It’s Never Too Late! Diagnosis of ADHD in Adulthood

Receiving an ADHD diagnosis later in life can bring both relief and a new understanding of years of unexplained challenges. In this episode of All Things ADHD, Mary V. Solanto, PhD, shares why ADHD often goes unrecognized until adulthood, how symptoms can present differently in children and adults, and the impact a late diagnosis can have on relationships, careers, and self-esteem. Dr. Solanto also explores the emotional process of coming to terms with a diagnosis, the importance of seeking a qualified evaluation, and treatment options, including medication and cognitive behavioral therapy. She offers practical strategies and encouragement for adults navigating a new diagnosis, emphasizing that it is never too late to seek support and improve quality of life.

Mary V. Solanto, PhD, was most recently a professor of pediatrics and psychiatry at the Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra-Northwell in Long Island, New York. Prior to that, she was an associate professor at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine. A Fulbright US Scholar in the Netherlands in 2017-18, she has received numerous grants from NIMH to support her research examining pivotal issues in ADHD. She developed a new cognitive-behavioral intervention to address executive dysfunction in adults with ADHD, which was the focus of an NIMH-sponsored efficacy study (American Journal of Psychiatry, 2010), and which was designated CHADD’s Innovative Program of the Year in 2011. Most recently, Dr. Solanto and her co-investigators revised, refined, and tested the CBT intervention for the needs of college students with ADHD. She is the author of Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment of Adult ADHD: Targeting Executive Dysfunction (Guilford Press) and many scientific papers and book chapters. She is one of the editors of Stimulant Drugs and ADHD: Basic and Clinical Neuroscience (Oxford University Press). Dr. Solanto serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Attention Disorders and on CHADD’s professional advisory board and advocacy and public policy committee.