Working with women

Men and women have very different diagnoses, and therefore experiences, of ADHD. While the number of men and women who have a diagnosis in later adulthood is roughly equal, in childhood boys are diagnosed around twice as frequently as girls. That means half of all girls with ADHD are not diagnosed at the point at which help and support would make the most difference.

Why?

ADHD in boys shows up more often in hyperactive and impulsive behaviors, like interrupting, fidgeting and being disruptive. These are not only visible behaviors, but ones that impact the people around them. This often triggers early evaluation.

On the contrary, ADHD in girls presents as quieter and more internal: we tend towards inattention, executive dysfunction and overwhelm. This less disruptive behavior is compounded by the fact that girls are generally socialized not to take up space or to ask for help, leading to missed diagnoses in childhood.

Without support, girls and women manage our ADHD struggles alone as best we can, masking (compensating, working hard to seem ‘ok’, hiding our challenges) and internalizing the negative, often toxic labelling we receive as we move through our lives:

• Lazy

• Airheaded or daydreamer

• Anxious

• Disorganized

• Not fulfilling our ‘potential’

What happens to women instead?

Many women finally get a diagnosis in their 30s, 40s or even 50s, after burning out from the added stress of career progression, parenting and / or perimenopause, even after being treated for anxiety or depression for years.

Unfortunately, many of us never get a diagnosis, because we are too good at masking, and struggle along thinking we are deficient our whole lives.

I am here to help you.

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