ADHD in the News 2026-06-04
SMFM Reaffirms Acetaminophen as First-Line Medication for Treating Pain and Fever During Pregnancy
Acetaminophen remains the recommended first-line medication to treat pain and fever during pregnancy, according to an updated statement from the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM). A comprehensive review of the available scientific evidence does not establish a causal relationship between acetaminophen taken during pregnancy and an increased risk of autism spectrum disorders and attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children, according to SMFM.
We analysed 14 million Reddit posts to reveal a striking shift in how we talk about mental health
More people are relying on social media – such as TikTok, Instagram, YouTube and Reddit – to learn about mental health conditions and to interact with people who have shared experiences. These aren’t only long-familiar disorders such as depression, anxiety and schizophrenia. They also include conditions often placed under the “neurodivergent” umbrella such as autism, ADHD (attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder), Tourette syndrome and dyslexia. For instance, on TikTok the hashtag #adhd has had more than 50 billion views. We wanted to explore how social media platforms shape how we understand mental health. So we analysed more than 14 million posts and comments about mental health on Reddit.
FDA declines to approve Cingulate’s ADHD treatment over manufacturing issues
June 2 (Reuters) - Drug developer Cingulate (CING.O), opens new tab said on Tuesday the U.S. Food and Drug Administration declined to approve its treatment for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, citing manufacturing-related concerns. In its complete response letter, the FDA did not flag any concerns about the drug's safety or effectiveness, Cingulate said.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy helps parents of children with disabilities
Parents of children with ADHD, autism and other disabilities reported increased psychological flexibility and reduced stress after participating in the Acceptance and Commitment Therapy–based programme Navigator ACT. The results come from a study conducted at Karolinska Institutet and published in the journal Autism Research. “The intervention made it easier to be the parent you want to be,” says first author Tiina Holmberg Bergman.
ADHD Linked to Greater Reproductive Health Challenges
ADHD may intensify reproductive health challenges across menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause, new Irish cross-sectional data suggest.
Adults with ADHD may pay high price to mask traits and fit in, SFU study finds
Masking ADHD traits may help adults fit in socially, but it can come at a cost to their mental health and well-being, according to new research from Simon Fraser University.
When “Too Much” Becomes Your Story
Key points: Understanding ADHD cognitively and healing from it emotionally are two different things. Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria can lead to self-blame and negativity. Masking ADHD traits offers short-term acceptance but builds long-term emotional exhaustion. You can rewrite your personal narrative using mindful self-compassion.
Focus apps are failing neurodivergent minds, new research finds
In today’s attention economy, social media platforms, entertainment apps and news feeds all compete for our focus. Millions of people have turned to focus apps in response to help them be more productive while studying or working. Some of these apps help us manage our attention by blocking distracting apps or websites. Whether it’s growing a virtual tree in Forest or locking down social media with Apple Screen Time, these apps promise to help us “regain control.” Unfortunately, if you’re neurodivergent, these digital distraction blockers may actually make you feel worse about yourself, according to our recent research at the University of British Columbia.
The beginning of a long journey: Integrating lived experience into the design of an app for young people with ADHD
When a room is filled with laughter, openness, and mutual respect, you know you’ve created the right environment for a lived experience workshop. The workshop held on 15 May at the department of Social Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry, aimed to understand the challenges faced by young people with ADHD as they transition into adulthood and adult clinical services.
1 in 5 teens turn to AI chatbots for mental health advice, but a majority of them keep it secret
[Excerpt] A recent study set out to better understand how often and in what ways adolescents and young adults in the US were turning to AI chatbots for mental health advice. The online survey estimated that roughly 1 in 5 adolescents and young adults in the US have used an AI chatbot for mental health advice as of 2025, and most users found the advice helpful. Despite finding support through these tools, a majority of users, 63.3% of them, chose to keep seeking help from a chatbot hidden from others.
More than half of adults with ADHD in clinical settings have a co-occurring personality disorder
Adults diagnosed with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder experience high rates of co-occurring personality disorders, though these numbers vary heavily based on how and where patients are evaluated. A recent analysis suggests that more than half of adults seeking clinical help for this attention condition might also meet the criteria for at least one personality disorder. This research, published in the journal Psychiatry Research, provides evidence that doctors should look beyond single labels to understand the complex mental health challenges facing this population.
Amid School Techlash, Accessibility Advocates Worry About Exclusion
Keri Rodrigues, a mother of five boys, knows the value of screens. For her boys, four of whom receive school accommodations, screens serve a practical purpose at school. “When you get a kid who's got [a learning plan] for anxiety and a substitute teacher that hasn't read his 504 [plan] and there's nobody there to de-escalate him, he's got to use his phone to call mom so I can FaceTime with him and do a breathing exercise,” Rodrigues says.
Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs Shape Care. Our Patients Should Know. (Opinion)
For many patients, taking a controlled medication feels like any ordinary medical decision. You're prescribed something for sleep, anxiety, ADHD, or pain. You're counseled on risks and side effects. You pick it up from the pharmacy and assume the transaction ends there. What patients are not routinely told is that once that prescription is filled, it becomes part of a state-run monitoring system that tracks controlled medication use across prescribers and pharmacies, information that can shape how clinical encounters unfold. These databases, known as Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PDMPs), exist in every state and are widely used in clinical practice.