At Peaceful Path Counseling, we have a deep understanding and keen awareness of the unique presentation of ADHD in women. We are dedicated to helping women put a name to their struggles and finally get the help they deserve. 

Additionally, we know the ways that ADHD very often overlaps with other challenges, including anxiety, relationship issues, work issues, eating challenges, self-doubt, parenting challenges, and many more.

We see the whole picture. 

And work with you on all the parts of it that you're struggling with.

WHAT IS Adhd? 

ADHD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects how your brain manages focus, organization, emotions, and impulse control.

It’s not about a lack of intelligence or motivation. It’s about having a brain that struggles with regulation—of attention, energy, and thoughts.

Some people with ADHD are hyperactive and impulsive. Others are more inattentive and daydreamy. Many—especially women—are a mix of both, often quietly overwhelmed and working really hard to keep up.

ADHD Symptoms in Women

Especially those that lead to missed or late diagnosis

🧠 Cognitive/Attention-Based Symptoms

• Difficulty focusing, especially on tasks that aren’t stimulating

• Frequently losing track of time (time blindness)

• Forgetting appointments, tasks, or what you were about to say 

• Constant mental chatter or mind-wandering

• Trouble following through on plans or tasks

• Struggling to start or finish tasks (especially boring ones)

• Easily distracted by external stimuli or internal thoughts

• Chronic procrastination and last-minute bursts of productivity

• Difficulty prioritizing and organizing tasks
  
  

Often Overlooked in Women:
✔️ Appears “daydreamy” or mentally checked out instead of disruptive
✔️ Labelled as flaky, disorganized, or “just anxious” rather than inattentive
✔️ High internal pressure to compensate and mask disorganization (meaning, these women are struggling in these areas but have found ways to overcompensate or hide the challenges, or have to work really really hard at them)

💥 Emotional and Behavioral Symptoms

• Emotional reactivity or feeling things too much

• Intense frustration, sensitivity to criticism, or rejection sensitivity

• Mood swings or “overreacting” to minor stress

• Impulsivity in spending, eating, or blurting things out

• Difficulty regulating emotions, often mistaken for anxiety or mood disorders
  
  

Often Overlooked in Women:
✔️ Misdiagnosed as anxiety, depression, or borderline personality disorder
✔️ High-functioning in public but emotionally dysregulated in private
✔️ Taught to internalize instead of express impulsivity (e.g., rumination, binge eating, shopping)

🧩 Executive Function Challenges

• Trouble planning ahead or estimating how long things will take

• Constantly feeling overwhelmed or “mentally cluttered”

• Difficulty transitioning between tasks

• Struggling with decision-making and perfectionism

• Relying on adrenaline, crisis, or last-minute pressure to complete things
  
  

Often Overlooked in Women:
✔️ Masking with overachievement, perfectionism, or over-preparing
✔️ Seen as “just a busy mom” or “high-strung” rather than struggling with executive function

🧍‍♀️ Social & Identity Issues

• Chronic people-pleasing or difficulty setting boundaries

• Feeling like you’re always “too much” or “not enough”

• Poor self-esteem despite external success

• Comparing yourself to others and wondering why everything feels harder

• History of being labeled as “sensitive,” “dramatic,” or “lazy"

• Feeling like you’re failing at adulthood despite working so hard
  
  

Often Overlooked in Women:
✔️ Socialized to be caretakers and suppress symptoms
✔️ Masking behaviors are mistaken for wellness
✔️ Often diagnosed only after their children are evaluated for ADHD