ADHD: It's More Common Than You Think
Updated: Oct 3
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental condition. It affects how the brain manages attention, focus, energy and impulses, and for many people it continues into adulthood.
Many adults, especially women, go years without knowing they have ADHD. Some only start to wonder when their own child is diagnosed, or when life gets busier and the strategies that used to work stop working.
Does ADHD run in families?
ADHD has a strong genetic component. There isn't one single "ADHD gene". Instead, many genes each add a small effect, and they interact with a person's environment. Because ADHD tends to run in families, if your child has been diagnosed, it can be worth noticing whether some of the signs below feel familiar to you too.
How ADHD can look different in women and girls
ADHD doesn't look the same in everyone. Boys and men are diagnosed more often, partly because their symptoms tend to be easier to see. In girls and women, ADHD is often quieter and easier to miss.
Outward or inward signs: Boys and men more often show hyperactivity and impulsivity. Girls and women more often experience inattention and disorganisation, which can be put down to personality or stress.
Hyperactivity: In boys, this may look like fidgeting, running around or interrupting. In girls and women, it may feel more like inner restlessness, a busy mind or talking a lot.
Inattention: Daydreaming, forgetfulness or losing track of things can be mistaken for shyness or disorganisation rather than ADHD.
Masking: Many girls and women learn to hide their symptoms by working extra hard, people-pleasing or aiming for perfection. This can be exhausting and can affect self-esteem.
Other conditions: Girls and women with ADHD more often also experience anxiety, depression or eating difficulties, which can make ADHD harder to recognise.
Recognising these differences helps people get the right support sooner, whatever their age or gender.
Common signs of ADHD
Everyone has some of these at times. With ADHD, they're ongoing, usually started in childhood, and affect daily life at home, at work or in relationships.
Difficulty paying attention: finding it hard to stay focused on tasks or conversations, and being easily distracted.
Forgetfulness and disorganisation: losing track of appointments, tasks and belongings.
Impulsivity: acting or speaking before thinking, interrupting, or making quick decisions without weighing them up.
Restlessness: fidgeting, finding it hard to sit still, or a mind that never seems to switch off.
Trouble following through: having lots of ideas, but finding it hard to finish them.
Hyperfocus: the part of ADHD people don't expect
Many people think ADHD simply means "can't focus". But many people with ADHD also experience hyperfocus: becoming so deeply absorbed in something interesting that time seems to disappear.
Hyperfocus can happen with work projects, hobbies, research, reading, games or scrolling on a phone. It's often linked to things that feel new, urgent or rewarding. It can look like:
Hours passing without noticing, sometimes forgetting to eat, drink or rest.
Finding it very hard to switch attention away, even when something else needs doing.
Feeling frustrated or unsettled when interrupted.
Missing other tasks, appointments or people while focused.
Hyperfocus isn't all bad. It can be a real strength, bringing creativity, energy and deep, productive work. The aim is to notice when it helps you, and to build gentle guardrails for when it doesn't, such as timers, reminders or planned breaks.
Hyperfocus isn't part of the formal diagnostic criteria for ADHD, but it's something many adults with ADHD describe, and research into it is growing.
Other things many people with ADHD notice
These aren't part of the formal diagnosis, but many people with ADHD describe them:
Strong emotions, such as feeling easily overwhelmed, frustrated or quick to anger.
Anxiety, including worry about health.
Putting things off until the last minute, or undermining their own goals.
Strain in relationships from forgetfulness, distraction or impulsivity.
Feeling inadequate, or that things always seem to go wrong.
Harmful ways of coping, such as drinking more alcohol to manage stress or difficult feelings.
If you're struggling right now
Some people with ADHD go through times of feeling very overwhelmed, and some have thoughts of self-harm or suicide. If this is you, you're not alone, and help is available now. Please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 (24 hours a day), or 000 in an emergency. You can also talk to your GP.
ADHD, perimenopause and menopause
Oestrogen influences dopamine, one of the brain chemicals involved in attention and motivation. As oestrogen levels change in perimenopause and menopause, many women with ADHD notice their symptoms become harder to manage. Some women first recognise their ADHD at this stage of life.
Research on ADHD and menopause is still early, but studies suggest women with ADHD may be more likely to experience hormone-related mood symptoms. ADHD and menopause also share many symptoms:
Mood changes: irritability, mood swings and feeling emotionally raw.
Brain fog: forgetfulness, difficulty concentrating and losing your train of thought.
Sleep problems: ADHD can affect sleep, and hot flushes and night sweats can disrupt it further.
Fatigue: low energy that makes everyday tasks feel harder.
Impulsivity: such as impulsive spending or eating.
Anxiety and low mood: which can be heightened by hormonal changes.
Because the symptoms overlap, it helps to look at both together. For some women, support for menopause symptoms (such as HRT, where appropriate) and support for ADHD work best side by side. The right plan is personal, and is best worked out together with your doctor.
How ADHD is assessed
If these signs sound familiar, a good first step is to talk with your GP. They can listen to your story, check for other things that can cause similar symptoms, such as thyroid problems, low iron, sleep problems or perimenopause, and arrange an ADHD assessment with the right clinician if needed.
Treatment and support options
ADHD support works best as a whole-person plan. There's no one-size-fits-all approach, and it's best worked out with your healthcare team.
Medicines
Some people are prescribed medicines for ADHD. These include stimulant and non-stimulant medicines, which act on brain chemicals such as dopamine and noradrenaline that help with attention and impulse control. Whether a medicine is right for you, and which one, is a decision to make with your doctor, who can talk through the benefits, possible side effects and monitoring.
Other support
Psychological therapies: such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), to build practical skills for organisation, time management and emotions.
Parent programs: education and support for families of a child with ADHD.
Support at school or work: such as an individual learning plan at school, or reasonable adjustments at work.
Counselling: for self-esteem, anxiety or low mood alongside ADHD.
Lifestyle foundations: regular movement, good sleep, nourishing meals and stress management.
ADHD coaching or organising support: personalised strategies for home, work or study.
Peer support groups: sharing experiences and practical tips with others who understand.
Mindfulness: which may help with focus and self-awareness.
If you're thinking about complementary therapies or supplements, please talk with your doctor first, as some can interact with medicines.
Where to start
If you recognise yourself in this article, you're not alone, and it's never too late to understand how your brain works. A conversation with your GP is a great first step. If you're also navigating perimenopause or menopause, you're welcome to book an appointment with us to talk through your hormone health and how it may be affecting you.
This article is general information only and isn't a substitute for personal medical advice.
References
Faraone SV, et al. The World Federation of ADHD International Consensus Statement: 208 evidence-based conclusions about the disorder. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2021;128:789-818.
Demontis D, et al. Genome-wide analyses of ADHD identify 27 risk loci, refine the genetic architecture and implicate several cognitive domains. Nat Genet. 2023;55:198-208.
Quinn PO, Madhoo M. A review of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in women and girls: uncovering this hidden diagnosis. Prim Care Companion CNS Disord. 2014;16(3).
Hupfeld KE, Abagis TR, Shah P. Living "in the zone": hyperfocus in adult ADHD. Atten Defic Hyperact Disord. 2019;11(2):191-208.
Dorani F, et al. Prevalence of hormone-related mood disorder symptoms in women with ADHD. J Psychiatr Res. 2021;133:10-15.
Australian ADHD Professionals Association. Australian Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guideline for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. 2022.
By Dr Purity Carr
GP and with interest in Menopause and MCAS care
Your information on ADHD is great, it has key points. Thanks so much x