Nowhere Girl - by Carla Ciccone (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

Why is a generation of women only now discovering they have ADHD? (Spoiler: misogyny.) A writer examines the cost of living with undiagnosed ADHD in this reported memoir about the girls medical science ignored.

When Carla Ciccone is diagnosed with ADHD at thirty-nine--an evaluation prompted by the demands of early motherhood--it flips the script on her life. After years of self-blame and self-sabotage, she discovers that her most reviled traits aren't deep personality flaws, but symptoms of an undiagnosed disorder. And as she goes from being her own biggest hater to someone a bit more compassionate, she notices the growing community of women in the same situation.

Weaving her personal story into an investigation of the rise in ADHD diagnoses, Ciccone draws on scientific research and expert interviews to reflect on the classrooms of the 1990s, where "ADD" was reserved for hyperactive white boys, and girls learned to mask their differences. She examines the hormonal upheavals of adolescence and their unique effects on neurochemistry, and later charts her chaotic entry into motherhood. She also explores the history of women's mental healthcare and the pressure to perform our gender in a certain way. Throughout, Ciccone seeks to understand the ramifications of an ignored mental disorder for an entire generation of women--the nowhere girls.

With humor, depth, and detailed reporting, Nowhere Girl explores the cultural impact of ADHD on girls and women, and offers a path forward to reclaim our narratives, forgive ourselves, and parent our children (and reparent ourselves) with the softness we never received.

Review Quotes

"A journey through a realm of neurodivergence, which we explore reprehensibly seldom and address--still!--with a negligence that would be astonishing were it not so routine . . . Truly eye-opening."--Anna Mehler Paperny, journalist and author of Hello I Want to Die Please Fix Me

"Nowhere Girl is at once lucid, captivating, poignant, terrifying, and ultimately uplifting. Once I opened it, I literally could not put it down. In captivating prose, Carla Ciccone conveys four decades of non-diagnosed ADHD--replete with unanswered questions, shame, trauma, dashed efforts at coping, and periods of despair--deftly interweaving current science into the story. This lifespan account surges with pain but also with hope, as an accurate diagnosis after becoming a mother has forged a hard-won sense of peace and acceptance, along with the discovery of optimal supports. Five stars, highest recommendation."--Stephen P. Hinshaw, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley; author of Straight Talk About ADHD in Girls

"We live in a mainstream and health culture that demands us to 'fit in.' This is the opposite of living an authentic life. Our bodies and minds are speaking to us and doing their job in raising their red flags. The question remains: are we truly ready listen? Ciccone's candid memoir about being diagnosed with ADHD after years of feeling lost and ignored shines a light on the inconvenience of truth. That in itself is a sacred gift to make sure we head somewhere together instead of nowhere."--Sophie Grégoire Trudeau, bestselling author of Closer Together

"Nowhere Girl is funny, wise, infuriating, and deeply moving. Carla Ciccone has done a stellar job of explaining how ADHD has affected her life and the lives of countless other women who have been overlooked and dismissed. I wanted to press this book into the hands of every woman who has ADHD or knows someone who does--in other words, all of us."--Elizabeth Renzetti, author of What She Said

"Carla Ciccone is a masterful writer. Nowhere Girl is a powerful, vulnerable testament to the necessity of empathy and understanding when navigating ADHD, but on a personal level, this book made me feel seen, heard, and not alone."--Anne T. Donahue, author of Nobody Cares

"Ciccone's in-depth research and vulnerable storytelling opens up space for the hard, messy, and complicated truths of life with ADHD for girls and women. Nowhere Girl reads like a warm hug, a pep talk, and a call to action for us all. I think it's the most important book of the year."--Julie S. Lalonde, author of Resilience Is Futile

About the Author

Carla Ciccone is a freelance writer focused on women's health, personal essays, and humor. Her work has appeared in Harper's Bazaar, Bon Appétit, Romper, The Cut, and more. She lives in Toronto.