In 2025, ADHD is at the center of a very loud conversation.

Adults are sharing their stories online.
TikTok and Instagram feeds are full of “What ADHD Really Looks Like” videos.
Clinics are reporting long waiting lists.
And at the same time, many patients can’t even fill their prescriptions because of ongoing stimulant shortages.

So what is actually happening?
Is ADHD really more common today? Or are we just talking about it more?

The truth, as usual, is somewhere in the middle.

This article unpacks the data, the social-media impact, the medication shortage, and what responsible ADHD care should still look like in 2025.

This is educational content and not a diagnosis or treatment plan. If you’re struggling, please speak with a licensed clinician.

ADHD Diagnoses Are Rising,  but So Is Awareness of Undiagnosed Adults

In the United States, ADHD has historically been seen as a childhood condition. Today, we know that’s incomplete.

• An estimated 6% of U.S. adults have received an ADHD diagnosis, about half of them diagnosed in adulthood. PMC
  
• Worldwide adult prevalence is lower (2–5%), meaning the U.S. is diagnosing more aggressively than many other countries. PMC
  
• A 2024 national survey found that 25% of adults suspect they may have ADHD, yet only a fraction have been formally evaluated. PMC
  

Research also suggests many adults, particularly women, remain undiagnosed:

• A recent study found that about 14% of adults with ADHD symptoms may be undiagnosed, and women are disproportionately underdiagnosed, in part because inattentive symptoms (rather than hyperactive ones) are often overlooked. American Psychiatric Association
  

So yes, there are people who truly need care and are only now being recognized.

At the same time, a parallel story is unfolding online.

The Social Media Effect: Help, Hype, and “#ADHD” Everywhere

Search #ADHD on TikTok and you’ll find millions of videos.

On the positive side:

• Many creators share lived experience stories that help people feel less alone.
  
• Some provide useful educational content and coping strategies.
  

But there are growing concerns:

• A 2025 analysis of #ADHD TikTok content found substantial misinformation and oversimplification, with some videos overgeneralizing symptoms or presenting personal anecdotes as diagnostic criteria. PLOS
  
• A media and communication study described a surge in “self-diagnosis narratives,” where social media becomes the main source of mental-health labeling. Taylor & Francis Online
  

Educators and clinicians are also noticing:

• One U.S. psychologist reported that up to 50% of intake requests at her clinic were driven by TikTok ADHD content. Qbtech
  

Self-reflection and self-education can be empowering, but when they replace structured assessment, they can:

• blur the line between normal concentration struggles and clinical ADHD,
  
• lead people to ignore other causes (sleep, anxiety, trauma, depression, medical conditions),
  
• and drive demand for medications in a system already facing supply constraints.
  

The Stimulant Shortage: Real, Ongoing, and Complicated

Since 2022, the U.S. has faced persistent shortages of common ADHD medications, including:

• mixed amphetamine salts (often known by the brand Adderall),
  
• lisdexamfetamine (e.g., Vyvanse),
  
• methylphenidate products.
  

In a joint letter, the FDA and DEA confirmed that these medications have remained in shortage into 2025, citing manufacturing delays and quota limitations, and committed to working together on solutions.PMC+1

Additional context:

• Demand for ADHD medications grew by approximately 6% from 2023 to 2024, outpacing production adjustments. AJMC
  
• Tight production quotas under controlled-substance regulations, designed to reduce diversion, have also limited how quickly supply can respond. Vermont Law Review
  

For patients, this looks like:

• pharmacies out of stock,
  
• partial fills,
  
• switching between formulations and manufacturers,
  
• and anxiety about continuity of treatment.
  

OutSourceWoRx explores how “medication families” and sterile outsourcing fit into the broader shortage story (for other drug classes):  Medication Families Hospitals Can’t Afford to Lose

Telehealth, ADHD, and 2025 Rules: Where Do We Stand?

During the COVID-19 pandemic, telehealth became a major access point for mental health and ADHD care.

Many patients:

• received their diagnosis remotely,
  
• started stimulant treatment via telemedicine,
  
• and built ongoing relationships with virtual providers.
  

In late 2024, the DEA and HHS extended telemedicine flexibilities for prescribing controlled medications through at least the end of 2025, allowing certain Schedule II–V prescriptions without an initial in-person visit if conditions are met.telehealth.hhs.gov+1

This is a double-edged sword:

• ✅ It improves access, especially in rural or underserved areas.
  
• ⚠️ It requires strong standards to avoid rushed evaluations or medication-only approaches without adequate follow-up.
  

Any ADHD evaluation, in-person or via telehealth, should still include:

• a thorough history,
  
• functional assessment across settings (work/school/home),
  
• screening for other mental health and medical conditions,
  
• and ideally, collateral information when available.
  

So What Does Responsible ADHD Care Look Like in 2025?

A good ADHD care pathway is not defined by where it happens (online vs in-person), but how it happens.

1. Comprehensive Evaluation

A responsible clinician will:

• ask about childhood symptoms (even if they were never formally recognized),
  
• explore current functioning,
  
• check for anxiety, depression, trauma, sleep issues, substance use, and medical contributors,
  
• and explain where ADHD fits — or doesn’t fit — into that picture.
  

Sometimes, difficulty focusing is more connected to anxiety, depression, stress, burnout, or sensory overload than ADHD itself. AllMedRx’s article on treatment-resistant depression touches this complexity:

2. Multi-Modal Treatment

Medication can be very effective, but:

• behavioral strategies,
  
• workplace or academic accommodations,
  
• sleep hygiene,
  
• therapy for co-existing conditions
  

are equally important.

3. Medication Safety and Continuity

Patients should:

• only use medications prescribed by a licensed clinician,
  
• avoid “sharing” or buying stimulants from friends or the internet,
  
• discuss any side effects early,
  
• and have a plan in case of pharmacy-level shortages.
  

Compounding pharmacies are not a workaround for controlled-substance shortages; controlled meds remain tightly regulated. However, compounding may help with:

• adjunct medications (e.g., dye-free or alternative forms for sleep, mood, or anxiety meds),
  
• or non-controlled formulations when excipient sensitivities are a problem.
  

For evaluating compounding options in general:  How to Evaluate a Compounding Pharmacy in 2025

TikTok, Self-Diagnosis, and How to Use Social Media Without Getting Lost

Social media can:

• help people feel seen,
  
• reduce stigma,
  
• and offer community.
  

It can also:

• oversimplify complex diagnostic criteria,
  
• encourage people to label themselves based on short lists,
  
• and make ADHD look like a personality trait rather than a neurodevelopmental condition with real impairment.
  

A healthier way to use these platforms:

• Take them as prompts to reflect, not as diagnostic tools.
  
• Use them to prepare questions for a real evaluation.
  
• Avoid content that pressures you to seek specific medications quickly.
  

Final Thoughts : ADHD in 2025 Is Real, but So Is the Noise

ADHD is not an internet invention — it’s a well-described condition that affects millions of children and adults. Many people, especially women and adults diagnosed later in life, are finally getting care they needed for years.

At the same time:

• self-diagnosis via social media,
  
• ongoing stimulant shortages,
  
• and uneven telehealth practices
  

have created a lot of confusion.

The path forward is not to ignore ADHD or to label everything as ADHD.

It’s to slow down enough to:

• get evaluated thoughtfully,
  
• consider your whole mental and physical health picture,
  
• use medications only through legitimate channels,
  
• and work with providers who treat you as a whole person — not just a label.
  

AllMedRx’s role in this ecosystem is to support safe, personalized medication where it’s clinically appropriate, under the guidance of licensed prescribers and within regulatory standards.