Helping Women Navigate ADHD, Autism, And Hormonal Health

For a long time, ADHD and autism were considered conditions that primarily affected boys and men. The common belief was that these neurodivergences were almost exclusive to the male population, and even today, boys are diagnosed with ADHD and autism at a rate about five times higher than girls. However, now we know that these conditions affect girls and women as well, but they are often underdiagnosed.

Most neuropsychiatric research, has been conducted on boys, leaving girls and women underserved. This is something Dr. Lotta Borg Skoglund, a Swedish psychiatrist and associate professor at the University of Uppsala, is determined to change. Dr. Skoglund is the founder of Smart Psychiatry, a Swedish clinic specialized in ADHD and autism. She has recently launched a new company, Letterlife, designed specifically to support women with neurodivergences.

Letterlife: Helping Women Gain Control

Letterlife is an app tailored to women who experience ADHD and/or autism—what Dr. Skoglund refers to as "AuHDH." This term reflects the overlap in symptoms between autism and ADHD and the unique challenges that women face when managing these conditions. The app aims to give users more control over their lives, helping them track symptoms, manage medications, and better understand the impact of their hormones on daily life.

An important feature of Letterlife is its focus on the menstrual cycle. Hormonal fluctuations during the cycle affect most women, but these effects can be even more pronounced in women with ADHD or autism. Many autistic girls report that they struggle with the bodily changes that accompany puberty. They find it more difficult than girls of the same age to cope with fluctuations in their body and mood. Similarly, women with ADHD often experience more severe premenstrual syndrome (PMS), and Dr. Skoglund assumes that women with autism may face similar challenges.

Research conducted by Dr. Skoglund and her team has shown that women with ADHD are five times more likely to develop depression when taking hormonal contraception. This connection between hormones and mental health is something that Letterlife addresses directly. It helps women to adapt to their hormonal changes and provides insights into how these shifts may impact their medications and daily activities.

MORE FOR YOU
Election 2024 Swing State Polls: Trump-Harris Race Deadlocked On Election Eve—As Pennsylvania Still Tied (Updated)
Trump Vs. Harris 2024 Polls: Nate Silver's Final Forecast Ends In A Virtual Tie As Harris Closes Gap
Harris And Trump’s Biggest Celebrity Endorsements: Joe Rogan Endorses Trump, Lady Gaga Backs Harris

A Broader Focus on Women’s Health

It is on ongoing discussion whether too many persons today are receiving an ADHD/autism diagnosis. According to Dr. Skoglund, it is important to note that people aren't asking for a diagnosis—they are asking for help. They want to understand how to navigate their lives in a world that often feels like it wasn't built for them. Society’s increasing cognitive demands have left many people, particularly neurodivergent women, struggling to keep up.

The goal of Letterlife is to set a spotlight on the turbulence in these women’s lives. Often their experiences have been dismissed as exaggeration or imagination. Therefore Dr. Skoglund wants to ensure that women receive the support they need to manage their health.

In one of their studies, they included 40,000 women from Stockholm that had been diagnosed with neurodivergent conditions, and over half of them also suffered from anxiety. The cost to the healthcare system is immense, but the real price is paid by the women themselves, who often feel unsupported and misunderstood. As Dr. Skoglund points out, helping young women feel well today is key to building a healthier, more functional society. Women play critical roles not only in their families but also in the workforce, particularly in sectors like healthcare. When women don’t feel well, it reverberates throughout society.

What’s Next for Letterlife?

Since its launch, Letterlife has grown rapidly, increasing fivefold in the last three months and expanding at a rate of 20% month-on-month indicating that the app is clearly filling a gap in the market, with 55% of women continuing to use it after three months. The team is now planning a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to explore the app’s effectiveness and its impact on the daily lives of users.

One of the most important aspects of the app is its ability to help women understand how their medications interact with their menstrual cycle. This can be a challenge for many women, particularly those with AuHDH, as they may struggle to remember their medication schedules or notice how different phases of their cycle affect their treatment.

Looking ahead, Dr. Skoglund is excited about the future of Letterlife and hopes to continue expanding its reach. She is committed to bringing more attention to the unique needs of women with neurodivergent conditions, both through her clinical work and her research. In her words, the focus of future research must shift toward women to truly understand the full spectrum of neurodivergence and to find the best way to support those affected.