Lauren was frantically leaving her house for work when she realized she had forgotten her laptop at home. Luckily, Lauren had trained herself to leave early over the years. While she wouldn’t likely be late for work, she remained terrified of getting in trouble with her boss.
As she ran out the door and raced to her office, Lauren realized today was a work-from-home day. “Shoot, not again,” she thought. While no one around her saw her as overwhelmed and disorganized, Lauren did. And the shame she experienced for feeling so scattered threw her off all day.
If this were just a one-off event, Lauren might not have looked up ADHD testing in Columbus, Ohio. But this wasn’t just today. Since she was a little kid, she’s held it together enough to get good grades and keep jobs, but has chronically struggled with forgetfulness, procrastination, and emotional dysregulation. This blog explores common signs and symptoms of ADHD in women and when many undiagnosed women decide to get answers.
Symptoms of ADHD in Women
ADHD is not a condition of too little attention. That’s right! ADHD has nothing to do with a lack of attention. ADHD means your mind and nervous system can’t regulate, so it is constantly looking for novelty and stimulation. That means ADHD brains have too much attention. Differences in brain chemistry cause this variation. The brain’s executive functions, in the frontal lobe, control attention, impulse control, motivation, and organization.
Here are some common ways executive functioning in people with ADHD shows up in life:
- Daily forgetfulness (forgetting where you put your keys, what time appointments start, etc).
- Procrastination (putting off extensive projects, work that is boring, or daunting)
- Disorganization (doom piles, struggling to keep up with systems around the house, a cluttered workspace)
- Impulse control (chronic issues with shopping online, making big decisions quickly, etc).
- Emotional dysregulation (going from zero to 90, flashes of frustration and low patience, feeling guilty all day and ruminating on things you said)
- Getting sidetracked (chronic multitasking, bouncing from task to task, struggles with sustained focus).
- Not being able to “shut your brain off” (women struggle with internal hyperactivity; they contain their restless energy under a mask, but find the fidgety nature of an ADHD person is alive and well in their minds).
Sadly, many of these symptoms get overlooked when women with ADHD seek professional They are often told they are “just anxious” and try dozens of therapies and medications before finding effective help for ADHD.
The ADHD Diagnosis Gender Gap
Studies show women are less likely to be diagnosed with ADHD than men. Even as children, girls are 2-3 times more likely to be overlooked for an ADHD diagnosis. Some reasons for this include the diagnostic criteria for ADHD being based on middle school boys.
That’s right, think Dennis the Menace. However, this is a very narrow view into how traits of ADHD impact women. Why? Because society socializes women differently. This creates bias when being evaluated for ADHD, and many symptoms get chalked up to “just anxiety.” But that’s not all…
Many women with ADHD get good at masking their symptoms. In fact, signs of masking ADHD can be as telling as symptoms of ADHD themselves.
Overlooked Signs of ADHD in Women
There are many ways that women learn to “mask” their ADHD over the years. In order to please parents, teachers, and eventually employers, some of these signs of ADHD become struggles on their own and can spark curiosity that someone has ADHD. Here are a few:
- People-pleasing: In order to make others happy and receive approval, many women with ADHD learn to self-surrender. Everyone else’s needs take They believe they must be nice to be loved. While this might stop them from turning in their work projects late, it also leads to ADHD burnout, depression, and chronic anxiety.
- Perfectionism: Many women with ADHD move mountains to avoid making mistakes. They work overtime to cross every T and dot every I, so that no one would catch the errors or mistakes they make.
- Overcommitment: Similar to people-pleasing, overcommitting means saying yes so often that no one would ever see you as an underperformer. However, the result is usually the opposite, and many find they cannot keep up with everything they signed up to do.
- Rejection-sensitive dysphoria: Most adults with ADHD struggle with rejection-sensitive dysphoria. This phenomenon experienced by people with ADHD causes extreme distress when rejection or criticism is a mere possibility. It might make someone avoid rejection or risk, people-please, or become highly defensive.
When to Seek ADHD Testing in Columbus, Ohio
Many adults with ADHD reach ADHD tipping points. Moments in life when their ability to mask their ADHD or cope with ADHD symptoms hits a boiling point. This might look like any of:
- Promotions
- Job changes
- New relationships
- Having kids
- Moving in with someone
- Going to school
Another common reason to get ADHD testing is that a sibling was just diagnosed. ADHD is a genetic condition; it runs in families. If a sibling has ADHD, you may likely have ADHD as well.
All things considered, given the realities of the ADHD gender gap, there is no “one reason” to get ADHD testing. If you think you might have ADHD, it’s worth a conversation with an ADHD specialist. Don’t let anyone tell you to ignore your intuition. In fact, self-doubt is another overlooked sign of ADHD in women.
The Benefits of ADHD Testing
ADHD testing provides answers. With answers come solutions that work. Many women with ADHD find relief and validation when diagnosed. However, once treatment begins, many learn to work with their brains and not against them. They begin the process of loving and accepting themselves and learning the tools to thrive in work, love, and life.
Begin Adult ADHD Testing in Columbus, OH
Wondering if you have ADHD? You don’t have to live your life feeling out of control without knowing why. 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 consultation.
- Meet with one of our caring therapists.
- Stop feeling scattered and overwhelmed. Start finding real answers.
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, you may also benefit from anxiety treatment for ADHD, counseling for men with ADHD, counseling for women withADHD, ADHD-focused couples therapy, depression counseling for ADHD, and a support group for women with ADHD. You can also view our blog for more resources and helpful info.
About the Author
Billy Roberts, LISW-S, LCSW, is a licensed psychotherapist and ADHD expert in Columbus, Ohio, specializing in ADD/ADHD in adults. He has been seen in TimeMagazine, CNN, HuffPost, and Forbes discussing his unique approach to ADHD-focused therapy. See Full Bio.
