Understood.org released findings from its comprehensive research, “Missed, misread, and misdiagnosed: Current state of women with ADHD,” which quantifies the urgent, unmet needs of women with ADHD. For decades, ADHD was wrongly considered a “boy’s disorder.” The COVID-19 pandemic may have caused a shift, with the loss of external structures forcing many women to confront their struggles with organization and focus. The number of new ADHD diagnoses among women ages 23–49 doubled between 2020 and 2022.
Understood.org’s multi-method study included analysis of 1.2 million online conversations of women about ADHD, a survey of 846 girls and women, and a comprehensive literature review. Most women with ADHD live with at least one other mental health condition. A staggering 72% have more than three other conditions, and 31% have more than six. Additionally, 44% of women are first diagnosed with another condition, like anxiety and depression, leading to long delays before ADHD is properly diagnosed.
Mental Health and Physical Health Challenges
Misunderstanding contributes to poor mental health, with 89% of women with ADHD reporting damaged self-confidence from misattributing their neurobiological symptoms to character flaws. This contributes to severe mental health risks: 23.5% of women with ADHD reported a lifetime history of suicide attempts, significantly higher than the 8.5% among men with ADHD. Weight stress is widespread and starts young; eating disorders are 3.6 times more common in girls with ADHD than in other girls. Among adults with ADHD, 60% screen positive for a sleep disorder.
Disparities and Promising Interventions
Disparities are intensified for BIPOC women, who face additional challenges such as greater stigma and systemic barriers to information. Black women face 73% higher odds of receiving a conduct disorder diagnosis than white women. Data shows that three specific interventions improve mental health outcomes: therapy, team sports, and creative and expressive activities—like journaling, cooking and music—are especially impactful for women with ADHD.
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/understoodorg-research-reveals-critical-gaps-in-support-for-women-with-adhd-302730085.html