ADHD is known to manifest differently in women than in men, as women tend to show more signs of inattentive ADHD rather than hyperactive-impulsive ADHD. This can make the condition more challenging to understand, identify and treat, so we are taking a closer look at what the different types of ADHD are, how it can often be more difficult to identify in women than in men, signs to look out for, how to obtain an ADHD diagnosis, self-care tips for women managing ADHD, and the treatment options available. 

At Augmentive, we aim to provide holistic, tailored mental health support to everyone so they can live their life to the fullest, so if you have questions about ADHD, we’re here to help. 

What is ADHD? 

ADHD stands for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, which is a type of neurodivergence that means the brain is hard-wired differently to neurotypical individuals. In adults, symptoms of the condition can include trouble focusing, impulsive behaviours, hyperactivity, and inattention, so those with ADHD may struggle with everyday activities such as learning, studying, performing at work, organising, remembering things, managing time or getting tasks done.

There are three different types of ADHD which are characterised by the symptoms they produce:

Hyperactive-Impulsive ADHD

Perhaps the most commonly known and easily recognised type of ADHD, the hyperactive-impulsive presentation of ADHD may cause symptoms like fidgeting, excessive talking, finding it hard to sit still for long, feeling restless, interrupting others a lot, speaking at inappropriate times, and more.

Inattentive ADHD

This type of ADHD is more common in women than in men, and symptoms may include difficulty organising or finishing tasks, having trouble paying attention to details, difficulty following instructions, difficulty keeping up with conversations, becoming easily distracted, and more. 

Combined ADHD

This is, as the name suggests, a combination of both hyperactive-impulsive ADHD and inattentive ADHD, where symptoms of both are present in equal measure. You can read more about this in our guide; The Signs & Symptoms Of Combined ADHD

How is ADHD different in women than in men?

In the past, ADHD was diagnosed more frequently and easily in men due to the presenting symptoms being mostly hyperactive symptoms, and therefore more noticeable to others. As more research has been done on ADHD and its differences in presentation in both men and women, we now understand more about how ADHD can manifest differently in women than in men. 

We now know that women tend to show more features of inattentiveness, rather than features of hyperactivity or impulsivity, and for this reason, ADHD commonly goes undiagnosed in women as there are less outwardly obvious ADHD traits, and more that align with a diagnosis of mental health conditions such as anxiety or stress. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, boys are three times more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD than girls, and research has discovered girls and women with ADHD are more likely to experience the type of inattentive symptoms that could be missed by people around them, such as teachers or parents/guardians. ADHD symptoms in boys tend to be more external (i.e. symptoms of aggression or frequently breaking rules) than symptoms in girls, which tend to be more internal (i.e. anxiety). This is thought to be the reason many studies on ADHD have identified more cases of ADHD in boys than in girls. 

Why is ADHD sometimes harder to identify in women?

It is estimated that only 4.2% of women receive an ADHD diagnosis in their lifetime, compared to 13% of men. As well as the reasons mentioned above, there are other factors impacting the identification of ADHD in women. These include: 

• The ADHD Iceberg: Many inattentive ADHD symptoms are not easily noticed by others, and this is known as the ADHD Iceberg. In the same way most ice is found under the surface of the water, most ADHD symptoms are internal rather than being visible to others. If hyperactive symptoms like fidgeting or loudness are missing, many of the hidden symptoms, like difficulty staying organised, can be hard to identify. You can read about this in more detail in our article: What Is The ADHD Iceberg & Why Is It Important?
• A lack of self-awareness: Studies have found that – due to the same reasons others might miss symptoms that identify ADHD – women with the condition may also lack the awareness to identify it in themselves. Instead, they may internalise feelings and develop a poor self-concept, which can lead to symptoms like depression.
• Development of coping strategies/ADHD masking: Research on ADHD in women has discovered that women may develop more coping mechanisms than men, which can make their ADHD symptoms even less noticeable to themselves, those around them, or medical professionals. This could also be known as ADHD Masking, which is when people find ways to appear neurotypical to mask their symptoms. 
• Mental health conditions: Studies suggest some symptoms of ADHD that are common in women – including low mood, mood swings and anxiety – could lead to ADHD being overlooked as a diagnosis. Instead, medical professionals may diagnose and treat these individual symptoms. 
• Menstrual cycle symptoms: A woman’s menstrual cycle can impact ADHD symptoms, making it more difficult to diagnose the condition. While more research is needed in this area, it is thought that when hormones like oestrogen and progesterone fluctuate due to factors like a woman’s period, ovulation, pregnancy, breastfeeding or menopause, they may experience both positive and negative impacts on their usual symptoms. 

What are the signs of ADHD in women?

It helps to know some of the most common signs of inattentive ADHD to identify the condition. This may include things like: 

• Making a lot of careless mistakes
• Frequently losing important items, such as keys or glasses
• Forgetting important tasks like paying bills
• Being interested in lots of subjects at the same time 
• Becoming easily distracted by external stimuli, or even random thoughts
• Being unable to maintain attention for long periods of time
• Experiencing ADHD paralysis, which causes overwhelm and difficulty taking action
• Fast-paced thinking 
• Feelings of depression, anxiety, or other accompanying mental health conditions 

It is important to remember that not everyone will have the same signs and symptoms of ADHD, so each person will have their own unique experience of the condition. 

How can you recognise these signs in yourself or a loved one?

Recognising ADHD symptoms in yourself can be extremely difficult, particularly for women whose ADHD could manifest differently from what many people wrongly assume ADHD to be. Instead, you may notice how your symptoms affect certain areas of your life, such as: 

• Relationships: Research has found women with ADHD are more likely to have difficulties with social functioning and relationships than those without. While you can certainly still develop a fulfilling relationship with ADHD through healthy communication and empathy for the other person, this can be more challenging, and you could benefit from treatment in order to help manage emotions around this. 
• Physical health: Studies have discovered that in certain stressful situations, women with ADHD can experience feelings of worry, stress, or being out of control, which can lead to sleep issues, headaches, stomach aches, muscle pain and more. Learning to manage ADHD symptoms can help to reduce physical symptoms. 
• Mental health: Research has found women with ADHD have an increased likelihood of developing a co-occurring mental health condition such as anxiety or depression, and could have lower self-esteem and confidence. Older studies have identified these symptoms to be more prominent in female patients with ADHD. 
• Career: Many women with ADHD struggle to achieve in their jobs, in part due to difficulties concentrating on tasks for long periods of time. You may find more useful information on workplace ADHD statistics in the UK here.

For women with ADHD, keeping up with their peers in several areas of life can feel difficult as a lot more work is being done under the surface to appear as neurotypical. That said, it is important to understand that many women have high-functioning ADHD, and can still achieve many things in their work and life despite their struggles by learning to manage their symptoms effectively with the help of a professional. 

How can women seek an ADHD diagnosis? 

It is important for women who are experiencing any of the aforementioned symptoms, or those who feel they may have ADHD, to seek an official diagnosis and subsequent treatment. According to research, women with ADHD are less likely to be referred for ADHD treatment than men, and studies have suggested that undetected and untreated ADHD in girls and women can lead to internalised symptoms such as depression, anxiety, and even suicidal thoughts and behaviours – for this reason, seeking a diagnosis is crucial to maintain positive mental health and quality of life.  

Obtaining a diagnosis for ADHD usually begins with visiting your GP to discuss your symptoms and gain information on the best ways to get tested for this. There is no specific medical test to identify ADHD, but an ADHD specialist with experience in this area will be able to ask you questions about your symptoms and how they affect your daily life, as well as perform various tests to determine whether or not you might have the condition.

Many people find there are long wait times for ADHD testing when going through the National Health Service, so you may prefer to opt for a private ADHD specialist. 

You can learn more about how to find an ADHD specialist in Your Guide To Finding An ADHD Psychiatrist, and what an adult ADHD evaluation will entail in our guide, What Is Involved In A Private ADHD Assessment? 

What else can women with ADHD do to manage their symptoms?

As well as seeking professional advice, diagnosis and treatment for ADHD, there are a number of self-care measures and management strategies that can be extremely beneficial for women. Remember, ADHD cannot be cured, only managed, so understanding more about how your own symptoms manifest and how to harness your attention in a productive way can help you improve your daily symptoms and achieve your goals. 

Some of the recommended coping strategies for those with inattentive ADHD include:

• Practising regular mindfulness activities like meditation and breathwork to help you reduce stress, resist distractions more easily, lower impulsivity, improve focus, and improve control over your emotions.
• Finding focus techniques that work for you, and remembering these may take time to discover. Experiment with things like working in silence or playing brown noise to enter the flow state, and figure out which methods help you to feel more focused and productive.  
• Maintaining a healthy lifestyle by starting an exercise routine, spending time outdoors, getting sufficient sleep every night, eating a healthy diet and more. By doing so, you could start to see improvements in your symptom intensity and feel generally healthier, which can improve your mood and focus levels. 
• Working with others that you can open up to about symptoms. Your partner, family or friends may be able to help more if they understand, so explain your feelings and struggles to them, and suggest any small changes that could help to improve your organisation at home. If work is the problem, speak to your supervisor about changes that could be made in the workplace to make things easier and more streamlined. 
• Spending time figuring out what coping strategies work best for you, such as reducing clutter and external distractions, creating routines with checklists, planners and other productivity tools, keeping an eye on where your time is spent each day, breaking goals down into smaller tasks to make them more manageable, and more.  

If you are unsure about which coping strategies could work for you, an ADHD specialist could help with this too by working with you on an ongoing basis to experiment with these ideas and tweak them until your symptoms start to improve. 

What are the treatment options for women with ADHD? 

At Augmentive, we believe advice and support for anyone with ADHD should be bespoke and tailored to the individual to help with their specific symptoms. If you would like to improve your symptoms and learn what coping techniques work best for you, we recommend speaking to a professional with knowledge and experience of this condition, who can listen to your symptoms, history and struggles, and introduce you to more tools that could help. 

There are a number of different therapies used to treat ADHD, and many can be used in combination with others to optimise results, such as:  

• Psychoeducation: This is a type of therapy where the person is encouraged to discuss ADHD and how it is impacting their life in order to better understand the condition and develop bespoke coping skills that work for them. 
• Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT): This is a type of talking therapy that can help those with ADHD to manage everyday issues by adapting the way they think and behave in relation to their condition. You can read more about this in our guide: CBT For ADHD: How Well Does It Work?
• Medication: As a reminder, there is no cure for ADHD, so there is no type of medication that will get rid of ADHD entirely. However, certain medicines help those with the condition to experience improved focus, reduced impulsivity, reduced anxiety, and more. You can read more in Your Guide to ADHD Medication in the UK

Whether you’re feeling off-kilter or want to shake up your routine, our state-of-the-art mental wellbeing platform gives you quick and seamless access to world-class support on your terms, from a private adult ADHD assessment or AuDHD assessment, to help finding an ADHD specialist near you to support you on your journey.

If you have a question about mental health, like how to handle ADHD when in a relationship, we’re here to assist on your journey. Our free 15 minute consultation can guide you to the most relevant specialists to answer your questions and discuss next steps.

DISCLAIMER: The content published by Augmentive is not designed to treat, diagnose, cure, or prevent any disease or condition. Always consult your GP or a qualified healthcare provider with any questions regarding a medical condition and before starting any therapy, diet, exercise, or any other health-related programme.