Watch CBS News

More Moms Being Diagnosed With ADD

BOSTON (CBS) - Work, kids and carpools, for many moms it is non-stop all day. "Baseball, dance, swimming, there's always something," explained one busy mom we talked to in Lexington center.

For most moms, it's all in a days work. For others, it is not so simple. "I think if I were to draw myself, it would be like a person going after pretty, shiny things. But when I don't follow through with it, or it's not so shiny and pretty when I realize how much work is involved, then I'm depressed about it," explained working mom Gina Overholt.

Gina's inability to follow through on things led to depression and a startling diagnosis: Attention Deficit Disorder.

WBZ-TV's Kate Merrill reports

Licensed family therapist Sarah Ferman says moms who struggle with ADD are more common than you think. For many, their biggest challenge is they just can't seem to finish anything. "You can go from activity to activity and feel like nothing got accomplished, but you've been busy all day long," she said.

Gina says her lack of concentration created challenges throughout her life. "Fender benders, losing jobs, let's just say I've been let go quite a few times," she said. Just recently she separated from her husband of 14 years. "Whether it is a factor or not, I can understand it can be difficult to live with someone like me, who is all over the place, who is over-committed because it's over committing his time too," she said.

According to Ferman, budgeting time is critical. Moms without ADD tend to say 'no' more often. "An ADD mom, because they underestimate time say, 'Oh, I'll just squeeze that in,'" she explained.

If you think you have ADD, ask your doctor. There may be some nutritional or dietary changes that may help. Some studies have suggested a possible link between iron deficiency and ADD.

That wasn't the case with Gina, but she has found help through a support group near her home. Her advice for other ADD moms: "Instead of beating yourself up and looking at all the things you didn't do, look at all the things you did accomplish and love yourself for that."

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.