ADHD | Women’s Health

Masked and Misread

Women with ADHD are still missing from the picture

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Why are so many women still misdiagnosed, misunderstood, or missed entirely when it comes to ADHD? Could the answer lie not just in the brain — but in the cycle?

ADHD Through a Female, Neurodivergent Lens

ADHD isn’t just about hyperactive boys who can’t sit still.

It’s one expression on the rich spectrum of neurodiversity — a term that reframes conditions like ADHD, autism, and dyslexia as naturally occurring variations in human cognition.

Coined in the 1990s by sociologist Judy Singer, the neurodiversity paradigm challenges the notion that there’s one “correct” way for a brain to function.

ADHD isn’t a flaw in executive functioning — it’s a difference in cognitive wiring that thrives in environments designed for it and struggles in those that aren’t.

For many women, ADHD doesn’t look like disruptive behavior. It often shows up as overthinking, emotional intensity, time blindness, acceptable impulsivity (eg: reaching out to a friend, ordering supplements), or relentless…