Find a therapist to help with ADHD

Men and women with ADHD may have different symptoms, challenges, and stigmas, which can lead to misdiagnosis.

ADHD and eating disorders often are found together.

In women, the patterns of ADHD change throughout the stages of life.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) doesn’t play favorites. It affects people of all genders—and not always in the same way.

As I explain in the new edition of my book Finally Focused (Harmony 2026), for decades, ADHD was thought to be primarily a ‘‘boy’s disorder,’’ because the hyperactive, impulsive type was easiest to spot in school-age boys. But as we now understand, the presentation of ADHD varies across genders—especially in adults. Men and women often experience different symptom patterns, different emotional challenges, and different social stigmas. For women, these differences can lead to misdiagnosis (or no diagnosis at all) until adulthood, when the consequences of untreated ADHD finally demand attention.

Statistics help tell the story. In childhood, boys are diagnosed with ADHD four times more frequently than girls. In adulthood, women are typically diagnosed four years later than men.

Women and ADHD: Same Disorder, Different Symptoms

For many women, ADHD is less about bouncing off the walls and more about internal chaos: feeling disorganized, distracted, and emotionally overwhelmed.

The so-called inattentive type of ADHD—characterized by forgetfulness, poor follow-through, difficulty focusing, and frequent mental drift—is more common in women, especially those diagnosed later in life.

Because they often appear less disruptive than their male counterparts, girls with ADHD may........

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