Rebecca has felt overwhelmed every day…for as long as she can remember. Lately, the pressure has only grown: a recent promotion, a new baby, and a calendar that never lets up. Then one day, she stumbled across an ADHD symptom checklist online. It hit her like lightning, and she spilled her venti pike roast. For the first time, she felt seen. Maybe the constant overwhelm wasn’t just anxiety, maybe it wasn’t that she was broken. Maybe something had been missed this whole time.
When Rebecca brought the idea up with her therapist, they surprisingly refocused her onto thefact that she just had a child…perhaps she was depressed? “Darn,” she thought, “For once, I wasn’t doubting myself…”
Rebecca’s journey that eventually led her to an ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) diagnosis is tragically common. Self-doubt is a common experience of undiagnosed ADHD women. Turns out, years of being overlooked and invalidated takes an emotional toll. How did Rebecca eventually get diagnosed? She decided to start listening to herself “Your opinion has value. You aren’t crazy. Your brain really does work differently…Keep going,” she would say. It took a few weeks, but Rebecca made the following ADHD checklist and brought it to her therapist. Suddenly, everyone started getting on the same page.
ADHD Symptoms in Women
- Forgetfulness: People with ADHD often struggle with working memory—the brain’s ability to hold information in mind for short periods. This might look like misplacing your keys, walking into a room and forgetting why, or blanking on something someone just said. It’s not carelessness; it’s that working memory isn’t always fully online.
- Procrastination: Are you “the queen of putting things off”? Laundry, paperwork, that one email? Even if you meet the deadline, it probably happens at the last minute. That’s because people with ADHD often don’t feel the urgency to start a task until the pressure is real.
- Starting Ten Things, Finishing None: The ADHD brain craves newness. It’s innovative and creative on the one hand, but rapidly shifts gears on the other. If you’re looking at your desktop and noticing 20 open tabs on your browser, you might be experiencing the classic ADHD trait: getting sidetracked.
- A Hyperactive Mind: In meetings, you sit still. On the outside, you look composed. But inside? Your mind never stops. Many women with ADHD don’t outwardly display “classic” hyperactivity.Instead, it shows up as constant mental noise—replaying conversations, jumping between to-dos, and struggling to shut your brain off at night. It’s not anxiety. It’s internal hyperactivity.
- Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD): Many people with ADHD struggle with RSD, “a triggered, wordless emotional pain that occurs after a real or perceived loss of approval, love, or respect,” according to Dr. William Dodson.
The Hidden Signs of ADHD in Woman
- Self-doubt: Years of being misunderstood and misdiagnosed literally takes a toll. Because women with ADHD struggle with daily life but don’t know why, they may question their judgement.
- People-pleasing: Because women with ADHD may struggle with rejection sensitivity, they are able to quickly scan a room for how to give people what they want and get praise. However, this often results in chronic self-sacrifice
- ADHD Masking as Perfectionism: Many women with ADHD learn to mask their struggles by aiming for perfection. They double-check emails, over-prepare for meetings, and try to be the flawless version of themselves at work. But perfection is a moving target—and chasing it often leads to burnout, imposter syndrome, and constant self-criticism
- Imposter Syndrome: ADHD and imposter syndrome are closely linked. Often ADHD people are high performers, but still believe that deep down they are “spacey, lazy, or scattered” despite their achievements. Once diagnosed by an ADHD specialist, Rebecca finally got the full story. ADHD is a condition of executive functioning that was brain-based. She was born with ADHD and she wasn’t forgetful by choice.
ADHD is often missed in women—and the reasons are layered. Social expectations push many women to mask their symptoms behind perfectionism and people-pleasing. On top of that, over80% of adults with ADHD have at least one other mental-health diagnosis. So when focus and follow-through become a struggle, providers often chalk it up to “unmanaged anxiety.” To complicate things further, women often experience ADHD differently than men—less physical hyperactivity and more of a mind that never stops moving.
Key Takeaways
- ADHD is overlooked in women.
- Because of the higher chance of being overlooked, it’s helpful to seek out an ADHD specialist to weigh in.
- ADHD can look different in women.
- ADHD impacts the brain’s executive functions.
- ADHD often coexists with conditions like anxiety, which can distract from the real issue underneath. When anxiety takes center stage, the ADHD driving it can go unnoticed for years…until you decide to really take a closer look.
Begin Adult ADHD Testing in Columbus, OH
Wondering if you have ADHD? You don’t have to live your life feeling invisible. Comprehensive ADHD testing can help you find answers. Our Columbus, OH counseling practice has caring therapists who specialize in ADHD Treatment. To start your counseling journey, follow these simple steps:
- Fill out the contact form to schedule a free 15-minute phone
- Meet with one of our caring therapists.
- Stop feeling scattered. Start feeling seen.
Other ADHD Services Offered at Focused Mind ADHD Counseling
Adult ADHD testing is not the only service we offer at our Columbus, OH counseling practice. At Focused Mind ADHD Counseling, we offer a variety of mental health services, including ADHD treatment. As an adult with ADHD, we know you may also benefit from ADHD counseling, anxiety treatment for ADHD, counseling for men with ADHD, ADHD-focused couples counseling, or depression counseling for ADHD. You can also view our blog for more resources and helpful info!
