6 Common Symptoms of Adult Women with ADHD
Adult Women with ADHD
When I first started my practice, I had women coming in talking about frustrating experiences with themselves around motivation, work, relationships. As I began to dig deeper into their stories, there seemed to be a common theme around the themes of disorganization, forgetfulness, indecision, and procrastination.
I previously worked at an ADHD center that focused on the positivity of this diagnosis. I began to work with these women around their ADHD symptoms and referring them to get a diagnosis. As it turned out, they had ADHD. They return to my office shocked but also relieved with also a tinge of grief.
These women have been living with ADHD their whole life and never even knew it. Their symptoms were often told to be anxiety or depression so they went on medication but it didn’t work for them. These women finally have an answer to their frustrating experiences. They felt relief knowing that there was a name to what they were feeling for so long. However, they also felt sad that there wasn’t help for them earlier, especially because they often had very frustrating school experiences.
Women are Consistently Underdiagnosed with ADHD
Research suggests that women, compared to men, are consistently under-diagnosed with ADHD. Prevelance of ADHD is similar within genders but are consistently under-diagnosed. ADHD is just as common in females as in males. However, American males with ADHD are diagnosed nearly 69% higher than American females.
Why are Women Underdiagnosed with ADHD?
There are several contributing factors such as stereotypes around who can have ADHD and what it looks like (think about it…when you think of ADHD you probably think of an 8 yr old boy who can’t sit still in a chair), gender role expectations (women and girls are often expected to internalize symptoms such as aggression), biology (fluctuating hormones), and comorbidities (ADHD can look like other diagnoses and is regularly diagnosed as anxiety or depression).
What are Some Common Symptoms of ADHD
Disorganization
Problem solving
Forgetfulness
Low self-esteem
Indecision
Difficulty focusing
Common Experiences Shared by Women with ADHD
People describe you as chatty, aloof or forgetful
You struggle to stay organized, make decisions, focus, or pay attention to detail for long periods of time
You have low self-esteem and often feel inadequate. You get frustrated with yourself for feeling exhausted by just having to do simple daily tasks.
You’ve been told to ‘try harder’ over and over again but you are already trying your hardest
I Think I Might Have ADHD
If you wonder if you have ADHD, please consult a licensed professional. Additional information on resources can be found on my previous blog.
I work with women who have already begun their journey in embracing their ADHD or may be just beginning.
Please note, I do not diagnose ADHD. So what do I do? I work with you to provide counseling services to help you find balance and to normalize your experience. I worked several years at an ADHD center and have extensive knowledge in the world of ADHD. ADHD can often feel like a curse rather than an asset if not diagnosed or treated. However, ADHD can in fact be a positive thing!
Along with providing counseling services, I work with outside services to diagnose, provide medication management and executive functioning coaching. I triage with the other outside providers to provide the best treatment possible so you can get back on track with where you want to be in life.
If you are looking for a therapist in the Greater Seattle area, consider working with me. I have expertise and experience working with millennial women just like you. You can request a free phone consultation to see how we might be able to work together.
Meet the Author
Adrienne Kandhari (she/her) is a licensed mental health counselor in the state of Washington. She specializes working with millennial women and helping them to grow, succeed, and thrive in the modern world. When she’s not with clients, you can find her exploring the PNW, sewing a new fashion project, and attending to her trove of houseplants.
