dyscalculia & Other Learning Differences

Cheryl Chase, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist in Independence, Ohio. She specializes in the diagnostic and neuropsychological assessment of certain conditions affecting children, adolescents, and young adults.

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.

Since 2020, a record number of teens with dramatic and unusual displays of tic disorders — exaggerated jerky movements and verbal outbursts — have flooded into emergency departments and clinicians’ offices seeking immediate treatment. In many cases, the young patients had never been diagnosed with tic disorders, such as Tourette disorder.

Officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) observed this concerning trend based on documented emergency department visits by children seeking treatment for tic disorders. In 2021 and the beginning of 2022, there were more emergency department visits among adolescents between the ages of 12 and 17 than there were in 2019. For girls in this age group, the proportion of emergency department visits for tic disorders tripled. Emergency department visits declined for tic disorders in boys in this age group.

Tics, Explained

Tics are sudden and uncontrollable twitches, movements, or sounds that people do repeatedly. A person with a motor tic might keep blinking over and over. A person with a vocal tic might make a grunting sound.

Occasional tics are common, but when tics persist, this could be a sign of a tic disorder. A child might be diagnosed with Tourette disorder if two or more motor tics, and at least one vocal tic, are displayed for at least a year.

[Symptom Test: Signs of Tic Disorders in Children]

ADHD and Tics

Tic disorders are linked to the brain and nervous system. Children with ADHD are more likely than other children to be diagnosed with tic disorders. Co-occurring conditions include obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety, depression, behavior problems, and learning or developmental disorders. Tic disorders typically occur more often in boys, according to the CDC.

Sometimes, children show behaviors that look like tics but are not typical, according to the CDC. For example, some children develop elaborate motor and vocal tic-like behaviors for the first time, with no reported history of tics. This can happen in groups of children, such as school classmates. Atypical tics tend to be more common among teenagers for underlying reasons that include anxiety, stress, and through exposure to social media posts.

TikTok’s Troubling Influence

Some experts blame social media, in part, for the recent increase in tic disorders among teens with underlying vulnerabilities, though evidence is largely anecdotal. According to the journal Movement Disorders, new-onset tic-like behaviors have increased markedly among adolescents and young adults — and researchers say that many of these patients reported abrupt, uncontrollable, and sometimes severe behaviors after watching videos of people with movement disorders on TikTok and YouTube in particular.

[Read: What Tic Disorders Looks Like in Children and Adults]

Videos on TikTok with the hashtag #tourettes have recorded more than 4 billion views. Researchers believe this phenomenon could be an “example of behaviors, emotions, or conditions spreading spontaneously through a group,” the journal reported.

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Tic Disorders and TikTok: Next Steps

• Read: How To Treat Tic Disorders
• Read: Is Your Teen’s Social Media Use Dangerous?
• Learn: Compare & Despair – Social Media & Mental Health Concerns in Teens with ADHD

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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.

ADHD prescriptions and medication use among 12^th grade patients hit an all-time high last year, according to a new study that found 15% of high school seniors reported stimulant or non-stimulant ADHD medication use in 2022 compared to 11% in 2021. The annual Monitoring the Future (MTF) survey published by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) attributed this 36% increase in ADHD medication use to “more stress” or attention issues made “more salient to their parents” during the pandemic’s lockdowns and remote learning.¹

The legal, or medically supervised, use of ADHD medication was “one of the few substances with increasing prevalence during the pandemic,” according to the report, which found that lifetime use had increased for 8^th, 10^th, and 12^th graders in 2022. The 30-day use of stimulant and non-stimulant medication by 12th graders in 2022 was the highest ever recorded by NIDA’s survey. Notably, 11.2% of 12th graders had used a stimulant for ADHD in their lifetime and 5.6% in the past 30 days, according to 2022 data collected from 31,438 students across 308 schools.

The MTF survey is conducted annually by researchers at the University of Michigan. The use of ADHD medication was first recorded in 2001 (nonmedical) and 2005 (medical). Researchers collect data on self-reported use of various drugs over 30 days, 12 months, and lifetime from hundreds of schools across the U.S. It also measures attitudes and beliefs surrounding substance use.

Examining the Rise in ADHD Medication Use

Prior to the pandemic, legal use of ADHD medication had been trending downward for patients in the 8th, 10th, and 12th grades. Levels were at the lowest or near-lowest ever recorded by NIDA’s survey.

“It is possible that the need for treatment of ADHD increased during the pandemic due to adolescents experiencing more stress during the pandemic,” the researchers proposed.

That theory accurately reflects the experience of many caregivers surveyed by ADDitude in early 2023; 60% of the 370 parents surveyed reported a change in their child’s ADHD medication treatment plan during the pandemic. A 2021 survey of ADDitude readers found that 22% of adults and 17% of children had started ADHD medication for the first time since pandemic lockdowns began in March 2020.

“The emotional regulation piece made it very hard to create meaningful change,” said Jessie from Michigan, who first attempted to address her child’s ADHD symptoms with “elimination diets and nutritional supplements.”

“Our hope is that medication will bring equilibrium and allow us to address root causes long term.”

MTF researchers also posit that “sheltering at home during the pandemic may have made any attention issues of adolescents more salient to their parents, who then sought out medical care for their children.”

This reflects the experience of Catherine, whose three children were diagnosed with ADHD in 2022 after a lengthy wait for evaluations.

“They all started medications, and we immediately saw improvement in their schoolwork and home life,” she said. “One child went from a 2nd grade reading level to 4th grade within months.”

Illicit Drug Use Among Adolescents

NIDA’s study found that 11% percent of 8th graders, 21.5% of 10th graders, and 32.6% of 12th graders reported illicit drug use in the past year. It concluded that “adolescents and adults in their 20s fall into the age groups at highest risk” for illicit drug use. For teens and young adults with ADHD, the use of medically supervised stimulant medication may prevent illicit drug use, according to Walt Karniski, M.D., in a recent ADDitude webinar.

“ADHD affects substance abuse in both children and adults,” Karniski said. “Children with ADHD are more likely to smoke and to begin smoking at younger ages. They’re more likely to use alcohol at younger ages and more likely to abuse alcohol as adults. Adults with ADHD are two to three times more likely to abuse drugs, but less likely to abuse drugs if they’re taking medication for their ADHD… Multiple research studies have indicated that, when children and adults are treated with stimulant medication, they are less likely to abuse drugs in the future.”

Nonmedical use of ADHD medication also rose in 2022, according to the NIDA survey, which found the use of Ritalin without a doctor’s orders rose to 1.1% for 12th graders. Unprescribed Adderall use returned to near-2020 levels following a decrease in 2021. In contrast, the nonmedical use of amphetamines by 12th graders declined, and no significant changes were found for Ritalin use by 8th and 10th graders.

“As these varied patterns of use show, the overall proportion of U.S. adolescents using any substance in their lifetime has changed over the years, and the mix of drugs they use has changed even more.”

Research published by MTF has and continues to inform decisions regarding public debate and policy making. To learn more about NIDA’s survey results, visit monitoringthefuture.org.

Sources

¹https://monitoringthefuture.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/mtf2022.pdf

²https://nida.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/2022/12/most-reported-substance-use-among-adolescents-held-steady-in-2022

Eating disorders disproportionately impact teens with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) ^{1 2} – and we don’t fully understand why. A growing body of research links ADHD to a higher incidence of anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder during puberty and adolescence – a time when a mix of factors, including social media use, can contribute to negative body image and low-self-esteem. New studies also show that the pandemic triggered eating disorders among teens and worsened symptoms for those with existing eating disorders.^{3 4}

We are just beginning to understand how ADHD influences the development of eating disorders and disordered eating in teens, however it stands to reason that the low self-esteem associated with ADHD, particularly when undiagnosed, could be at least partially to blame, among other ADHD-related factors.

Regardless of root cause, eating disorders are serious but treatable conditions. Prevention efforts and support for teens in recovery must center on challenging appearance ideals and societal pressures that force youth to question their worth in relation to their body.

Eating Disorders Prevalent in ADHD

Individuals with ADHD are four times more likely to develop eating disorders than are non-ADHD individuals.⁵ The most common eating disorders are the following.

Binge-eating disorder is characterized by recurrent episodes of eating large quantities of food in a short time span, often much more rapidly and with less control than normal and to the point of discomfort. Binge eating usually occurs in secrecy, as episodes are associated with feelings of shame, embarrassment, and guilt.

[Is Your Child Showing Signs of an Eating Disorder? Take This Symptom Test]

Bulimia nervosa describes recurrent episodes of binge eating accompanied by unhealthy, harmful behaviors to compensate for binge eating, including self-induced vomiting, excessive exercise, and laxative abuse, among others. Teen girls with ADHD may be at particular risk for this eating disorder.⁶

Anorexia nervosa is associated with difficulty sustaining enough energy for the body’s needs due to persistent food restriction. It is often drive by an intense fear of being fat and of gaining weight, along with significant body image issues. Food restriction in anorexia nervosa along with other harmful weight loss methods can cause extreme thinness. Individuals who display all symptoms of anorexia except significantly low body weight have what is known as atypical anorexia nervosa.

Disordered Eating vs. Eating Disorders

Disordered eating describes abnormal eating patterns and behaviors that may not fit clinical criteria for an eating disorder diagnosis but are nonetheless concerning. Disordered eating is associated with poor self-esteem and a preoccupation with food and body image that takes a toll on quality of life. Possible signs and examples of disordered eating include but are not limited to:⁷

• using food to cope with negative feelings and stressors
• assigning “good” and “bad” labels to food
• feeling like food must be earned
• “making up” for food intake through food restriction or exercise to “work off” food
• yo-yo dieting; chronic weight fluctuations

[Read: “How My Eating Disorder Consumed Me”]

Eating Disorders in Teen Girls vs. Teen Boys

Research shows that eating disorders are more prevalent in girls, but it is important to recognize that they can occur in all kinds of people, regardless of gender, size, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or age. Among males, eating disorders remain under-researched, underdiagnosed, and undertreated due to stigma, misperceptions, and stereotypes.⁸ Eating disorders and disordered eating behaviors present differently in teen boys and teen girls, which explains under recognition in males.⁹ While girls may focus on thinness, boys may focus more on muscularity and muscle-building.¹⁰ Recent research also shows that boys and girls are equally likely to engage in disordered eating.¹¹

In my experience as an eating disorders specialist, I’ve seen firsthand how my adolescent patients, regardless of gender, deal with the same issues underlying EDs, like low self-esteem and poor body image.

What Drives Eating Disorders in Teens with ADHD?

The drivers behind eating disorders in teens, ADHD or not, are complex. Eating disorders run in families, suggesting a genetic factor.¹² Outsized sociocultural pressures often take a toll, as our culture undeniably values thinness and stigmatizes people in larger bodies. Many teens, especially girls and those with low self-esteem, internalize these messages. Dieting behaviors often follow, which predispose teens to disordered eating and eating disorders.¹³

Adolescence and Social Comparison

The transition to adolescence is a risky period for developing eating disorders and disordered eating.¹⁴ Social comparison — a normative part of adolescent development that helps teens understand themselves and the world around them — is thought to play a role. As teens try to be liked and approved by peers, they tune in to society’s appearance ideals and see that people who don’t meet those ideals are stigmatized.

Social Media

Social media is associated with eating disorders and poor body image issues in teens, according to research. Opportunities for social comparison on social platforms trigger body dissatisfaction and low self-esteem. Studies have found that teens who frequently check social media are more likely to experience body dissatisfaction than are teens who don’t spend as much time on these networks.¹⁵ Common body image concerns cited after social media use include dissatisfaction with thinness, body shape, and attractiveness.

Teens also feel pressured to appear perfect on social media platforms, which can trigger perfectionism – a known risk factor for eating disorders.^{16 17 18}

What’s more, platforms like TikTok and Instagram have been found to expose teens to pro-eating disorder content. According to Fairplay, a child advocacy group, Instagram’s algorithms promote content to teens that encourages restrictive diets and extreme weight loss.¹⁹ The platform’s own internal study also found that the app makes body image issues worse in girls.²⁰

ADHD-Related Factors

Impulsivity & Other ADHD Symptoms

Most studies on eating disorders and ADHD have focused on binge eating, and researchers have long pointed to impulsivity as a possible factor behind this behavior (though hyperactivity and inattention have also been linked to binge eating).^{5 21} Other ADHD symptoms and traits, like disorganization and emotional dysregulation, may increase susceptibility to disordered eating.²²

Altered Reward Processing

The connection between food, appetite, satiation, and weight is complicated – perhaps more so in the ADHD brain. In a recent study of individuals with high- and low-level ADHD symptoms, researchers detected increased neural activity in the former group when its members looked at pictures of food compared to the latter group, which may provide insight into the condition’s link to binge-eating behaviors.²³

Comorbid Conditions

Eating disorders share a strong relationship with anxiety and depression – which frequently co-occur with ADHD.^{24 25} Substance use problems, also associated with ADHD, are common in eating disorders as well.^{26 27}

Eating Disorder Symptoms in Teens: Early Warning Signs

Changes in behavior and mood, as indicated by the following, mark early signs of eating disorders in teens:

• anxiety, depression, irritability
• sudden weight loss or weight gain
• increased isolation; lack of engagement; withdrawing from others
• a sudden drop in academic performance
• difficulty feeling satiated
• food avoidance; making excuses not to eat
• secretiveness around food; hiding food or wrappers
• preoccupation with food and body image
• inflexible thinking around food and dieting; strict adherence to food and/or exercise schedules
• excessive exercise
• frequent weighing and measuring of body parts; body checking

Help for ADHD Teens with Eating Disorders and Disordered Eating Behaviors

If you are concerned about or recognize eating disorder symptoms in your child, contact their pediatrician for an evaluation and to understand treatment options. Chances for recovery increase the earlier a disorder is detected.

Speak with your teen’s doctor if you notice disordered eating behaviors, which may be more subtle but no less mentally torturing. They require intervention, too. Request an evaluation, even if you’re not fully convinced that your child’s thoughts, behaviors, and food-related issues are serious.

Eating Disorders: Treatment & Recovery

Treatment for active eating disorders generally includes a combination of psychotherapy, medications, nutritional counseling, and medical monitoring, depending on a patient’s needs. The goal of treatment is to restore a patient’s health, improve their relationship with food and with themselves, and build coping and self-regulation skills that don’t center on food or manipulating body size.

Full recovery is absolutely possible, though it may be a long-term process. Signs that someone is making progress include healthier behaviors and thinking around food, consistency in reaching nutritional needs, and re-engaging with the world around them, among others.

ADHD-Specific Treatment Considerations

Patients with ADHD and an eating disorder need care from a medical professional who understands both conditions, especially when they co-occur. ADHD and eating disorders must be addressed at the same time.

Stimulant medication requires careful attention in eating disorder recovery. Though stimulants are considered the first-line treatment for ADHD, they are also known to suppress appetite and affect weight. It may also be unsafe for malnourished patients or those dealing with medical complications from their eating disorder, like cardiovascular problems, to take stimulants until they enter a healthier state. At the same time, stimulants help individuals with ADHD function better, which may improve eating disorder recovery. But as the saying goes, pills don’t teach skills. Compensatory skills and strategies to manage ADHD symptoms are just as important in recovery.

How Parents Can Help Teens at Risk for Eating Disorders & Disordered Eating

Pressures to attain appearance ideals drive body dissatisfaction, eating disorders, and disordered eating. To protect youth from these outcomes, or to help teens in recovery, we need to challenge and dismantle the cultural assumption that “thinner is better” and help them focus on accepting people of all sizes and shapes, among other steps.

1. Examine and monitor your thoughts and language around food and appearance.

Children are highly impressionable and absorb the behaviors and language of adults around them. You may not be aware of the messages you’ve internalized about the thin-ideal and the ways you and others inadvertently uphold unrealistic and unhealthy beliefs. Telling someone that they “look good” after weight loss, for example, even if well-meant, reinforces the “thinner is better” ideal.

• Avoid talking negatively about your body, especially in the presence of your child.
• Avoid commenting on or judging other people’s bodies. Compliment someone’s spirit, energy, spark, sense of humor, and other traits that are not based on physical appearance.
• Identify and address disordered eating patterns in yourself.

It takes lots of work to notice and unlearn deeply ingrained beliefs. Give yourself grace as you rewire.

2. Remain vigilant and approach sensitive topics with care.

If you notice concerning behaviors in your teen, like emotional eating or food avoidance, gently check in from a place of compassion and support. Listen without judgment, assure your child that they are not doing anything wrong, and ask how you can best support them. Find a time when your child is most relaxed and open to talking. Car talks work well for many families, but you can also try approaching your teen as they’re winding down for bed.

3. Help your child find balance and structure.

Your teen needs structure to live a healthy, balanced life. Help your child build routines that reduce stress and facilitate healing. Focus on anchor points: restful sleep; three nutritious meals a day with snacks in between; joyful movement; connection time; “me” time.

Regulation, moderation, and intent are key as you help your teen find balance. Be careful not to enforce a diet/restriction mentality as you provide structure around food. Instead, focus on helping your teen connect with and honor their hunger and fullness cues.

Your teen may have a fixed definition of exercise in mind, and they may associate it with obligation, punishment, and “making up” for their eating. Encourage your teen to move their body for the joy of it, without the goal of manipulating body size. Movement comes in so many forms: dancing; playing motion-based video games; walking the dog; roller skating; swimming.

4. Talk about social media and limit screen time.

Have open conversations with your teen about social media, how they spend their time on it, and how it makes them feel. These conversations will help your child become aware of their stressors and give them the ability to step back to self-regulate. Validate your child’s feelings as they open up to you, especially about body image concerns. Coming from a place of fear, worry, anger, or judgment will only cause your teen to shut down. Approach these conversations with an open heart.

Set expectations around screen time at home, like what time phones should be put away and when the Wi-Fi will turn off. Blockers and parental control features can ensure that your teen doesn’t have access to certain apps past a fixed time.

5. Foster and protect your child’s self-esteem.

• Celebrate your child’s unique self and their values. Your teen must understand that their worth and value as a person are not determined by their weight, body shape, and other superficial qualities. They are enough as they are.
• Focus on building a positive, supportive bond with your child.
• Help your child experience success.
• Encourage your child to build connections with peers through hobbies and extracurriculars.
• Foster resiliency, or the ability to adapt during difficult situations and bounce back. Showing gratitude, practicing mindfulness, lending a helping hand, and tapping into a growth mindset all help.

If you or a loved one are coping with an eating disorder, contact the National Eating Disorder Association (NEDA) for support, resources, and treatment options. Call or text NEDA at 800-931-2237 or visit www.nationaleatingdisorders.org to reach a NEDA volunteer.

Eating Disorders in Teens: Next Steps

• Self-Test: Eating Disorders in Children and Teens
• Watch: How to Encourage Healthy Nutrition Among Teens with Eating Disorders
• Read: “My Appearance Is the Only Thing I Can Control.”

 The content for this article was derived, in part, from the ADDitude Mental Health Out Loud episode titled, “Eating Disorders and Body Image Among Teens” [Video Replay and Podcast #428] with Dena Cabrera, Psy.D., CEDS, which was broadcast live on October 27, 2022.

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.

Sources

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