"Have you ever gotten that feeling that you're always forgetting something? Like you're in a race but somehow always three steps behind? You put reminders, write lists, and do your best to keep on top of things, but somehow it feels like your brain is playing a game of hide-and-seek with your own thoughts. Now imagine having this feeling your whole life and being told it's just anxiety or that you need to 'try harder.' Welcome to the world of ADHD in women."

ADHD has long been framed as a restless little boy who can't keep still in class, disturbing the lesson and incurring punishments for blurting out answers. What about the shy girl gazing out the window, daydreaming, with difficulty completing work, and intimidated by tasks which come so easily to others? She probably has ADHD as well—except that nobody ever realises because she's learned to hide it.

ADHD has been put in a box for years: a hyper, young boy who can't sit still in school. This old stereotype has led to one of the largest mental health oversights—women with ADHD being misdiagnosed, most often with anxiety. Conversely, girls and women most often have the inattentive type of ADHD, which is manifest through daydreaming, forgetfulness, being easily distracted, and internalized difficulties with executive functioning. These more subtle symptoms don't conform to the hyperactive stereotype, so many women fall through the diagnostic cracks.

ADHD and Anxiety: What Symptoms Overlap?

One of the biggest reasons ADHD in women gets confused with anxiety is the vast symptom overlap. Both share a lot of the following:

Trouble focusing – ADHD makes it difficult to concentrate due to lack of regulation, while anxiety interferes with concentration due to increased worry.

Restlessness and agitation – ADHD-based hyperactivity may manifest in a similar way as physical restlessness for anxiety.

Sleep disturbances – Both anxiety and ADHD can lead to insomnia and abnormal sleep patterns.

Emotional dysregulation – It's common for women with ADHD to experience strong emotions, but they can be misdiagnosed as anxiety-led distress.

Due to such commonalities, most females who approach practitioners for their predicaments are labeled with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) or even depression with no proper evaluation for ADHD.

Why Women with ADHD Often Get Misdiagnosed?

So many women with ADHD get misdiagnosed with anxiety disorders, they're not anxious, but their brains work differently. Since anxiety is more socially acceptable and better known, it's what women get labeled with first. And so, they're prescribed anti-anxiety medication or therapy for an issue that doesn't really touch the source of their issues.

Hormones, ADHD, and Mood Swings: A Rollercoaster No One Talks About

ADHD women tend to have spectacular variations in attention and mood during their menstrual cycles. Studies indicate a high correlation between ADHD and disorders such as Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) and Postpartum Depression (PPD). Decreased estrogen levels in advance of menstruation can make ADHD symptoms more pronounced, even making concentration, mood stability, and emotional control even more challenging. But since hormonal problems are so frequently brushed off as 'just PMS,' many women quietly suffer, assuming it's just one more thing they must endure on their own.

A second reason ADHD diagnosis is tricky in women is the influence of hormones. Estrogen has an important role to play in managing dopamine—a neurotransmitter vital to concentration and drive. Since ADHD involves dysfunction of dopamine, changing hormones can exacerbate symptoms at various stages of life, especially:

At puberty – Most girls with ADHD have deteriorating symptoms due to changing levels of hormones.

At menstrual cycle – Women with ADHD are predisposed to have premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) and experience very severe mood shifts and heightened symptoms of ADHD during the premenstrual period.

Postpartum and menopause – Postpartum decreases in estrogen post-childbirth as well as those occurring during menopause can intensely affect ADHD symptoms, causing elevated forgetfulness, brain fog, and emotional dysregulation.

In spite of these obvious patterns, hormonal effects on ADHD are seldom taken into account in diagnostic evaluations, causing further misattribution of symptoms as generalized anxiety or mood disorders.

Are there Any Treatment Options For Women With ADHD?

So what can be done? First, we need awareness. Physicians, therapists, and teachers need to understand that women's ADHD is different from men's ADHD. They need to ask the appropriate questions and beyond the stereotypes look.

Second, women must advocate for themselves. If something doesn't feel right to you, insist on an assessment. Read up, consult experts, and don't accept the initial diagnosis if it doesn't ring true.

Lastly, treatment needs to be holistic. ADHD isn't merely a matter of popping pills—it's learning about how your brain functions and what works for you. This might involve cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), changes in lifestyle, hormone regulation, and ADHD coaching.

Otherwise, without diagnosis, women with ADHD can also suffer from:

Ongoing overwhelm and burnout – Without the proper tools, failing to cope with daily tasks results in perpetual stress and fatigue.

Low self-worth – Constantly being criticized as only "not trying hard enough" or "too worried" can make them lose faith in themselves and their capabilities.

Greater danger of mental health conditions – Without diagnosis, women with ADHD experience increased depression, drug use, and eating disorders.

Performance and relationship struggles at work – Women without recognition of their ADHD might struggle at work with meeting performance standards, managing time, and maintaining their relationships.

ADHD in women isn't uncommon- it's just not often diagnosed. And for far too long, women have been dismissed as being "too sensitive," "not disciplined enough," or "bad at handling stress." But the reality is, they're living with a brain that works differently, and they should be seen, heard, and supported.

If any of that rings true, understand this: you aren't alone. You aren't broken. And you don't have to waste your life living in a way that attempts to conform to a system that isn't meant for you. It's time to change the story of ADHD in women—starting with the truth."

One must be very careful about what they consume. One of the easiest ways to get sick is by eating food or having beverages from unsafe and unsanitary places. That is why people are discouraged from eating at roadside stalls or food from street hawkers who do not follow the food safety protocol.

Many people do not know how unsafe tap water can be. While the tap water available at home goes through treatment, it is best to only drink it after boiling or opting for water from the filter. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) explains that these health issues can range from mild to serious, depending on what germs are being transmitted.

In a TikTok, Doctor Suraj Kukadia who goes by Dr. Sooj, a practicing NHS GP and emergency doctor, issued a critical warning. urgent warning that if you use regular tap water to rinse your nose, you could be exposed to a very rare but dangerous "brain-eating amoeba." Even though tap water in the UK is perfectly safe to drink, it's a different story when it comes to cleaning out your nose.

Why Tap Water Is Risky for Your Nose

Rinsing your nose is a common thing people do when they have a cold, allergies, or a sinus infection. You usually flush water or salt water into your nose to wash away snot, dust, pollen, and anything else that might be irritating your nasal passages. But in a video, a doctor known online as Dr. Sooj, explained why tap water is risky for this. He said that "tap water has bacteria. It has amoeba, it has protozoa. There are tiny living things in the water." When you drink these, your stomach acid usually kills them, but when they go up your nose, it's a different story.

Brain-Eating Amoeba

The main worry is a "brain-eating amoeba" called Naegleria fowleri. This tiny creature loves to live in warm fresh water, like lakes, rivers, and hot springs. The Cleveland Clinic explains water that contains this amoeba goes up your nose, it can travel to your brain. Once there, it causes a very serious and almost always deadly infection called Primary Amebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM). While this infection is rare, it's not worth the risk.

If the amoeba gets into the brain through the nose, it can cause a severe infection called Primary Amebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM). Early signs of PAM can be a headache, fever, feeling sick to your stomach (nausea), and throwing up (vomiting). This infection moves incredibly fast. Most people who get PAM unfortunately die within just 1 to 18 days after they start showing symptoms, often falling into a coma before death. Other symptoms can include a stiff neck, feeling confused, not paying attention to people around you, losing your balance, and seeing things that aren't real (hallucinations).

When to Seek Medical Help

Health experts like the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) agree with this advice. They also warn about another amoeba called Acanthamoeba. If you or someone you know starts to have a headache, fever, confusion, or vomiting soon after rinsing your sinuses or nasal passages, it's crucial to get medical help right away.

A new study has revealed a sharp rise in cases of a rare cancer—appendiceal adenocarcinoma—particularly among younger generations. Generation X and millennials are seeing significantly higher rates of this cancer than previous generations, prompting concern among experts.

What Is Appendiceal Adenocarcinoma?

Appendiceal adenocarcinoma (AA) is a rare form of cancer that originates in the appendix, a small pouch attached to the large intestine. While appendix cancers are not commonly diagnosed—about 3,000 new cases per year in the U.S.—they appear to be rising at an alarming rate among younger adults.

Generational Surge in Cases

According to a new paper published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, the rate of AA has tripled among Generation X and quadrupled among millennials compared to those born in the mid-20th century. Researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center used data from the U.S. National Cancer Institute’s Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) program, which tracked cancer cases from 1975 to 2019.

The numbers are telling: the study found that for people born in 1985, the incidence of appendix cancer is four times higher than for those born in 1945. For individuals born in 1980, it is about three times higher.

A Broader Gastrointestinal Trend

Experts say this rise mirrors trends in other gastrointestinal cancers—such as colorectal and stomach cancer—which are also being diagnosed more frequently in adults under 50. Between 1975 and 2019, the researchers recorded 4,858 cases of appendix cancer, with a noticeable uptick in recent decades.

Possible Causes: Lifestyle and Diet

Although the exact reasons for this generational increase remain unclear, researchers suggest that lifestyle and environmental factors may be playing a major role. The consumption of ultra-processed foods, sugary beverages, and processed meats has increased sharply in recent decades. Additionally, obesity and metabolic syndrome—both risk factors for various cancers—are more prevalent among younger people today than in past generations.

Lead researcher Dr. Andreana Holowatyji highlighted that the increase in cases is not due to more appendectomies being performed. Surgical removal rates of the appendix have remained largely stable over time, suggesting that other factors, possibly related to diet, lifestyle, and environmental exposure, are contributing to the spike in cases.

The Challenge of Early Detection

One of the major hurdles in combating appendiceal adenocarcinoma is the lack of clear early symptoms. Many of the signs—such as bloating, appetite loss, and changes in bowel habits—are vague and can easily be mistaken for more common digestive issues. This often leads to delayed diagnoses and limited treatment options.

Urgent Need for Research

With no definitive causes identified, scientists are calling for more research into environmental exposures, genetic factors, and molecular changes that might contribute to the development of appendix cancer. Understanding these elements could help in early detection and potentially lower the rising risk among younger populations.

As per the World Health Organization (WHO), globally, over 1.2 billion people ages 30 to 79 have hypertension. The number has increased from 650 million in 1990 to 1.2 billion in 2021. This increase is attributed to many factors, including lifestyle factors, which include salty indulgence, stress, and screen time which has been increased. These three impact your blood pressure levels, know how.

What Are The Three S Worsening Your Blood Pressure?

Salt

As per the Harvard Heart Publishing, an average American consumes the equivalent of about 1 1/2 teaspoon of salt per day, which is 50% more than the recommended amount.

About a third of healthy people and about 60% of people with high blood pressure are salt sensitive.

How does salt affects blood pressure?

When you consume too much sodium, your body holds on to extra water to balance the sodium levels. This added fluid increases the volume of blood in your vessels, which in turn raises your blood pressure and forces your heart to work harder. High sodium intake can also reduce the effectiveness of certain blood pressure medications. For example, diuretics help eliminate excess sodium and water, while vasodilators work by relaxing the blood vessels. However, a high-sodium diet makes your body retain fluid again, refilling those relaxed vessels and undoing the medication's effects.

Stress

As per the official publication of State Medical Society of Wisconsin, stress can cause hypertension through repeated blood pressure elevations as well as by stimulation of the nervous system to produce large amounts of vasoconstricting hormones that increase blood pressure. Factors affecting blood pressure through stress include white coat hypertension, job strain, race, social environment, and emotional distress.

As per National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, around 50 million American adults live with hypertension, defined as a systolic blood pressure over 139 mm Hg or diastolic pressure over 89 mm Hg. In about 95% of these cases, the condition is classified as "essential" hypertension, meaning there’s no single identifiable cause. However, experts agree that multiple factors—including stress—can contribute to rising blood pressure in these individuals.

Screentime

As per a 2024 study published in Cureus, hypertension is a major risk factor for coronary artery disease. The study links the increased accessibility of smartphones with the increasing hypertension.

This study explored the relationship between screen time and blood pressure (BP) among young adults.

The study also noted that higher screen time was more common among individuals using multiple devices. The prevalence of elevated BP in the sample was 35.8%, aligning with national data and raising concerns about the cardiovascular health of young adults.

Previous studies support these concerns. For instance, Nang et al. and Martinez-Gomez et al. linked prolonged TV viewing to higher BP and an adverse cardiovascular risk profile in adolescents. However, these relied on self-reported data. Other risk factors, such as age, gender, obesity, inactivity, and substance use, have also been linked to hypertension.