5 Essential Tips for Women Coping With ADHD
"Here are five key facts you should know about women and ADHD:
- Women are underdiagnosed because they are more prone to mask and internalize their symptoms (hypersensitivity, ruminating, distracting thoughts) rather than display outward symptoms like hyperactivity or impulsivity, although those can manifest as well.
- Because women are expected to be nurturers, they often overcompensate for their ADHD with people-pleasing and perfectionism, exhausting themselves further.
- During perimenopause and menopause, women can develop ADHD symptoms for the first time–or exacerbate preexisting ADHD symptoms–which show up as brain fog, memory difficulties, increased agitation, and difficulty completing tasks.
- Due to a lack of diagnosis and treatment for women with ADHD, they can develop secondary behaviors to cope with, such as eating disorders, casual sex, overspending, and symptoms of depression and anxiety.
- Many women with untreated ADHD struggle with emotional regulation and develop rejection sensitivity syndrome, leading to relationship challenges, isolation, and shame.
Here are five essential ways women can cope:
- Make sleep a non-negotiable. Develop a bedtime routine that you enjoy. Use a weighted blanket to give your body containment. Turn on white noise to soften your brain’s tendency to respond to sensory stimuli while asleep.
- Recognize how ADHD impacts your relationship with food. Many women with ADHD use food as comfort or as stimulation. Avoid refined sugars, artificial sweeteners, and foods high in the glycemic index, which increases brain fog. Consult with your doctor regarding taking Iron, Magnesium, and Zinc to help regulate brain chemistry.
- Consider hormone therapy. Changing hormonal levels have a number of effects on the brain. During perimenopause and menopause, there is a decrease in estrogen, which regulates important neurotransmitters such as dopamine (executive functioning), serotonin (mood regulation), and acetylcholine (memory), causing the onset of ADHD-like symptoms.
- Nurture your sensitivity and internalized trauma. Work with a somatic psychologist to incorporate the body into your healing journey and create a self-regulation practice. Exercise and embodiment are essential to release old trauma from the body, developing day-to-day self-agency, and cultivating more confidence and clarity.
- Communicate to your partner about your unique needs. Many women with ADHD struggle with listening, can be forgetful (or never heard it in the first place!), and have a quick temper, leading to communication breakdowns with a partner. Incorporate movement, such as walking together, to help with focus during important discussions. Give your partner context about your sensory issues. Know that it’s essential to set boundaries so you aren’t burning out behind a mask of pleasing others and perfectionism to try to compensate. Have a plan to divide and conquer when it comes to household management. Understand that although you might disappoint others sometimes in order to take care of yourself, in the long run, you will feel better and have more to give."
Read the complete article available at Psychology Today!
Reflection:
How do you cope with your ADHD?
#ADHD #Women #Coping
I have ADHD 💕
@comfortableNight4463 Thanks for sharing this! I feel like every point hits home so deeply, especially the part about masking and people-pleasing. It’s exhausting, isn’t it? For me, understanding how ADHD shows up differently in women was such a relief—it explained so many things I thought were just personal failings.
In terms of coping, here’s what works (most of the time—I’m still a work in progress!):
- Sleep: I really try to prioritise this, but I’m a chronic night owl, so it’s tough. White noise apps help, and I use a weighted blanket when I’m feeling extra restless.
- Food: Oh, the sugar trap! I’ve realised I use snacks as both a reward and a pick-me-up when I’m overwhelmed, so I try to stock up on healthier options (when I remember!).
- Exercise: Moving my body makes a massive difference—quick walks or even just dancing around my kitchen gives me some mental clarity.
- Boundaries: This is the biggie. I’m learning to say no and stop overcommitting. It’s hard, but when I set boundaries, I’m less likely to spiral into burnout.
I’d also recommend looking into ADHD-focused support services, like Attention to Health. They offer private ADHD assessments and treatment, and their team really understands how ADHD affects women at different stages of life.
It’s definitely a journey, but having the right information and tools has made a world of difference for me. How about you? What’s been the biggest challenge or win in managing your ADHD?
Claire
