Cynthia Hammer: Inattentive ADHD & the importance of early detection
Women & ADHD
Katy Weber
4.9 • 685 Ratings
🗓️ 5 February 2024
⏱️ 56 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Episode 173 with Cynthia Hammer.
“Why are we being diagnosed at 50 with a condition we’ve had since birth? We need better ways to diagnose it sooner.”
Cynthia was diagnosed with inattentive ADHD in 1992 when she was 49. At the time, she thought she was the only adult in the U.S. who had this disorder, but quickly learned she was not alone. She founded ADD Resources, a non-profit organization that focused on helping adults recognize their ADHD and learn how to improve their lives, which she ran for 15 years before retiring.
During the COVID lockdown at the age of 78, Cynthia wrote her first book, “Living with Inattentive ADHD: Climbing the Circular Staircase of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder” and founded a new non-profit called the Inattentive ADHD Coalition. Creating this non-profit felt imperative to Cynthia after she learned that 30% of those with ADHD have inattentive presentation and they are significantly less likely to be diagnosed and treated in childhood.
We talk about Cynthia’s journey to diagnosis and her commitment to educating families and doctors on the signs of inattentive ADHD in childhood and the importance of an early diagnosis and support systems that can help reduce the long-term negative impacts of undiagnosed ADHD.
At the age of 80, Cynthia is still out there tirelessly working to educate others about inattentive ADHD and achieve her goal of having all girls screened for ADHD before they finish the second grade.
Did you go undiagnosed for too long and want to help others to have an earlier diagnosis? Head to iadhd.org/connect to volunteer with the Inattentive ADHD Coalition.
Website: www.iadhd.org
Instagram: @inattentiveadhdcoalition
Links & Resources:
Living with Inattentive ADHD: Climbing the Circular Staircase of Attention Deficit Disorder by Cynthia Hammer
Inattentive ADHD Coalition YouTube channel
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Hey friends, it's Katie here. Have you spent your whole life wondering why things feel harder for you |
| 0:05.2 | than they do for everyone else? Do you struggle with motivation even for the things you actually want to do? |
| 0:10.6 | Are you exhausted even though it feels like you're not getting anything done? If you're nodding along, |
| 0:15.9 | then I've got some exciting news. I've recently expanded the women and ADHD team by joining forces with a few |
| 0:22.4 | of my favorite ADHD coaches, each of whom I trust wholeheartedly because they share my values |
| 0:28.1 | of compassionate, neurodivergent affirming support. Consistent one-on-one coaching from someone |
| 0:33.1 | who truly understands what it's like to live with ADHD can make all the difference in life. |
| 0:38.6 | Our women and ADHD coaches provide guidance, support, and accountability you can trust |
| 0:43.6 | with accessible pricing and free consultation calls, so you can find the right coach for you |
| 0:48.6 | without any pressure or pushy sales tactics. Just real support from women who truly get it. Discover what's possible |
| 0:55.3 | when you have the right support. Head to women and ADHD.com slash coaching to book your free |
| 1:00.7 | consult today. You have to work your way into improve self-esteem, and that's by improving how |
| 1:08.8 | you function. And as you improve how you function, as I said, you're climbing the circular staircase. |
| 1:15.6 | You get that feedback that you're better. |
| 1:20.2 | And so I don't think it's just saying the words, but I do think it's really helpful to stop saying bad words to yourself. |
| 1:33.8 | Hello and welcome to the Women and ADHD podcast. I'm your host, Katie Weber. I was diagnosed |
| 1:40.2 | with ADHD at the age of 45, and it completely turned my world upside down. |
| 1:45.8 | I've been looking back at so much of my life, school, jobs, my relationships, all of it with |
| 1:52.6 | this new lens, and it has been nothing short of overwhelming. I quickly discovered I was not |
| 1:57.7 | the only woman to have this experience, and now I interview other women |
| 2:01.3 | who, like me, discovered in adulthood they have ADHD, and are finally feeling like they |
| 2:07.0 | understand who they are and how to best lean into their strengths, both professionally and |
... |
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