Sources and references
- NICE guideline NG87: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: diagnosis and management
- Hinshaw SP, Nguyen PT, O'Grady SM. (2022). Annual Research Review: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in girls and women: underrepresentation, longitudinal problems, and a way forward
- Ginsberg Y, Bejerot S. (2018). The Underdiagnosis of ADHD in Girls and Women
Frequently asked questions
Why is ADHD often missed in women and girls?
Traditional ADHD diagnostic criteria focused on external hyperactivity, which is more common in boys and men. Women more often present with internal hyperactivity, emotional dysregulation, and perfectionism-driven masking. Their symptoms are routinely attributed to anxiety, depression, or burnout rather than ADHD.
What is ADHD masking in women?
Masking is the use of compensatory strategies (excessive planning, post-it notes, social scripts, perfectionism) that make ADHD symptoms invisible to others at the cost of chronic exhaustion and self-criticism. In women, masking frequently holds until a major life transition (new job, parenthood, relationship change) breaks the coping strategies.
At what age are women typically diagnosed with ADHD?
Women in the UK are diagnosed on average in their mid-30s to mid-40s, around a decade later than men. Many receive diagnoses only after their own child is assessed, when family-history recognition prompts maternal re-evaluation.