“Why ADHD Is Different for Women: Gender-Specific Symptoms & Treatments” [Video Replay & Podcast #337]

Access the video replay, listen to the podcast episode (#337), download the slide presentation, and learn how to get a certificate of attendance for this ADHD Experts webinar originally broadcast on December 15, 2020.

ADHD Expert: Ellen Littman, Ph.D. Verified Updated on January 24, 2022
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Episode Description

ADHD exacts a greater psychological toll on women than it does on men, with more troubling long-term outcomes demonstrated in medical research. While the dramatic increase in mid-life diagnoses among women is beginning to shift the ADHD landscape, these findings signal an urgent wake-up call: Beneath women’s determination to mask their impairments, psychological distress can gradually erode their self-worth and quality of life.

Women’s presentation of ADHD symptoms contributes to the diagnostic confusion that still leaves many women overlooked or misdiagnosed. The perfect storm of internalized symptoms, hormonal fluctuations, and societal expectations yields a distinct set of stressors. Emotional dysregulation also renders women more reactive than proactive. Trapped beneath the weight of stigma, self-doubt, and shame, they lose confidence in their judgment since it often betrays them. The good news it that experts today are creating holistic treatment plans tailored to women’s needs. Reframing strategies offer women the opportunity to see themselves through a lens of validation and acceptance, to impose self-protective boundaries, and to question obligations.

  • How diagnostic challenges can limit accurate identification and treatment of ADHD in women
  • Five gender-specific factors that affect the impact of ADHD
  • How unpredictable executive functions thwart the ability to conform to society’s expectations
  • How fluctuating hormone levels impact ADHD symptoms
  • Five factors that increase the risk for negative outcomes with ADHD
  • How co-existing conditions complicate the ADHD experience and treatment
  • How treatment offers hope with evidence-based strategies that teach self-acceptance, self-respect, and self-compassion

Watch the Video Replay

Enter your email address in the box above labeled “Video Replay + Slide Access” to watch the video replay (closed captions available) and download the slide presentation.

Download or Stream the Podcast Audio

Click the play button below to listen to this episode directly in your browser, click the symbol to download to listen later, or open in your podcasts app: Apple Podcasts; Google Podcasts; Spotify; iHeartRADIO.

Read More on ADHD in Women from Dr. Littman

Obtain a Certificate of Attendance

If you attended the live webinar on December 15, 2020, watched the video replay, or listened to the podcast, you may purchase a certificate of attendance option (cost: $10). Note: ADDitude does not offer CEU credits. Click here to purchase the certificate of attendance option »

Meet the Expert Speaker

Dr. Ellen B. Littman is a clinical psychologist licensed in New York State.  She has been involved with the field of attentional disorders for more than 30 years. Dr. Littman focuses on a high IQ adult and adolescent ADHD population.  She specializes in identifying and treating complex presentations of ADHD that may be misinterpreted or overlooked. Dr. Littman is co-author of the book Understanding Girls with ADHD, now in its updated second edition and translated into several languages. | See expert’s full bio »

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Listener Testimonials

  • “Thank you so much for sharing such important information and empowering women, so we can be better advocates for ourselves and each other.”
  • “This was extremely enlightening, I’m so happy to have made the time to tune in. Learning about the connection between hormones and ADHD was very helpful.”
  • “Thank you! I learned so much as both a clinician and a woman with a ADHD.”

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