What ADHD Can Look Like for Women: A Life Coach’s Perspective

ADHD in women can feel like living in a whirlwind—one that often goes unrecognized. While many people associate ADHD with hyperactivity in children, it often shows up in more subtle ways in adult women, who may be juggling careers, relationships, and their own internal expectations. It can feel like an endless loop of stress, people-pleasing, and perfectionism, while inside, the real challenges go unseen.

It's also quite likely that you either haven't been diagnosed just yet, or were diagnosed late as a woman. Boys are diagnosed approximately four times more often than girls in the UK. This disparity is partly due to differences in how ADHD symptoms typically present in across the genders. Boys are more likely to exhibit hyperactive and impulsive behaviors, which are often more noticeable in classroom settings, whilst in girls it's typically internalised, either that or we learn to mask it very early on!

The Quiet Complexity of ADHD in Women

ADHD doesn’t always look the way people expect, especially in women. For many of us, ADHD symptoms don’t stand out as hyperactive distractions but show up in less obvious ways:

• Chronic Overwhelm: The constant feeling of being behind, no matter how many lists you make or plans you try to stick to.

• Emotional Sensitivity: Feeling every emotion deeply—whether it’s frustration, embarrassment, or joy—and often replaying conversations or moments in your head.

• Perfectionism and People-Pleasing: Trying to make up for the “messiness” of ADHD by being everything to everyone, at the cost of your own well-being.

• Boundless Creativity and Curiosity: ADHD in women often brings an intense drive to explore, create, and learn, even if it means jumping from one project to the next.

How ADHD Life Coaching Helps Women Thrive

ADHD life coaching provides practical tools and emotional support to help women manage their symptoms and focus on their unique strengths. Coaching doesn’t replace therapy, but it can provide the structure and strategies that women with ADHD need to succeed:

1. Creating Personalized Routines ADHD coaching can help create routines that make life feel more manageable and aligned with your goals—whether it’s getting organized or creating a self-care ritual.

2. Building Self-Compassion Women with ADHD often internalize their struggles, feeling like they’re constantly falling short. Coaching offers a safe space to reframe these challenges and develop self-compassion.

3. Strengthening Emotional Regulation ADHD often intensifies emotions, making it easy to spiral. Through techniques like mindfulness and grounding exercises, coaching helps women build tools to navigate emotional ups and downs.

4. Rediscovering Personal Values and Strengths Coaching encourages women to focus on their core values—whether it’s authenticity, curiosity, or growth—and build a life that aligns with these strengths rather than working against them.

Breaking Down Myths Around ADHD in Women

Women with ADHD are often seen as “scattered” or “disorganized,” when in reality, they’re navigating life with an entirely different set of challenges. Many experience inattentive ADHD, which involves traits like forgetfulness or zoning out, often misinterpreted as “laziness” rather than real struggles with focus. A coach helps address these myths and find new ways of managing and celebrating ADHD traits, rather than hiding them.

Taking the First Step Toward Clarity

Starting a journey with ADHD life coaching can be life-changing. It offers a way to feel in control, gain clarity, and channel unique strengths into meaningful goals. Whether it’s simplifying routines, improving focus, or exploring new career paths, ADHD coaching meets women where they are and helps them thrive.

If you’re a woman living with ADHD, remember you’re not alone. ADHD life coaching can offer the structure, understanding, and support you need to embrace who you are—and find calm within the whirlwind. Ready to explore what ADHD life coaching can do for you? Let’s chat.