Because women tend to suffer in silence, many clinicians believe that they are under-diagnosed, due to a reluctance to seek help. Men, on the other hand, are more apt to get an evaluation and undergo treatment for their AD/HD symptoms. This discrepancy can be partly explained by the fact that girls with AD/HD typically have the inattentive subtype and do not exhibit the behavioral problems manifested by boys with AD/HD, who tend to act out and gain the attention of their teachers. Thus, these young girls grow up often to become women with undiagnosed, untreated AD/HD, whose struggles continue throughout adulthood.

If you think of the core symptoms of AD/HD: distractibility, impulsivity and hyperactivity, is it any wonder that, as a woman with AD/HD, you might struggle with seemingly simple tasks such as picking out clothes for yourself and your children; keeping your home in order; keeping up with deadlines at work; managing the tons of papers your children bring home from school; staying in contact with their teachers; planning social events; maintaining healthy relationships, etc.? Further, women now take on many more responsibilities than ever before. Juggling parenting, work, marriage or single parenting, social connections, etc. can just be more than you can handle. Add to the mix the AD/HD, and it can easily put you into a tailspin.

Effects of Living with AD/HD

For some women, just holding their own in a conversation can be a real challenge. They may avoid social gatherings because they miss social cues.  This makes them feel out of step, and they will thereby shut down in order to save themselves from possible embarrassment. Since women typically set the social calendar, they often avoid social connections and then feel isolated, thus leading in some women to bouts of depression.