Post: What to Know About ADHD in Women

ADHD in Women

Written by Shishira Sreenivas , Stephanie Booth What to Know About ADHD in Women

ADHD in Women Symptoms

Impact on Day-to-Day Life

ADHD in Older Women

8 min read

Little research explores the effects of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) on adult, cisgender women. Children, teens, and cis, straight men are more often the focus. Even in kids, studies show that boys more often get an accurate diagnosis than girls.

Gender bias (a tendency to focus more on men than women) can help explain these differences. So can the fact that girls and women often have different ADHD symptoms that are easily overlooked.

Most studies happen to focus a lot on hyperactive ADHD patterns that are more common in people who are assigned male at birth (AMAB). But girls tend to show less "hyperactive" behavior than boys do.When young girls’ ADHD symptoms go undiagnosed and untreated, the challenges they cause can continue into adulthood. ADHD in trans women and nonbinary people There’s also a need for experts to better understand how ADHD affects people across the gender spectrum. One Australian study found that people who identify as transgender are more likely to have ADHD than the general population. About 60% of women and people assigned female at birth (AFAB) have ADHD that lasts through adulthood. But you can learn to manage your symptoms and start to see some of them as unique skills. (Photo Credit: E+/Getty Images) ADHD in Women Symptoms Symptoms and signs of ADHD in adult women can include: Struggling with time management Disorganization Feeling overwhelmed History of anxiety and depression Issues with money management ADHD can run in families. If you have undiagnosed ADHD, you’re more likely to notice your own symptoms if your child or sibling gets a diagnosis. It’s also common for women with ADHD to have other issues at the same time like compulsive overeating , chronic lack of sleep , or drinking too much alcohol . Why is ADHD underdiagnosed in women? Most women with ADHD don’t get diagnosed until their late 30s or early 40s. There could […]

What to Know About ADHD in Women