Lounge
ADHD: Why women bear the brunt of misdiagnosis
Summary
Studies show that girls are half as likely as boys to be diagnosed correctly as having ADHD. Lounge probes the reasons why
That pile of books and other ‘stuff’ on the table now resembles a person. You’d put on a pot of water for boiling, but it has long evaporated and the pot has turned to a neat shade of rust. You walk into a room and have instantly forgotten what it was for. This isn’t you being lazy or scatter-brained. It could very well be ADHD.
In an interview with Allure magazine in September, actor Alia Bhatt had opened up about dealing with ADD (attention deficiency syndrome), another term for ADHD or Attention Deficiency/Hyperactivity Syndrome. Bhatt, however, isn’t alone. Over the last few years, a number of famous women including Olympian Simone Biles, actor Emma Watson and filmmaker Greta Gerwig have confessed to having struggled with the condition. According to a May 2024 study by the US CDC (Centre for Disease Control and Prevention), ADHD among boys is more likely to be detected/ diagnosed at 15% in comparison to girls at 8%. So, why is it difficult to detect ADHD among women when compared to men?
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In women, ADHD manifests as inattention, while among men it manifests as hyperactivity, says Mumbai-based senior child and family psychiatrist Dr Sapna Bangar. “Boys tend to be disruptive and in your face, which is often annoying to parents and teachers. With girls, on the other hand, teachers or caregivers don’t seem to mind as long as the inattentiveness or sitting quietly doesn’t bother anyone," explains Bangar.
Mumbai-based developmental behavioural paediatrician and neurologist Dr Samir Dalwai echoes this. “Often, girls with ADHD are found studying hard. People mistake them for being studious while the truth is they haven’t understood what was being taught in the first place due to a lack of focus." As long as she is an acchi ladki, shant ladki (good, quiet girl), there’s no need for concern, Dalwai wryly notes.
I found out that I was suffering from ADHD six months ago. The symptoms were unclear: I would walk into rooms and forget what I went in there for; I’d fumble for words or forget the right terms for things or situations. There have been times where I’ve put the coffee mug in the trash and an empty yoghurt cartoon in the fridge. When we finally went to a counsellor, it all clicked when my mother revealed that she’d receive notes from my teachers in school about how I’d forget to take down notes or day dream. Today, with counselling sessions and medication, the condition has become manageable.
Among older women, ADHD manifests as them doing poorly in their careers. “They are viewed as lazy since they tend to procrastinate and household work seems overwhelming for them," Bangar says. “Forgetfulness and procrastination among women eventually translates into depression and anxiety as they are belittled and made to feel less than their peers," says Mumbai-based psychologist Jenisha Shah.
Take time to reflect
“When symptoms like inattention, impulsiveness and anxiety seep into all aspects of life—work, academics, social life and personal life—that is when one can say that a woman could be suffering from ADHD. It could be a culmination of all these signs, and not one isolated symptom," Dalwai says. The condition cannot be remedied with medication alone but also requires therapy to fill gaps in social and interpersonal skills, he adds.
For her clients with ADHD, Shah recommends taking 10 minutes at the beginning and end of each day to reflect on what the day is going to look like and take stock of how the day was. “Doing so helps you get a perspective of whether everything important was done." Friends and family can help by giving them cues. “Get them a planner or encourage them to download apps that might help."
Sumitra Nair is an independent journalist based in Kochi.
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