9 Tips for Women Living With ADHD

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsUnderstand Why Your ADHD Went UnrecognizedGet an ADHD DiagnosisIdentify Coexisting ConditionsDrive SafelyLet Go of PerfectionismManage Your TimeExerciseFind Supportive ADHD Resources

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Understand Why Your ADHD Went Unrecognized

Get an ADHD Diagnosis

Identify Coexisting Conditions

Drive Safely

Let Go of Perfectionism

Manage Your Time

Exercise

Find Supportive ADHD Resources

Close

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is often underdiagnosed in girls, which is why many women learn that they have ADHD until they reach adulthood. Many women feel a huge sense of relief when they find out they have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

For years, they may have blamed themselves for their shortcomings, and theirself-esteemhas taken a hit. Constantly worrying about every detail of their lives may have led to emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion.

After being diagnosed with ADHD, they finally have an answer and know that their symptoms are not their fault. When they realize they have ADHD, feelings of inadequacy can begin to fade away, putting them in a better position tomanage their symptoms.

At a GlanceIf you are a woman with ADHD, learning more about this neurotype can help you better understand how to manage or support your traits and characteristics. You can do many things to make it easier to manage your ADHD characteristics. Everyone is different, so figuring out which strategies work best for you is crucial!If you are a partner or family member living with a woman who has ADHD, educating yourself about what to expect can help you find ways to support them more effectively.

At a Glance

If you are a woman with ADHD, learning more about this neurotype can help you better understand how to manage or support your traits and characteristics. You can do many things to make it easier to manage your ADHD characteristics. Everyone is different, so figuring out which strategies work best for you is crucial!If you are a partner or family member living with a woman who has ADHD, educating yourself about what to expect can help you find ways to support them more effectively.

If you are a woman with ADHD, learning more about this neurotype can help you better understand how to manage or support your traits and characteristics. You can do many things to make it easier to manage your ADHD characteristics. Everyone is different, so figuring out which strategies work best for you is crucial!

If you are a partner or family member living with a woman who has ADHD, educating yourself about what to expect can help you find ways to support them more effectively.

Most people have a misperception that ADHD is a predominantly affects school-aged boys. Because ADHD characteristics manifest differently in women, they often don’t getdiagnosed until adulthood.

A 2014 review of ADHD in women and girls found several obstacles to identifying ADHD in women, including:

Characteristics Presentation

Women tend to have internalizing traits much more than men. Specifically, girls' veer more toward inattentiveness and disorganization.

Families and peers often overlook these characteristics, meaning such traits are often attributed to personality rather than ADHD.

Comorbid Psychiatric Disorders

Because ADHD traits are generally less disruptive in girls and women, mood disorders (like anxiety or depression) are commonly diagnosed long before they getevaluated for ADHD.

Coping Strategies

Women who develop better coping strategies than their male counterparts may be able tomask some of their ADHD characteristics. For example, many overcompensate with list-making to help them stay organized. Although doing this works, it also makes it very easy for doctors to miss the diagnosis.

In general, it is often much easier for a teacher to notice a hyperactive young boy than an inattentive, daydreaming girl. Although hyperactivity tends to wane, traits such as inattention can continue into adulthood.

For women, issues related to ADHD may worsen into adulthood. For example, after graduating from high school when the structure of school is no longer in place and the academic or workplace standard is higher, ADHD characteristics can start to cause more problems.

Women Can Also Experience Hyperactivity

Women can be diagnosed with hyperactivity-impulsivity ADHD, although less frequently than women with inattentive ADHD. Having hyperactivity poses its own challenges.

Hyperactivity in Adults With ADHD

If you think you may have ADHD but haven’t officially diagnosed yet, make this your priority. Getting diagnosed can have a positive effect on how you feel about yourself.

Research suggests that women could forgive themselves for past mistakes and felt more in control of their current lives once they were diagnosed with ADHD.Knowing they weren’t crazy and there was a name for what they were going through provided an enormous sense of relief.

Once a psychiatrist has diagnosed you, discussing a plan for managing your ADHD traits is important.Stimulant medications, for example, are often highly effective for ADHD.

ADHD rarely travels alone, which means you might have one or more other conditions in addition to your ADHD. Try not to feel alarmed. Knowing what other conditions you have, if any, allows you to treat each one directly, which in turn means you can be your healthiest.

Common Co-Occurring ConditionsThe majority of adults with ADHD have at least one diagnosed or undiagnosed coexisting psychiatric disorder, including:Anxiety disordersBipolar disorderDepressionPersonality disordersSubstance use disorders

Common Co-Occurring Conditions

The majority of adults with ADHD have at least one diagnosed or undiagnosed coexisting psychiatric disorder, including:Anxiety disordersBipolar disorderDepressionPersonality disordersSubstance use disorders

The majority of adults with ADHD have at least one diagnosed or undiagnosed coexisting psychiatric disorder, including:

This is why it’s important to share all your symptoms and concerns with your doctor. Being honest about what you are experiencing doesn’t mean that you are complaining.

Your doctor needs to know how you feel and what you’re struggling with so they can provide you with the most appropriate support.

Let go of theneed to be perfect. Spending too much time on small things that don’t have a big impact on your life to the detriment of more important tasks creates undue stress and anxiety.

For example, you might spend hours finding the perfect font for a report for work, while neglecting to start a presentation that is due tomorrow. Instead of putting pressure on yourself to meet impossibly high standards, work onputting things into perspective.

Since you have such high standards for yourself, the internal pressure to be perfect can also stop you from starting a task because it feels overwhelming.

How to Overcome Perfectionism

Difficulty with time management is common for adult women with ADHD. You may lose track of time, have difficulty following through on plans, or underestimate how much time is needed for a task.You may also spend so much time on a task—known ashyperfocus—that nothing else gets done.

These difficulties can leave you feeling overwhelmed, frustrated, and exhausted. Below are some tips to help you manage your time better:

Get Organized

Whether you have to go to work, run errands, or tackle household chores, it can be helpful to write down your top priorities. Trycreating a schedulethe night before so that you can start your day strong. Having a “game plan” will help you feel calmer.

Identify Your Strengths and Needs

When you can take a balanced look at your ADHD strengths and weaknesses, it will help your confidence and self-esteem.

Allow Yourself Extra Time

Use Timers

Allot yourself a limited amount of time for each task and use a timer to alert you when your time is up. The timer gives you an audible signal to stop what you are working on so you don’t lose track of time. (Tip: You might find that visual timers are the most helpful!)

Time Management Strategies for Adults With ADHD

If you have hyperactivity, try incorporatingphysical activityinto your daily routine. Not only will it help you feel focused and calm, but exercise is great for your physical and mental health.

Research suggests that physical activity may help people manage inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity.

It’s important to recognize that ADHD is a form ofneurodivergence. It doesn’t mean that there is something wrong with you or that you need to be “fixed.” It just means that your brain works differently than a neurotypical person’s brain.

Exploring neurodiversity-affirming information, finding supportive people to lean on, and working with professionals who have experience with ADHD and other types of neurodivergence is important.

There are online directories where you can find ND-affirming doctors and therapists. There are alsosupport groupsand other resources that provide valuable information and resources. For example, consider exploringHow to ADHD, a YouTube channel that offers great insights on living well with ADHD.

Top ADHD Resources for Adults

9 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Quinn PO, Madhoo M.A review of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in women and girls: Uncovering this hidden diagnosis.Prim Care Companion CNS Disord. 2014;16(3). doi:10.4088/PCC.13r01596Skogli EW, Teicher MH, Andersen PN, Hovik KT, Øie M.ADHD in girls and boys – Gender differences in co-existing symptoms and executive function measures.BMC Psychiatry. 2013;13(1):298. doi:10.1186/1471-244X-13-298Attoe DE, Climie EA.Miss. diagnosis: A systematic review of ADHD in adult women.J Atten Disord. 2023;27(7):645-657. doi:10.1177/10870547231161533Katzman MA, Bilkey TS, Chokka PR, Fallu A, Klassen LJ.Adult ADHD and comorbid disorders: Clinical implications of a dimensional approach.BMC Psychiatry. 2017;17(1):302. doi:10.1186/s12888-017-1463-3Chang Z, Lichtenstein P, D’Onofrio BM, Sjölander A, Larsson H.Serious transport accidents in adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and the effect of medication: A population-based study.JAMA Psychiatry. 2014;71(3):319-325. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2013.4174Morley E, Tyrrell A.Exploring female students' experiences of ADHD and its impact on social, academic, and psychological functioning.J Atten Disord. 2023;27(10):1129-1155. doi:10.1177/10870547231168432Weissenberger S, Schonova K, Büttiker P, et al.Time perception is a focal symptom of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in adults.Med Sci Monit. 2021;27:e933766. doi:10.12659/MSM.933766Proyer RT, Gander F, Wellenzohn S, Ruch W.Strengths-based positive psychology interventions: A randomized placebo-controlled online trial on long-term effects for a signature strengths- vs. a lesser strengths-intervention.Front Psychol. 2015;6:456. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2015.00456Xie Y, Gao X, Song Y, et al.Effectiveness of physical activity intervention on ADHD symptoms: A systematic review and meta-analysis[published correction appears in Front Psychiatry. 2021 Dec 06;12:806241] [published correction appears in Front Pediatr. 2023 Jan 09;10:1095727].Front Psychiatry. 2021;12:706625. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2021.706625Additional ReadingKessler Z, Quinn PO.ADHD According to Zoë: The Real Deal on Relationships, Finding Your Focus, and Finding Your Keys. 1 edition. New Harbinger Publications; 2013.Nadeau KG.Adventures In Fast Forward: Life, Love and Work for the Add Adult. 1 edition. Routledge; 2013.

9 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Quinn PO, Madhoo M.A review of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in women and girls: Uncovering this hidden diagnosis.Prim Care Companion CNS Disord. 2014;16(3). doi:10.4088/PCC.13r01596Skogli EW, Teicher MH, Andersen PN, Hovik KT, Øie M.ADHD in girls and boys – Gender differences in co-existing symptoms and executive function measures.BMC Psychiatry. 2013;13(1):298. doi:10.1186/1471-244X-13-298Attoe DE, Climie EA.Miss. diagnosis: A systematic review of ADHD in adult women.J Atten Disord. 2023;27(7):645-657. doi:10.1177/10870547231161533Katzman MA, Bilkey TS, Chokka PR, Fallu A, Klassen LJ.Adult ADHD and comorbid disorders: Clinical implications of a dimensional approach.BMC Psychiatry. 2017;17(1):302. doi:10.1186/s12888-017-1463-3Chang Z, Lichtenstein P, D’Onofrio BM, Sjölander A, Larsson H.Serious transport accidents in adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and the effect of medication: A population-based study.JAMA Psychiatry. 2014;71(3):319-325. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2013.4174Morley E, Tyrrell A.Exploring female students' experiences of ADHD and its impact on social, academic, and psychological functioning.J Atten Disord. 2023;27(10):1129-1155. doi:10.1177/10870547231168432Weissenberger S, Schonova K, Büttiker P, et al.Time perception is a focal symptom of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in adults.Med Sci Monit. 2021;27:e933766. doi:10.12659/MSM.933766Proyer RT, Gander F, Wellenzohn S, Ruch W.Strengths-based positive psychology interventions: A randomized placebo-controlled online trial on long-term effects for a signature strengths- vs. a lesser strengths-intervention.Front Psychol. 2015;6:456. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2015.00456Xie Y, Gao X, Song Y, et al.Effectiveness of physical activity intervention on ADHD symptoms: A systematic review and meta-analysis[published correction appears in Front Psychiatry. 2021 Dec 06;12:806241] [published correction appears in Front Pediatr. 2023 Jan 09;10:1095727].Front Psychiatry. 2021;12:706625. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2021.706625Additional ReadingKessler Z, Quinn PO.ADHD According to Zoë: The Real Deal on Relationships, Finding Your Focus, and Finding Your Keys. 1 edition. New Harbinger Publications; 2013.Nadeau KG.Adventures In Fast Forward: Life, Love and Work for the Add Adult. 1 edition. Routledge; 2013.

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Quinn PO, Madhoo M.A review of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in women and girls: Uncovering this hidden diagnosis.Prim Care Companion CNS Disord. 2014;16(3). doi:10.4088/PCC.13r01596Skogli EW, Teicher MH, Andersen PN, Hovik KT, Øie M.ADHD in girls and boys – Gender differences in co-existing symptoms and executive function measures.BMC Psychiatry. 2013;13(1):298. doi:10.1186/1471-244X-13-298Attoe DE, Climie EA.Miss. diagnosis: A systematic review of ADHD in adult women.J Atten Disord. 2023;27(7):645-657. doi:10.1177/10870547231161533Katzman MA, Bilkey TS, Chokka PR, Fallu A, Klassen LJ.Adult ADHD and comorbid disorders: Clinical implications of a dimensional approach.BMC Psychiatry. 2017;17(1):302. doi:10.1186/s12888-017-1463-3Chang Z, Lichtenstein P, D’Onofrio BM, Sjölander A, Larsson H.Serious transport accidents in adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and the effect of medication: A population-based study.JAMA Psychiatry. 2014;71(3):319-325. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2013.4174Morley E, Tyrrell A.Exploring female students' experiences of ADHD and its impact on social, academic, and psychological functioning.J Atten Disord. 2023;27(10):1129-1155. doi:10.1177/10870547231168432Weissenberger S, Schonova K, Büttiker P, et al.Time perception is a focal symptom of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in adults.Med Sci Monit. 2021;27:e933766. doi:10.12659/MSM.933766Proyer RT, Gander F, Wellenzohn S, Ruch W.Strengths-based positive psychology interventions: A randomized placebo-controlled online trial on long-term effects for a signature strengths- vs. a lesser strengths-intervention.Front Psychol. 2015;6:456. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2015.00456Xie Y, Gao X, Song Y, et al.Effectiveness of physical activity intervention on ADHD symptoms: A systematic review and meta-analysis[published correction appears in Front Psychiatry. 2021 Dec 06;12:806241] [published correction appears in Front Pediatr. 2023 Jan 09;10:1095727].Front Psychiatry. 2021;12:706625. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2021.706625

Quinn PO, Madhoo M.A review of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in women and girls: Uncovering this hidden diagnosis.Prim Care Companion CNS Disord. 2014;16(3). doi:10.4088/PCC.13r01596

Skogli EW, Teicher MH, Andersen PN, Hovik KT, Øie M.ADHD in girls and boys – Gender differences in co-existing symptoms and executive function measures.BMC Psychiatry. 2013;13(1):298. doi:10.1186/1471-244X-13-298

Attoe DE, Climie EA.Miss. diagnosis: A systematic review of ADHD in adult women.J Atten Disord. 2023;27(7):645-657. doi:10.1177/10870547231161533

Katzman MA, Bilkey TS, Chokka PR, Fallu A, Klassen LJ.Adult ADHD and comorbid disorders: Clinical implications of a dimensional approach.BMC Psychiatry. 2017;17(1):302. doi:10.1186/s12888-017-1463-3

Chang Z, Lichtenstein P, D’Onofrio BM, Sjölander A, Larsson H.Serious transport accidents in adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and the effect of medication: A population-based study.JAMA Psychiatry. 2014;71(3):319-325. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2013.4174

Morley E, Tyrrell A.Exploring female students' experiences of ADHD and its impact on social, academic, and psychological functioning.J Atten Disord. 2023;27(10):1129-1155. doi:10.1177/10870547231168432

Weissenberger S, Schonova K, Büttiker P, et al.Time perception is a focal symptom of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in adults.Med Sci Monit. 2021;27:e933766. doi:10.12659/MSM.933766

Proyer RT, Gander F, Wellenzohn S, Ruch W.Strengths-based positive psychology interventions: A randomized placebo-controlled online trial on long-term effects for a signature strengths- vs. a lesser strengths-intervention.Front Psychol. 2015;6:456. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2015.00456

Xie Y, Gao X, Song Y, et al.Effectiveness of physical activity intervention on ADHD symptoms: A systematic review and meta-analysis[published correction appears in Front Psychiatry. 2021 Dec 06;12:806241] [published correction appears in Front Pediatr. 2023 Jan 09;10:1095727].Front Psychiatry. 2021;12:706625. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2021.706625

Kessler Z, Quinn PO.ADHD According to Zoë: The Real Deal on Relationships, Finding Your Focus, and Finding Your Keys. 1 edition. New Harbinger Publications; 2013.Nadeau KG.Adventures In Fast Forward: Life, Love and Work for the Add Adult. 1 edition. Routledge; 2013.

Kessler Z, Quinn PO.ADHD According to Zoë: The Real Deal on Relationships, Finding Your Focus, and Finding Your Keys. 1 edition. New Harbinger Publications; 2013.

Nadeau KG.Adventures In Fast Forward: Life, Love and Work for the Add Adult. 1 edition. Routledge; 2013.

Meet Our Review Board

Share Feedback

Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?HelpfulReport an ErrorOtherSubmit

Was this page helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

What is your feedback?HelpfulReport an ErrorOtherSubmit

What is your feedback?