"My late ADHD diagnosis saved my life": The practice and promise of an adult Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) diagnosis among women online

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), though classified in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-5) as a neurodevelopmental disorder, has been framed in myriad ways over the last century. Even though current research in clinical psychology estimates that adult ADHD is likely underdiagnosed and undertreated, it remains a contested terrain. Among women, this is especially true, reflected in frequent misdiagnosis and underdiagnosis. However, women appear to be pushing back. Within the last few years, increasing amounts of content has produced about the disorder on social media sites like Instagram and TikTok, with particularly profound consequences for women. Using qualitative data collected from twelve Zoom interviews, social media posts, and comment sections, I evaluate how women rebuild after the rupture caused by being diagnosed in adulthood, and the role of the social media platforms (Instagram and TikTok) in this process. In order to do so, I construct ADHD diagnosis as an object, employing Sara Ahmed’s (2006) concept of orientation to explain how women find their bearings in the wake of a late diagnosis