A Dark House in Daylight is an acronym for ADHD, but it also carries significant weight in representing the isolation that many girls and women face in living with undiagnosed ADHD. I was kept in the dark for years, chalking up my symptoms to personality flaws. I was twenty-one years old when I received my diagnosis, which is, on average, fifteen years later than my male peers with ADHD. My experience is not unique; there is a significant diagnostic gap between genders. Because I was fortunate enough to have received a diagnosis, I feel a profound responsibility to change the narrative surrounding ADHD in children and adults alike.
My hand-drawn animation highlights some of the symptoms of ADHD that are more common in women. These symptoms are a far cry from the societally accepted hyperactive-six-year-old-boy stereotype, which is seen as the “only” way to have ADHD. The film takes place from the viewer’s perspective, allowing them to experience firsthand this metaphorical representation of ADHD as it presents in women.
My hope is that in highlighting some of these lesser-known symptoms, medical professionals, educators and parents alike will be more equipped to recognize that their child is struggling and provide them with resources to help them succeed.