Before we dive in today, I just want to say, working with young adults who are navigating ADHD is rarely straightforward.

They're often dealing with more than just expectability or missed deadlines.

There's anxiety, identity shifts, life transitions, and sometimes a long history of feeling misunderstood.

This isn't about checking boxes on a symptom list.

It's about understanding how their brain, their environment, and their story

all interact. Today, we're going to impact that.

I'm Dr. Josh Vader, the editor-in-chief of the Carlet Child Psychiatry Report and co-author

of the Child Medication Fact Book for Psychiatric Practice, Second Edition, 2023, and our other book, Prescribing Psychotropics.

And I'm Geneva Valeska, a graduate with a degree in neuroscience and cognitive science,

and a podcast coordinator here at The Carlet Report.

As I mentioned at the start, today we're focusing on ADHD and young adults, not just the

diagnosis itself, but how it shows up in real life, college work, relationships, and how we can support that transition into adult routines.

Let's start with the question we get all the time. Do I have ADHD or am I just overwhelmed?

It's a good one. Clinicians may want to start by asking what's behind the inattention.

Are they sleeping? Are they anxious? Are they recovering from something like grief, a breakup, or burnout?

Great points, Geneva. Never assume that inattention means ADHD. Instead, ask about patterns when it started,

whether it showed up in childhood, how it affects their day-to-day life. You might bring in neuropsych testing if things are unclear, but even without it, clinical interviewing gives

us a lot. And remember, these are clinical diagnoses. Testing helps, but it doesn't make the

diagnosis. And try to keep trauma and depression on your radar. We've seen young adults who couldn't concentrate at all.

And it turns out they were dealing with untreated PTSD or just constant stress.

ADHD gets a lot of attention, but it's rarely the whole story.

Right.

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