CNN.com article: “Why Can’t I Concentrate?”

I love that this article about women and adhd made it into the  mainstream (cnn) press. It has some good things to offer, and a few things lacking that I'd like to point out.

Good:
"When adult ADD (or ADHD: the H is for hyperactivity) goes untreated for
years, women may end up plagued by anxiety, depression, and low
self-esteem."

I'd add:
A lot of women seem to end up being treated for anxiety and/or depression when their ADHD goes undiagnosed. (I used the terms ADD and ADHD interchangeably.)

Good:

"Because women are less likely than men to be classically hyperactive,
their symptoms can be more subtle and easily missed. For instance, a
woman with ADD may come off as chatty, peppy, or extroverted, or even
as a dreamy, artistic soul."

I'd add:

Many women with ADHD lack the symptoms of hyperactivity and/or impulsivity. (There are different types of ADHD- predominantly hyperactive, combined, and predominantly inattentive.) So these womens' symptoms aren't always apparent to others at all because they aren't disruptive.

Good:

"Hormonal changes can exacerbate the effects of ADD, too. When a woman
enters perimenopause, she may be even more likely to forget names or
key bits of information."

I'd add:

Hormonal changes within the menstrual cycle can exacerbate effects of ADD. You don't have to wait until (peri)menopause to have hormones affect ADHD. In fact, it seems that many girls symptoms really start to show up along with hormonal changes at puberty. Many women have symptoms fluctuate at certain points during each menstrual cycle.

In summary:

Decent, basic article. Glad to see this information out there. Inattentive folks, you're vaguely represented here. Women with PMS and ADHD are a bit neglected here. It's a good start. The stories towards the end are worth reading. It's great that people are talking about women with ADHD.