ADHD: How Gender Makes an Impact

Discussing the ways ADHD presents itself within different genders and how these differences contribute to the gender gap.

In the articles, "Gender Gap: Girls with ADHD going undiagnosed" and "ADHD In Girls," the authors share about two girls with very familiar stories. With their homework incompletions being chalked up to a lack of trying; like me, these girls went undiagnosed for far too long.

For me, my diagnosis for ADHD came later in life than one would hope. After shuffling through many psychiatrists for my depression and anxiety, at 19 my current psychiatrist picked up on symptoms of ADHD. I was confused because I held the common misconception that individuals with ADHD were loud and jumpy. After taking a diagnostic test I learned that I not only did have ADHD but I ranked very highly within the 'hyperactivity' category. This was shocking to me as I have rather low energy levels and I always had related hyperactivity high energy levels. My psychiatrist than explained to me how ADHD can present itself in many different ways; how like most girls my symptoms are more subtle then how they are normally presented within boys. I went on to ask about why and how I am considered 'hyperactive' when I am barley even active. She explained that my hyperactivity was mostly confined to my thoughts and not my actions. She hypothesized that both my anxiety and depression, which was diagnosed at the age of 14, could have stemmed from going undiagnosed with ADHD for so long.

My story is unfortunately one of many like it however it is estimated that around 50-75% of girls with ADHD are never diagnosed (Hadish 2006). Making my story seem like one of good fortune. The high volume of undiagnosed girls is presumably related to the way different sexes display symptoms; and the fact that the way ADHD is presented in boys is how this disability is defined for most people. In other words, how ADHD is presented in males is more stereotypical. The main symptom differences in boys noted by medical professionals is that of hyperactivity and impulsivity. The lack of knowledge revolving around female symptoms may be why only for every three boys only one girl is diagnosed with ADHD, what is also known as the gender gap.

Chart made with information from: "Gender Differences in ADHD Symptoms" by Tricia Kinman

70% of girls with a late or missed diagnosis who are receiving services for depression, anxiety, or eating disorders are later noticed to have ADHD symptoms, as mine were (Anderson, 2019). Having ADHD and going undiagnosed and untreated "can lead to depression, low self-esteem, substance abuse, failed relationships and promiscuity later in girls' lives" (Hadish 2006). Even when diagnosed, "research has found that girls with combined-type ADHD have significantly higher rates of attempted suicide and self-harm" (Anderson, 2019). These facts make the problem clear; we need better education and awareness of the gender differences within ADHD.

#gender #adhd #disability #hiddendisability #undiagnosed

Sources

Anderson, C. (2019, April 1). ADHD In Girls [Web log post]. Retrieved April 20, 2021, from https://hopesprings.net/adhd-girls/

Hadish, C. (2006, January 5). Gender gap: Girls with ADHD going undiagnosed. Gazette, The (Cedar Rapids-Iowa City, IA), p. 1A. Available from NewsBank: America's News Magazines: https://infoweb-newsbank-com.proxy.library.ohio.edu/apps/news/document-view?p=AMNP&docref=news/10EF7EB3C3300E28.

Kinman, T. (2016, March 22). Gender Differences in ADHD Symptoms (1333843109 978334244 T. Legg Ph. D, CRNP, Ed.). Retrieved April 21, 2021, from https://www.healthline.com/health/adhd/adhd-symptoms-in-girls-and-boys#Recognizing-ADHD-in-Boys

Williamson, D., & Johnson, C. (2015). Gender Differences in Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorders: A Narrative Review. In Clinical Psychology Review (Vol. 40, pp. 15-27). Elsevier B.V.)