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When superstar influencer Laura Clery got a brain scan as part of a full evaluation at Amen Clinics, she received a diagnosis she never expected—ADD.
“Even though I really struggled to focus growing up… and I struggled to take tests, and I never felt very smart,” she says in a social media post she shared with her millions of followers, “I never really thought about [ADD].”
The comedian says she thought she was just lazy and easily distracted, as if it was a character flaw. When she was younger, Clery had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, but that diagnosis didn’t fit.
Clery isn’t alone.
At Amen Clinics, the global leader in brain health, thousands of women who had been previously misdiagnosed have learned they actually have attention deficit disorder, more commonly known as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Like Clery, there are potentially millions of women across the U.S. who are struggling with undiagnosed ADHD. You may be one of them. And it could be impacting your self-esteem, career, relationships, and personal health and fitness. In the worst-case scenario, it could be ruining your life.
Why do so many women with this common condition remain undiagnosed or misdiagnosed? Because ADD looks different in females, according to research.
In this blog, you’ll learn more about ADHD in women, the signs and symptoms you need to know, why it’s often missed, and what to do about it.
Why do so many women with this common condition remain undiagnosed or misdiagnosed? Because ADD looks different in females.
Most people think of ADHD as a condition that is primarily seen in males who are hyperactive and impulsive. In fact, women are just as likely as men to have ADD, according to a paper in The ADHD Report.
Surprisingly, a study in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry found that ADD symptoms in women are often more severe ADHD symptoms than their male counterparts. But women tend to have a different type of the condition that comes with its own set of symptoms.
The brain-imaging work at Amen Clinics, which has the world’s largest database of functional brain scans related to behavior, has helped identify seven types of ADD.
The type that is most common in females is called Inattentive ADD. Although it’s the second most common type of ADHD, its symptoms go unrecognized by many medical professionals.
Related: Learn More About the 7 Types of ADD
Click on the link to access your free ebook: Getting to Know the ADD Types
Unfortunately, many women with Inattentive ADHD never get diagnosed. Instead, they’re labeled as slow, lazy, spacey, or unmotivated.
While people with Classic ADD, the most common type of the condition, bring negative attention to themselves with their hyperactivity, constant chatter, and conflict-driven behavior, women with Inattentive ADD tend to be quiet and distracted.
Rather than cause problems, they’re more likely to daydream or look out the window. They’re not as likely to be impulsive or to blurt out inappropriate or hurtful things. They’re frequently thought of as couch potatoes who have trouble finding interest or motivation in their lives.
Women with adult ADHD are also more likely than men to have co-existing anxiety and depression, as well as sleep problems. This can make it more difficult to detect ADD in women and is another reason why brain imaging can be so helpful in getting an accurate diagnosis.
Many of the women who come to Amen Clinics with undetected ADHD had previously been diagnosed with mood disorders or other issues. Untreated ADHD in female adults can lead to serious consequences.
Having undiagnosed or untreated ADD comes with a very high cost. And it increases the risk of many other issues, including:
Press Play for Insights on ADHD and Relationships
Hosted by Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen, this episode of the Change Your Brain Every Day podcast explores how ADHD can wreak havoc on relationships and intimacy. Click below to tune in.
This causes many women with untreated ADHD to engage in unhealthy strategies to deal with their symptoms. For example, some may seek out stimulating substances or risky behaviors to cope with their issues.
Others may turn to antidepressant medications, anti-anxiety pills, and other medications to manage their discomfort. Not only are these medications ineffective in treating the underlying ADD, they also come with unwanted side effects.
Ultimately, it can lead to a downward spiral that leaves you feeling unfulfilled and unhappy with yourself and your life.
Related: How Much Is Untreated ADD/ADHD Costing You?
On her social media post, Clery shared her brain SPECT imaging studies, which showed low activity levels in the front part of her brain, especially when she tried to concentrate.
In people who don’t have ADD, concentration typically activates an area of the brain called the prefrontal cortex, which is involved with:
In adults with ADHD, however, concentrating reduces activity here, making it difficult to pay attention. This is why simply telling someone with ADD to “try harder” or blaming them for not having enough willpower doesn’t help. Brain imaging shows that the harder they try, the worse it gets.
The prefrontal cortex is also involved in sustaining attention span. It trains your mind to focus on important information while filtering out less significant thoughts and sensations. Attention span is required for short-term memory and learning.
Through its many connections within the brain, the prefrontal cortex keeps you on task and allows you to stay with a project until it is finished. This brain region accomplishes this by sending quieting signals to other parts of the brain.
In the face of a need to focus, the prefrontal cortex decreases the distracting input from other brain areas, inhibiting rivals for our attention. However, when this brain region is underactive, less of a filtering mechanism is available and distractibility becomes common.
Studies show that problems in the prefrontal cortex often lead to decreased attention span, distractibility, impaired short-term memory, decreased mental speed, apathy, and decreased verbal expression. Underactivity or damage in the PFC can also lead to a decreased ability to express thoughts and feelings.
These are things women with ADHD may experience. However, they often chalk it up to being lazy, ditzy, or depressed rather than thinking it might be related to their brain function.
The brain-imaging work at Amen Clinics shows that even if your prefrontal cortex is underactive and you’ve had undetected ADHD for decades, you can still optimize your brain function and enhance your life.
With the right treatment, you can be more focused, more organized, and more motivated to reach your goals. This has positive implications for every area of your life—career, health and fitness, relationships, and self-esteem.
Many women assume that ADHD medication is the only treatment option. ADHD medications can be very effective for some people with the condition. Giving someone with ADHD stimulant medication can be like giving glasses to someone who has vision problems.
However, in some women, medications for ADHD can make symptoms worse. Every woman is different and requires a personalized treatment plan.
At Amen Clinics, targeted ADHD treatment plans may include diet recommendations, specific forms of exercise, personalized supplement suggestions, neurofeedback, behavioral interventions, psychological strategies, and medications (when necessary).
Related: Natural Ways to Help ADD
The good news is Inattentive ADD in women is usually very responsive to the right treatment. With an accurate diagnosis and the proper treatment program, you can change your brain, stop feeling bad about yourself, and start living the life you want.
Young, Susan et al. “Females with ADHD: An expert consensus statement taking a lifespan approach providing guidance for the identification and treatment of attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder in girls and women.” BMC psychiatry vol. 20,1 404. 12 Aug. 2020, doi:10.1186/s12888-020-02707-9
Attoe, Darby E, and Emma A Climie. “Miss. Diagnosis: A Systematic Review of ADHD in Adult Women.” Journal of attention disorders vol. 27,7 (2023): 645-657. doi:10.1177/10870547231161533
Babinski, Dara E. and Waschbusch, Daniel A. The Interpersonal Difficulties of Women with ADHD, The ADHD Report, Vol. 24, Issue 7, Nov 2016. https://doi.org/10.1521/adhd.2016.24.7.1
Robison, Reid J et al. “Gender differences in 2 clinical trials of adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: a retrospective data analysis.” The Journal of clinical psychiatry vol. 69,2 (2008): 213-21. doi:10.4088/jcp.v69n0207
Arnsten, Amy F T. “The Emerging Neurobiology of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: The Key Role of the Prefrontal Association Cortex.” The Journal of pediatrics vol. 154,5 (2009): I-S43. doi:10.1016/j.jpeds.2009.01.018
Facebook-f X-twitter Youtube TL;DRMany adults live with untreated ADHD without realizing it, often mistaking symptoms like disorganization, lateness, and relationship struggles for personality flaws. One
Facebook-f X-twitter Youtube TL;DRNegative thinking isn’t just a habit. New study shows it may be linked to changes in brain function. Strong negativity bias is associated