ADHD misinformation on TikTok is shaping young adults’ perceptions. An analysis of the 100 most-viewed TikTok videos related to ADHD revealed that fewer than half the claims about symptoms actually align with clinical guidelines for diagnosing ADHD.

[u/mvea]

https://news.ubc.ca/2025/03/adhd-misinformation-on-tiktok/

[u/LadySmuag]

Their word web has one of the top tags as ADHDinwomen which is under-diagnosed and under-studied. I think that would explain a lot of the differences in perception between the clinical psychologist and the audience.

fewer than 50% of the claims about ADHD symptoms were judged to align with the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.

The women's ADHD subreddits are full of people asking 'does anyone else have worse symptoms when they're on their period?' and 'does anyone else's meds stop working when they're on their period?'

Its extremely common, but there is very little peer reviewed research about it.

So if it's a video talking about symptoms worsening on your period, that would not align with the DSM and would get a low rating from the clinical psychologists but a higher rating from the audience because that matches with their lived experience.

Is there a list of the specific videos they used?

[u/Fussel2107 → u/LadySmuag]

50% were judged to be in line with diagnostic criteria, another chunk was not in the DSM but heavily connected with ADHD, another was part of several diagnoses and thus not uniquely connected to ADHD.

The 50% is misleading

[u/WanderDrift → u/LadySmuag]

I agree wholeheartedly!

Also, stopping by with a PSA: Lack of estrogen can impact cognitive functioning and having ADHD exacerbates it. If you are perimenopausal or have reduced estrogen, suspect adhd, and experiencing lingering brain fog - it may be worth discussing ADHD with a Dr. I did. I’m late diagnosed. Changed my life.

https://www.additudemag.com/menopause-symptoms-adhd-survey/

https://www.additudemag.com/menopause-hormones-adhd-women-research/