What does ADHD look like in women?
When people think about ADHD they usually associate it with young boys who misbehave and are hyperactive. However ADHD presents itself differently in women, so is frequently undiagnosed and misdiagnosed leaving women wondering what is wrong with them.
Women With ADHD Are Often Misdiagnosed
Undiagnosed ADHD in women can present itself as chronic anxiety, depressive feelings and the feelings of not being able to cope. Doctors can easily misinterpret and misdiagnose based on these symptoms and many women may even be prescribed with some kind of anti depressant which is a temporary fix.
ADHD is diagnosed 2-3 times more in men than in women, leading to the common misconception that ADHD is less frequent in women.
ADHD Presents Itself Very Differently In Women
Inattentive ADHD is most common in women. Women with Inattentive ADHD will relate to all or some of these symptoms.
- High anxiety
- Forgetfulness
- Missing appointments or important dates
- Careless mistakes
- Disorganisation
- Often misplacing/loosing things
- Messy
- Inattention
- Feeling Overwhelmed
- Procrastinating
- Leaving things to the last minute
- Trouble making decisions
- Day Dreaming
Hyperactivity in women with ADHD may show the following symptoms.
