For Some Women With ADHD, TikTok Is the First Place They Felt Heard

Emilie Leyes, 27, works with actors in New York to build mental resilience and manage work stress. When she started scrolling through TikToks about attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), it was because she wanted to learn more about people with ADHD—so that she could better help clients who had the condition. Leyes quickly discovered, though, that she identified strongly with the people in these videos. “​​I truly had no idea I had ADHD until I joined TikTok,” she says. Leyes is one of many women to conclude that they have ADHD after spending time on the platform. The ADHD hashtag on TikTok has 14.5 billion views; #adhdawareness has more than 500 million, and the videos themselves can have hundreds of thousands—if not millions—of hits. Some clips list symptoms; others offer tips for coping with daily life with ADHD. A number aim to reduce the shame and stigma often attached to the condition. They could be comedy skits about getting distracted or struggling to clean the apartment, opening with phrases like, “People with ADHD will understand this video on a different level.” Others are explanatory videos about ways to stick to a routine or organize your space. [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] For many women who see these videos in their feed, it’s the first time they’ve learned about some of the symptoms of ADHD, beyond the most widely known: hyperactivity and trouble focusing. “As an...
Source: TIME: Health - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Uncategorized biztech2030 Health Care healthscienceclimate Social Media Source Type: news