Health
ADHD now affects 15.5 million US adults, says new CDC report
Diagnoses of ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder) are on the rise among adults in the U.S.
Approximately 15.5 million adults had an ADHD diagnosis in 2023, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
That’s equivalent to around 6% of adults in the country, or one in 16.
Around half of these diagnoses didn’t come until adulthood.
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The agency gathered this data from the National Center for Health Statistics Rapid Surveys System between October and November 2023.
Approximately 15.5 million adults had an ADHD diagnosis in 2023, according to a new report from the CDC. (iStock)
The study also found that adults with ADHD were more likely to be 50 or younger (84.5% versus 51.2%) and more likely to be non-Hispanic White (70.4% versus 61.4%).
Those earning less than the federal poverty level were also more likely to be diagnosed (22.1% versus 12.3%), per the CDC.
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Around one-third of the adults with ADHD reported taking some type of stimulant medication, but more than 71% said the prescription was difficult to obtain.
Around half of diagnosed adults said they had ever used telehealth to receive treatment for ADHD.
The study did have some limitations, the CDC acknowledged.
Electronic devices and social media could contribute to the spike in diagnoses, a psychotherapist said. (Marina Demidiuk)
“First, self-reports of ADHD diagnosis might be subject to recall and reporting biases and were not validated against medical records,” the agency stated in the report.
“Second, surveys with commercial online panels have low response rates and might underrepresent certain subpopulations, increasing the potential for nonresponse bias.”
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A third limitation is that the sociodemographic and geographic data were collected before the survey was administered, which “could have affected the demographic distribution for some variables, such as age, education, household income and metropolitan status,” the report stated.
A psychotherapist weighs in
Jonathan Alpert, a psychotherapist in Manhattan and Washington, D.C., said he has a new patient coming in each week with concerns about ADHD.
“There certainly are those accurately diagnosed with ADHD and in need of medication — however, much like the GLP-1 phenomenon, there’s a shortage of medication because of all the people using it off-label or not truly in need of it,” he told Fox News Digital.
“The first line of treatment should be psychological and behavioral intervention.”
There are also many patients who don’t actually have the disorder, but have been self-diagnosed through online research, according to Alpert.
“This fits into a broader phenomenon in our nation where we have become too therapized, too diagnosed, and frankly, too dependent upon people like me,” he said.
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When it comes to the treatment of ADHD and other mental health disorders, Alpert says, “the first line of treatment should be psychological and behavioral intervention — not necessarily medications, as they are not without side effects.”
Around one-third of the adults with ADHD reported taking some type of stimulant medication, but more than 71% said the prescription was difficult to obtain. (iStock)
The psychotherapist also flagged electronic devices and social media as potentially contributing to the spike in diagnoses.
“The very nature of these is to provide stimulation through a device where the brain is continuously engaged — and, for many people, overly engaged,” Alpert cautioned.
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“This leads to distractibility, disorganization and the inability to complete tasks, among other hallmark features of the diagnosis.”
“By making significant behavioral and lifestyle changes, one can start to minimize their symptoms and make improvements, thereby lessening their reliance on medication.”
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Journalist Katie Couric is sharing a scary medical episode that she experienced on June 27.
In a post on Substack titled “The Day I’ll Never Remember,” she detailed a sudden episode that left her unable to recall the current month, year and president.
“I thought it was 2024. And I believed Joe Biden was president,” she wrote.
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The event occurred while Couric was attending the Aspen Ideas Festival in Colorado, during which she participated in two public panels — one on AI and one on journalism — both of which she cannot remember at all.
“I have no idea what we talked about, or of what occurred when the panels ended,” she said.
Journalist Katie Couric is sharing a scary medical episode that she experienced on June 27. (Getty Images)
John Molner — Couric’s husband, who was in attendance at the festival and the two panels — also shared his account.
After the event, someone told Molner that Katie wasn’t feeling well. When he reached her, an EMT and a doctor were tending to her. “I could tell something was off,” he wrote. “It could have been altitude sickness, but Katie was definitely not all there.”
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At the hospital, when Couric struggled to recall the year, the president and her grandchildren’s names, doctors began checking for a stroke.
An MRI revealed no signs of stroke, which was a relief, but “Katie’s ‘fog’ became a lot more apparent,” Molner wrote.
John Molner, Couric’s husband, who was in attendance at the festival and the two panels, also shared his account. (Getty Images)
“She repeatedly asked me the same questions: ‘What was I doing before we got to the hospital?’ ‘Why am I at the hospital?’”
Couric was ultimately diagnosed with transient global amnesia, a sudden, temporary episode of memory loss that prevents a person from forming new memories and may also erase some recent memories, according to Mayo Clinic.
“The cause seems to be as mysterious as the brain itself.”
It is not caused by a stroke, seizure or head injury, and it usually resolves completely within 24 hours.
“[It’s] just a very weird neural episode that’s pretty uncommon and, at least in most cases, is a ‘one and done’ experience,” Molner said.
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Couric said she finally began feeling “like herself” again around 9 p.m. and went to sleep at 2 a.m.
As TGA leaves a “permanent gap in memory” for the duration of the episode and for hours beforehand, Couric said that from around noon on that day until at least 7 p.m. will remain a “big, black hole.”
As TGA leaves a “permanent gap in memory” for the duration of the episode and for hours beforehand, Couric said that from around noon on that day until at least 7 p.m. will remain a “big, black hole.” (Getty Images)
Data shows that approximately three to eight people per 100,000 will have an episode of transient global amnesia, with people 50 years of age and older at higher risk.
The specific cause of TGA is not known, but some experts believe it stems from a “temporary dysfunction in the brain’s hippocampus — the area responsible for creating new memories,” Couric shared.
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“Doctors believe this is driven by brief interruptions in blood or oxygen flow, or microscopic spasm in the blood vessels.”
Episodes could potentially be triggered by intense physical exertion, emotional distress, extreme temperature changes or migraines, experts say.
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Approximately 15% of patients will have a recurrence 10 years later.
“Why did this happen to me? Was the altitude an issue? Was I dehydrated? Tired? Stressed? The literature doesn’t seem to indicate that these are contributing factors, but the cause seems to be as mysterious as the brain itself,” Couric wrote.
Anyone who experiences sudden memory loss, confusion, difficulty speaking, weakness, numbness, vision changes, severe headache or other stroke-like symptoms should seek immediate medical attention or call 911, doctors advise. (iStock)
“All I know is that those hours will be forever lost. Someone described it as my brain failing to hit the ‘record button.’”
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“While this was a freaky occurrence, it could have been much more serious. So ultimately, I’m relieved — even though several hours of a Saturday in June will always be missing for me.”
Anyone who experiences sudden memory loss, confusion, difficulty speaking, weakness, numbness, vision changes, severe headache or other stroke-like symptoms should seek immediate medical attention or call 911, doctors advise.
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Older adults identified as “super movers” are about half as likely to develop cognitive impairment than their peers.
That’s according to a recent study led by Stony Brook Medicine in New York, which evaluated the cognitive function of 4,000 adults 80 and over who participated in multiple aging and longevity studies over several years.
Among this group, 6% to 10% were classified as super movers, which means they walk at a much faster pace than others of the same age and gender — at speeds comparable to people three decades younger.
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The super movers were found to have about half the risk of cognitive decline compared to seniors with typical gait speed.
The findings were published in the journal Neurology on June 16.
Older adults identified as “super movers” are about half as likely to develop cognitive impairment than their peers. (iStock)
“The study reinforces that mobility and brain health are closely connected,” lead study author Dr. Joe Verghese, MD, neurologist at Stony Brook Medicine, told Fox News Digital. “This suggests that preserving mobility may be an important marker of healthy brain aging and resilience.”
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The most intriguing finding, according to Verghese, was that super movers maintained cognitive function despite having similar dementia-related brain changes as their peers.
In postmortem brain analysis, there was no difference in dementia-related pathologies between the super movers and the slower walkers, the study stated.
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“This suggests they may possess resilience mechanisms that help preserve brain function even in the presence of age-related changes,” he said. “Understanding these resilience factors could lead to new strategies for promoting healthy brain aging.”
As the study was observational, there were some limitations, and it does not prove that walking faster prevents dementia, the researchers noted.
Super movers were found to have about half the risk of cognitive decline compared to seniors with typical gait speed. (iStock)
“Other factors, such as cardiovascular health, physical fitness or genetics, may also contribute to both faster walking and better cognitive outcomes,” Verghese said.
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This study adds to growing evidence that what’s good for the heart and muscles also benefits the brain, he noted, adding that “staying physically active remains one of the most effective, evidence-based ways to support healthy aging.”
“Walking speed is best viewed as a marker of overall health, not a treatment.”
“The broader message is that physical activity is important at any age,” Verghese said. “Walking is an easy step-up point because you don’t need any special equipment. You can do it inside or outdoors, and you can do it on a regular basis. You can walk with a dog, you can walk with a friend.”
Any activity is beneficial if it’s done regularly and with the right intensity, he added.
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Rather than just trying to walk faster, the neurologist recommends that seniors focus on maintaining mobility through regular physical activity, strength training, balance exercises and good cardiovascular health.
“Walking speed is best viewed as a marker of overall health, not a treatment,” Verghese noted.
Major public health guidelines from the CDC and U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, such as brisk walking.
Major public health guidelines from the CDC and U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, such as brisk walking. (iStock)
This can be achieved by walking 30 minutes a day, five days a week, or about 20 to 25 minutes most days. Another option is to engage in shorter sessions that add up over the day.
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“You have to do it within your health limitations and medical conditions,” Verghese advised. “So if there are any medical concerns, I would get your physician to clear you before starting exercise.” The good thing about walking, he added, is that you can start at a slow pace and then gradually build up to a brisker pace.
“And then adding on strength and balance training, whatever age you are, I think is also important.”
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