Consider the source: Resources about ADHD in women that are worth your time.
Main Points, No Filter:
🔑 1. Information Overload Requires Caution
While instant access to ADHD content can be helpful, it's easy to be misled by oversimplified or inaccurate information, especially on social media.
Be cautious of “therapy speak” from influencers posing as experts without clinical insight or nuance.
🧠 2. Understanding ADHD in Women is a Process
Women often go through four phases of ADHD awareness:
Each phase comes with unique questions, emotions, and needs.
📚 3. Trusted Resources Are Essential
Not all ADHD resources are reliable. Stick to vetted sources
Be skeptical of anyone claiming a cure for ADHD—there isn’t one.
💊 4. Quality Care Requires ADHD-Specific Knowledge
Whether pursuing medication or therapy, seek providers with specialized ADHD training (like ADHD-CCSP).
Not all prescribers or therapists understand the nuances of ADHD in women—do your homework.
💥 5. Co-Occurring Issues and Relationships Matter
Many women with ADHD also deal with anxiety, depression, PTSD, and relationship challenges.
Emotional dysregulation and rejection sensitivity are common, and ADHD-focused therapy can offer targeted support for these overlapping struggles—especially in parenting and partnerships.
So here is the question:
In a world where “everyone is a little ADHD” what resources will get you on the right path? I have curated a resource guide on my website that will help you answer all your questions about ADHD.
As a woman with ADHD, working with clients who have ADHD I have found that there are different stages of understanding the diagnosis.
Phase 1: I don’t have ADHD, I just need to get my shit together
Phase 2: Is this ADHD? I thought everyone had this issue
Phase 3: Okay, I have ADHD, now what?
Phase 4: I have figured out the tools that work for me and I’ve got some other shit going on too
Where are you on this spectrum?
Wherever you are, there are some resources to help. My goal, as always, is to meet you where you’re at.
Phase 1: I don’t have ADHD, I just need to get my shit together
That might be 100% true. There are a ton of explanations for why you are losing your keys, missing appointments, and feeling overwhelmed and behind your peers. One reason may be ADHD.
As a woman, why is it important to determine if my struggles are due to ADHD or something else?
“We learn to overcompensate, to mask, to people-please, to hide the chaos under perfectionism – until we burn out.”
Phase 2: Is this ADHD? I thought everyone had this issue.
3 Defining Features of ADHD That Everyone Overlooks
It is important to understand that ADHD is different in everyone and even different from a child to an adult. There is a common misconception that ADHD means you can’t stop moving and you are easily distracted. This may be true, but there are other symptoms, especially, for the inattentive type of ADHD, that are often overlooked. Especially in girls and women.
Phase 3: Okay, I have ADHD, now what?
Slow your roll. While it may feel good to have an explanation for your struggles, women with ADHD cannot skip this first step.
The first thing to understand with ADHD is that there is a grieving period. Once you have been diagnosed with ADHD, there is this moment when you look back on your life and notice where and how your symptoms presented. Things will start to make sense. With that clarity will also come a sorrow. There were missed opportunities, damaged relationships, constant hits to your self-esteem and sense of agency. Take a moment to grieve that.
A lot of times, skipping over this part will make it difficult for you to implement the skills to navigate your symptoms with grace. This is tricky and it may be helpful to journal or talk through the experience.
Once you have some compassion for yourself, you will be better equipped for the journey to find and use the supports that are right for you. Look at my website where I have listed some suggestions that others have found helpful.
Caution! Not every resource that claims to be for ADHD or neurodivergent folks is from a trustworthy source.
How can you tell experts from “experts”?
CHADD and ADDItude magazine are great places to start. These organizations have vetted the contributors and products in their publications. I have links to these organizations and articles from trustworthy authors on my website.
The best way to weed out the imposters from the trustworthy guides is to remember that there is no cure for ADHD. There is no treatment or medication that will eliminate the symptoms of ADHD. If there is any product or agency claiming this, they are lying.
Medication for ADHD
If you decided to go the medication route for ADHD treatment keep in mind that not every person that prescribes medication will be knowledgeable about ADHD medication. There are several types of medication with different dosing and administration routes. Take the time to find a prescriber that is versed in these medications.
Therapy for ADHD
If you are looking for mental health support for ADHD, whether is a diagnosis or therapy. There are providers (myself included) who have taken extra courses in ADHD treatment and have become ADHD certified clinical service providers (ADHD-CCSP). The CHADD website also has a directory of providers.
ADDitude magazine has some suggestions in this article.
Arm yourself with knowledge
I have a list of books and podcasts on my website that share information about ADHD and help you get the support you need whether it’s on your own or with a professional.
Jessica McCabe has done a wonderful job explaining ADHD on her YouTube channel and in her book.
Russ Barkley is the leading authority on ADHD, he has contributed decades of research to ADHD and does a phenomenal job explaining the diagnosis. His YouTube channel is here.
Phase 4: I have figured out the tools that work for me and I’ve got some other shit going on too
This is a tricky phase. You have figured out the way you can navigate in the world. You have found treatment that makes your symptoms manageable. Where you get stuck is the emotional dysregulation that can seemingly come out of nowhere and knock you completely off course. Sometimes the rejection sensitivity can throw you for a loop.
Co-Occurring Mental Health Diagnoses
You may also have a co-occurring diagnosis like PTSD, depression, or anxiety. There is pretty high correlation. This is where a mental health therapist who specializes in ADHD will really come in handy. Not only will the therapist be trained in identifying and treating mental health diagnoses, but they will be especially trained in the intersectionality of ADHD other diagnoses.
ADHD and Relationships
There is also a correlation of people with ADHD to be subjected to harmful relationships and need extra support in establishing and maintaining boundaries.
ADHD can wreak havoc on a romantic relationship. A therapist who specializes in ADHD will have specific knowledge on how to support both partners.
Let’s not forget the parent-child relationship.
Being a parent is hard. Having ADHD is hard. Being a parent with ADHD with a child that potentially has ADHD is really hard. Professionals that specialize in ADHD will be able to support all of this with an approach that is unique to neurodivergent minds.
💡 Ready to cut through the noise and get the support you actually need?Explore my curated ADHD resource guide, find providers who get it, and take the next step—whether you’re just starting out or deep into your ADHD journey. Schedule a consult and learn more about the services I offer for ADHD.