Spring into Mania

 Hey Neuroninas,

    Bipolar Awareness Day was on March 30th, and I spent it in my DIY greenhouse, surrounded by fifty freshly planted seeds and glued to Facebook Marketplace kayak listings. I had time off for spring break and decided I would become a gardener who kayaks on weekends. Nothing says “mental stability” like spending $300 to paddle into the sunset and find myself.

    But was this a genuine desire to embrace my adventurous spirit and reconnect with nature…or is spring mania quietly creeping in? That sudden burst of energy, the intense need for change, and the hyper-fixation on a new hobby that feels like the answer to everything. You’re riding high but also kinda suspicious of your own brain.

    Why does mania show up in the spring? There’s actually science behind the seasonal spike. Research shows that changes in daylight exposure can disrupt circadian rhythms and throw your internal clock off balance. For people with bipolar disorder, these shifts can trigger manic or hypomanic episodes. A rapid increase in sunny days affects serotonin and melatonin levels, which can lead to heightened energy and less sleep. According to psychiatrist Chris Aiken, “An analysis of hospital admissions found that the rate of change in sunlight was responsible for 20% of the seasonal variance in admissions for mania.”

    Once again, changes in sleep, routine, and sunlight impact our circadian systems, often enough to trigger a manic or hypomanic episode. The Journal of Psychiatric Practice reviewed nearly 200 studies on seasonal mania, 29 of which were original research papers. Out of those, 23 showed clear evidence that manic episodes peak in spring and summer based on hospital admission data. Around 15% of people with bipolar disorder appear to experience seasonal manic episodes. Unfortunately, the DSM-5 doesn’t currently allow doctors to diagnose mania with a “seasonal pattern” specifier (it only applies to depression), but that might need to change. Recognizing these patterns could help predict relapses and allow for early treatment adjustments to potentially reduce the chaos that seasonal mania can bring.

Don’t fact check me pls I’m just a girl 🥲

Works Cited

Aiken, Chris. “A New Tool for Springtime Mania.” Psychiatric Times, April 2017.
https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/view/new-tool-springtime-mania

Geoffroy, Pierre Alexis, et al. “Seasonality and Bipolar Disorder: A Systematic Review, from Admission Rates to Seasonality of Symptoms.” Journal of Affective Disorders, vol. 168, 2014, pp. 210–223.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23852105/

Sharma, Verinder, and Carr, Tara J. “Seasonal Pattern and Bipolar Disorder: A Review of the Literature.” Journal of Psychiatric Practice, vol. 19, no. 4, 2013, pp. 301–308.
https://doi.org/10.1097/01.pra.0000435114.24951.6b

American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5®). 5th ed., American Psychiatric Publishing, 2013.

We Accept the Love We Observed

 Hey Neuroninas, 

You're watching or reading The Perks of Being a Wallflower and Paul Rudd is telling Charlie the infamous quote, "We accept the love we think we deserve." Now you're frozen reflecting on your exes, your situationships, and the one that got away. But what’s the truth behind that quote, and how can you sound like a smartass the next time you see a girl with that quote tattooed?

It all started with John Bowlby, a psychiatrist and psychoanalyst who focused on child development and attachment theory. He stated that infants must form close bonds with at least one primary caregiver to ensure survival and develop healthy emotional and social functioning. Mary Ainsworth, a developmental psychologist, conducted an experiment on infant-parent separations and identified three main attachment styles:

• Secure attachment: Infants become upset when separated but are easily comforted when reunited with a caregiver.
  
  

• Anxious-resistant attachment: Children show extreme distress upon separation and struggle to be soothed, often displaying mixed feelings toward the caregiver.
  
  

• Avoidant attachment: These children appear emotionally distant, avoiding contact with their caregiver even after separation.
  

Researchers began recognizing that attachment styles continue into adulthood, affecting how we handle relationships and love.

• Securely attached individuals: You have no issues trusting your partner, can communicate openly, and feel safe. You had caregivers who met your emotional needs and provided a secure and loving environment.
  
  

• Anxious-resistant individuals: You might crave validation, overanalyze texts, or fear abandonment. You may have had caregivers who were inconsistent—the sometimes loving, sometimes distant which created an unpredictable environment. You were taught that love must be earned.
  
  

• Avoidant individuals: You want love but push people away, struggling with vulnerability. As a child, you likely learned to self-soothe because your caregivers weren’t emotionally available. Love may have been rarely expressed or your parents encouraged you to “toughen up and quit crying,” discouraging vulnerability.
  
  

According to self-verification theory, we unconsciously seek relationships that confirm our self-views…even when those views are negative. If you believe deep down that you’re unworthy of love, you’ll be drawn to partners who reinforce that belief.

It also ties into intermittent reinforcement. If love in childhood was hot and cold, your brain got wired to chase unpredictable affection. This is why we cling to people who give us just enough love to keep us hoping.

Your childhood: A parent who was loving one day and emotionally unavailable the next. You never knew which version you’d get, so you kept trying to earn their affection.

Your dating life: You chase partners who breadcrumb you, waiting for those rare moments of validation. Even though, deep down, you know they won’t fully show up for you.

Next time you’re at brunch and someone flashes a “We accept the love we think we deserve” tattoo, hit them with this:

"Actually, that quote ties into attachment theory and self-verification bias. If someone grew up with inconsistent love, they unconsciously seek the same dynamic in adulthood, even if it hurts them. That’s why people get stuck in toxic cycles—because their brain mistakes familiarity for love. It’s classic intermittent reinforcement at play."

Break the cycle of believing you deserve negative love or repeating unhealthy patterns you observed in childhood. Recognize the harmful patterns, heal your inner child, set boundaries, and remember that true love is consistent, secure, and steady.

(easier said than done)

Don’t fact check me pls I’m just a girl 🥲

Works Cited

• Bowlby, John. Attachment and Loss: Volume 1, Attachment. Basic Books, 1969.

• Swann, W. B., Jr. (2012). Self-verification theory. In P. A. M. Van Lange, A. W. Kruglanski, & E. T. Higgins (Eds.), Handbook of theories of social psychology (pp. 23–42). Sage Publications Ltd. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781446249222.n27
  
  

• Ainsworth, Mary D. Salter. Patterns of Attachment: A Psychological Study of the Strange Situation. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 1978.
  
  

• Fraley, R. Chris. “Adult Attachment Theory and Research.” University of Illinois, https://labs.psychology.illinois.edu/~rcfraley/attachment.htm.
  
  

• “How Attachment Styles Influence Romantic Relationships.” Columbia University Psychiatry, https://www.columbiapsychiatry.org/news/how-attachment-styles-influence-romantic-relationships.
  
  

• “Co-Dependency in Intimate Relationships: A Learned Behaviour.” ResearchGate, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/342504976_CO-DEPENDENCY_IN_INTIMATE_RELATIONSHIP-A_LEARNED_BEHAVIOUR.
  
  

• “Love Me, Love Me Not: The Power of Intermittent Reinforcement.” Psychology Today, https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/life-after-50/201701/love-me-love-me-not.
  
  

• “We Accept the Love We Think We Deserve.” Simply Psychology, https://www.simplypsychology.org/we-accept-the-love-we-think-we-deserve.html.

The Gendered Silence of ADHD: Why Women Are Still Being Overlooked

Hey Neuroniñas,

You’re sitting with a friend at your favorite cafe, sipping on a caramel caramel ribbon cookie crunch frappuccino (extra whip, obviously), and your friend starts ranting about his sister. “She’s so unorganized, she can’t seem to get her life together, I don’t understand why her place is a mess 24/7.” You nod along, swallow your $8 drink, and blurt out, “Is she diagnosed with ADHD?” Your friend gives you the side-eye, clearly unimpressed, “As if that’s an excuse.”

But wait—what if this is an excuse? What if it’s more than just sloppiness or being a spacey Stacey? Could she, like so many women, be undiagnosed and struggling with ADHD? 

Historically, ADHD has been viewed through a male lens, with boys dominating the conversation and shaping the diagnosis. Women often go undiagnosed well into adulthood. This gender gap in diagnosis isn't just a mistake—it's a systemic flaw, one that leaves countless women struggling with severe symptoms without even knowing why. 

CDC prescriptions report found between 2003 and 2015, the number of U.S. women (ages 15-44) filling ADHD prescriptions increased by 344%

A CDC study released in 2020-2022, boys (14.5%) were more likely than girls (8.0%) to have ADHD, and this pattern was seen for children ages 5–11 years and 12–17 years

According to CHADD ratios of boys to girls with ADHD have decreased significantly over time, from about 25:1 to about 3:1 today

Women are finally getting the treatment needed, but why do girls go under-diagnosed in the first place? Let’s go back to the 90s where ADHD diagnostic criteria solely focused on male behaviors. ADHD studies were 81% boys and only 19% girls (what the fuck). Boys displayed more “obvious symptoms” such as hyperactivity while girls often exhibited quieter, inattentive symptoms. As a result, many girls with ADHD went unnoticed, their struggles dismissed or misunderstood. 

Imagine this: You’re in a fourth-grade classroom. On one side of the room, there’s a boy constantly getting out of his seat, climbing on tables, interrupting the teacher—classic ADHD symptoms. On the other side, there’s a girl with a messy desk, staring out the window, struggling to engage with her peers. If Howie Mandel popped out of nowhere and asked, "For $500, who do you think has ADHD?" the answer would likely be “Deal!” and point to the boy. But here’s the thing: the girl, with her quieter, internal symptoms, is suffering too.

Girls with ADHD present differently. They’re daydreamers, anxious, disorganized, forgetful. But because these symptoms aren’t as outwardly disruptive, teachers and parents often miss them, especially in a classroom setting—where teachers are usually the first to notice and suggest a diagnosis.

The emphasis on ADHD in boys and the male-focused medical approach reinforces male privilege in educational and healthcare systems, ensuring that boys’ behaviors are more likely to be understood and addressed. This leads to gendered invisibility in the diagnosis and treatment of the disorder. Symptoms like forgetfulness, difficulty with organization, and struggles with sustained attention often go unnoticed. As a result, girls are left to navigate their lives without proper support or medication, leading to increasing challenges in adulthood: time management, professional and personal organization, and emotional regulation, often feeling overwhelmed. Women are left to silently battle an unacknowledged disorder that deeply affects their well-being. 

British Journal of Psychiatry reveals that adults with ADHD, particularly women, have a significantly shorter life expectancy—up to 11 years shorter compared to those without the disorder. The research, which surveyed over 30,000 adults, found that for men with ADHD, life expectancy was reduced by 4.5 to 9 years, while for women, it was 6.5 to 11 years shorter. 

Challenges from ADHD can lead to higher risks of substance abuse, financial issues, and impulsivity. Women with ADHD are not only more likely to be diagnosed with anxiety and depression, but these co-occurring conditions can often mask the underlying ADHD. Untreated ADHD can leave women feeling incompetent, frustrated, and misunderstood. When their ADHD is not recognized, they may internalize these struggles as personal failures, leading to feelings of low self-esteem and worthlessness. 

The societal pressure on women to be organized, nurturing, and emotionally stable only adds to the weight. When a woman’s home is messy or she can’t stick with a job, she’s labeled as “a slob” who “can’t get her life together”—but not someone who might just be struggling with ADHD.

Dr. Arthur Robin, a psychiatry professor, describes the mental toll: “The adult women with ADHD I encounter in my practice feel like something is wrong with them. They feel like second-class citizens with poor self-esteem and often try to hide their difficulties from others.”  

ADHD 2024 Statistics

33.2% of high school students with combined-type ADHD drop out or fail to graduate on time

Among young adults between the ages of 23 and 32, only 0.06% of respondents with ADHD held a graduate degree, compared to 5.4% among those without the condition.

Adults with ADHD are 60% more likely to be fired

ADHD adults are 30% more likely to have chronic employment issues and 300% more likely to quit a job impulsively.‍

Boys are more than twice as likely (13%) to be diagnosed than girls (6%). Following a historic pattern, the CDC estimates that boys are more than twice as likely to be diagnosed than girls of a similar age. Mental health experts believe that this gap may be due to a lingering lack of understanding or recognition about how ADHD manifests in women and girls as well as a difference in symptom presentation.

Neuroniñas is dedicated to exploring the complex intersection of psychology and behavior. Stay tuned for more insights into the ways our minds influence our habits and decisions.

Don’t fact check me pls I’m just a girl 🥲

Citations

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). “Trends in ADHD Diagnosis and Treatment in the United States, 2003-2015.” CDC, 2024, www.cdc.gov.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). “Prevalence of ADHD Among U.S. Children and Adolescents: 2020-2022.” CDC, 2022, www.cdc.gov.

Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD). “Gender Myths and ADHD.” CHADD, 2024, www.chadd.org.

British Journal of Psychiatry. “Life Expectancy and ADHD: The Gender Gap.” British Journal of Psychiatry, 2024. www.bjp.rcpsych.org.

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). “Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).” NIMH, 2023, www.nimh.nih.gov.

American Psychiatric Association. “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5).” American Psychiatric Association, 2013.

Robin, Dr. Arthur. “The Emotional Toll of Undiagnosed ADHD in Adult Women.” Psychiatry Today, 2024.

Attention Deficit Disorder Association (ADDA). “Statistics on ADHD in Women and Girls.” ADDA, 2024, www.add.org.

The CULT-ure of AA: Why It Works

Hello, my name is Neuroniñas, and I’m an alcoholic.

If you’ve been to an AA meeting, we need to talk. If you haven’t been, imagine stumbling into a room where everyone’s sitting in a giant circle, sharing their deepest, darkest secrets, then standing up afterward to hold hands and chant a prayer. There’s a sense of fellowship in the room that feels almost… cult-like? Okay, before you jump to conclusions, hear me out. AA has proven to be effective for millions, but have you noticed how it kinda resembles the psychology behind cults? Spoiler alert: It’s probably why it works so damn well.

So, you read the word "cult" and immediately thought of drinking the Kool-Aid. No, we’re not talking about Jim Jones, but let’s figure out how he convinced 909 people to drink the cyanide-laced Kool-Aid.

Cults are built on an intense psychological bond. Think of it like this: cults create the “us vs. them” mentality. Cult leaders tend to prey on those who come from broken homes, have a history of abuse, or some form of childhood trauma. These groups are more likely to be looking for community and a sense of belonging. The easiest way to create a strong group identity? Religion. Unity is created through group activities and “rituals,” rewarding those who prove their loyalty and shaming those who aren’t as devoted.

There’s a term in psychology called social conditioning. This is the process of how people learn to think, feel, and act in ways that are accepted by society (think of that scene in Mean Girls where Cady gets a breakdown of the different cliques in the cafeteria and how to fit in). Social conditioning plays a huge role in cults by shaping how members think and behave.

Now let’s tie all of this yap to AA.

You walk into AA, and there’s a group leader assigning group members to read aloud the group’s values, expectations, and rules that are influenced by Christian principles. In AA, your road to Hana is the 12-step process. Through members' honesty and support, AA creates a strong sense of community and accountability. Over time, this reinforces the behaviors and mindset needed for staying sober. Members are also encouraged to have a sponsor. No, the sponsor isn’t just there to hold your hand or listen to you cry about how your BFFs are getting bottomless mimosas and sending you pics—they’re there to challenge you, to help you face the uncomfortable truths about yourself that you’ve been avoiding. This one-on-one relationship ensures that each person stays on track and fosters the honesty that’s essential to breaking the cycle of alcoholism. AA becomes a safe space and community for those who might’ve felt alone in their journey to sobriety.

So, you start attending regularly, hearing everyone’s stories, and begin to align with the group’s goals: get sober, stay sober, and support others in the process. You become conditioned to believe that the fellowship, steps, and mindset are your way out.

In both AA and cults, the goal is transformation. AA’s transformation? Sobriety. Cults? Usually, a radical shift in worldview or self-identity. In AA, people go from feeling hopeless to feeling empowered by “owning” their addiction and building themselves back up through a group effort. In cults, the power structure is often based on the leadership—in AA, it’s about the power of the group and the "Higher Power" concept.

The psychological principle at work in both cults and AA is group cohesion. We are hardwired to crave connection. Sprinkle some addiction into the mix and now you're not just battling isolation, but you're also facing the mental battles of withdrawal, shame, and denial.

Remember… alcoholism isn’t just about knocking back tequila shots—it’s also about the lies we tell ourselves and to the people around us. Last year, my psychiatrist told me I had an alcohol problem, prescribed me Naltrexone, and recommended AA. I left her office calling my cousin ranting, “Sammy it’s not even that bad plus I can stop if I really wanted to. I don’t even drink that much compared to xyz.” Ya know, those classic mantras of addiction. You’re lying to yourself, and often…you’re lying to your family, your friends, your coworkers, and your pet hamster.

Honesty is at the core of this 12-step “cult-like” program. You’re not just saying, “Hey, I’m an alcoholic” every time you want to speak. You’re acknowledging the pain, trauma, failure, and all of the lies. You’re seeing yourself for who you truly are. The best part is when someone admits the truth, the brain releases dopamine. Now, instead of chasing the dopamine rush from alcohol, you’re chasing it from honesty, and let me tell you, it hits harder than any margarita with a chamoy Tajín rim.

So, is AA a cult? Not exactly. But it does tap into some of the same psychological mechanisms that make cults so powerful.

The more frequent the attendance, the better the results. At the end of the AA meetings I attend, we hold hands and chant, “Keep coming back, it works.” Yeah, a little cult-y, but shit it does work.

The Stanford study on Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) found the following key statistics:

1. AA was shown to be 60% more effective than other interventions in helping individuals achieve alcohol abstinence.

2. AA participation significantly reduced mental health costs, saving $10,000 per person in some cases.

3. The AA model's effectiveness was consistent across various demographics, including age, gender, and nationality, with studies conducted in five different countries.

Neuroniñas is dedicated to exploring the complex intersection of psychology and behavior. Stay tuned for more insights into the ways our minds influence our habits and decisions.

Don’t fact check me pls I’m just a girl 🥲

Citations

Lembke, Dr. Anna. Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence. Dutton, 2021.

Lalich, Janet. "Understanding Cults: The Basics." Psychology Today, 18 June 2021, www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/freedom-mind/202106/understanding-cults-the-basics?amp. Accessed 16 Jan. 2025.

"The Psychology of AA's 12 Steps." Rehab Recovery, www.rehab-recovery.co.uk/articles/the-psychology-of-aas-12-steps/. Accessed 16 Jan. 2025.

Kelly, John F., and William L. White. "The Efficacy of Alcoholics Anonymous in Treating Alcohol Use Disorders: A Meta-Analysis of Outcomes." PubMed Central (PMC), National Institutes of Health, 2010, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2857524/. Accessed 19 Jan. 2025.

"Alcoholics Anonymous: Most Effective Path to Alcohol Abstinence." Stanford Medicine News Center, Stanford University, 18 Mar. 2020, med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2020/03/alcoholics-anonymous-most-effective-path-to-alcohol-abstinence.html. Accessed 19 Jan. 2025.

Davenport, Luke. “Understanding the Manipulative Tactics of Cults." Davenport Psychology, 12 Feb. 2024, davenportpsychology.com/2024/02/12/understanding-the-manipulative-tactics-of-cults/. Accessed 19 Jan. 2025.