ADHD in women often goes unnoticed for years. Unlike the stereotypical image of a hyperactive young boy, ADHD in women tends to manifest more subtly, leading to frequent misdiagnosis or being completely overlooked. If you’ve ever felt like you’re constantly overwhelmed, disorganized, or emotionally drained despite your best efforts, you might be living with undiagnosed ADHD.
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects focus, impulse control, and emotional regulation. While often associated with children—particularly boys—ADHD in women is real and often misunderstood.
Women and girls with ADHD are more likely to experience the inattentive subtype. Rather than being disruptive or overly active, they may appear distracted, forgetful, anxious, or disorganized—traits that are often chalked up to personality flaws or stress rather than neurodivergence.
Recognizing the symptoms of ADHD in women can be challenging, as they often blend into the background of everyday life or mimic other conditions like anxiety or depression. Common ADHD symptoms in women include:
These symptoms can intensify with life transitions like starting a career, motherhood, or menopause, where increased demands reveal previously manageable ADHD traits.
ADHD in girls and women has historically been underdiagnosed. Why?
1. Gender expectations: Society often expects women to be organized, calm, and nurturing. When they struggle, their challenges are blamed on personality or emotional issues.
2. Internalization: Women with ADHD are more likely to internalize their symptoms, resulting in anxiety, low self-esteem, or depression rather than hyperactivity.
3. Compensation and masking: Many women develop coping mechanisms like perfectionism or people-pleasing, which can mask underlying ADHD.
As a result, women are often diagnosed with anxiety or depression before diagnosing female ADHD is even considered.
The good news? Once diagnosed, ADHD in women is highly treatable. Treatment options include: