ADHD In Women

“You don’t have ADHD, you’re a woman, everyone knows only men can have it”. This is something that the majority of people may say or agree with due to the stereotypes society has built. Before I continue further I would like to define what ADHD actually is for those audience members who aren’t aware of it. The abbreviation of ADHD is attention, deficit, hyperactive disorder. This may also look like people who have a hard time paying attention, sticking with one task, not being able to stay still, unorganized, low frustration tolerance, poor time management skills, trouble finishing tasks, being very hyperactive or have very low energy, and having trouble multitasking. 

Like I said before, boys/men are more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD than girls/women. It has been proven that 5.4% of men in America are diagnosed with ADHD, while only 3.2% of women are diagnosed with ADHD. This is because society views men as being the “only ones” with ADHD because they’re hyperactive, impulsive, and they don’t pay attention to certain things and this is shown mostly on the surface of little boys. Society doesn’t see ADHD on the surface of little girls so it isn’t thought of, therefore most women with ADHD are misdiagnosed and not acknowledged or treated because society just believes that it’s just women being dramatic, or their hormones are acting up. This is mostly due to the fact that the expectations that society has of women are quite the opposite of the symptoms of ADHD so they are forced to mask those symptoms to fit into society. It’s seen as normal for a young boy to jump around in class, have a loud and obnoxious behavior, be impulsive and not pay any attention, while girls are supposed to stay still in their seats, pay attention, not act impulsive, and to be the best they can. If they showed any ADHD symptoms such as the impulsive little boys she would be viewed negatively.

ADHD in women is very different from ADHD in men such as women experiencing more central nervous system hypersensitivities. Women with ADHD experience more sensory overload than men with ADHD such as the feeling of someone touching them may make them feel overwhelmed or uncomfortable, and the same thing goes for other things such as certain materials, tags on the back of clothing, a certain cloth, some lights may be overwhelming, or some music might be too loud for them, or a smell might even bother them and overstimulate them. Another central nervous system hypersensitivity is physical body problems such as headaches/migraines, nausea, or your stomach being upset. Women with ADHD can also have sleep difficulties.

I personally am a woman who struggles with ADHD and I was first diagnosed with ADHD when I was 10 years old. And there is a myth that people grow out of ADHD when they get older but that is definitely not true, I am now 19 years old and I still have ADHD. I may have found a few ways of how to manage it best and cope with it, but it is still a part of me. It is a blessing and a curse, but I believe that more women with ADHD should be recognized and treated instead of brushed off, it is a serious issue that women still face.