As a woman, have you ever felt like your brain is running a marathon while driving a car going in the opposite direction…oh, and it just so happens to be on fire? If so, you’re not alone.

ADHD and anxiety often go hand in hand for women, creating an even more complex web of symptoms that can be hard to navigate. For many women, there’s a significant gap in understanding why they feel this way so often.

The version of ADHD that is commonly understood is only the tip of the iceberg. Here we’ll explore this perfect storm that too often goes unrecognized.

Setting the Stage

Picture this: You’re currently achieving high productivity at your job and managing your deliverables like a boss. On the inside, however, you feel extremely scattered and tense. Your mind jumps from one task to the next, forgetting important details along the way. You’re fully capable of executing these tasks, but you’re still falling short.

As the struggle continues, you start to feel this sense of dread that you’re falling behind or you’re missing crucial information. If this sounds all too familiar, there’s a good chance that you’re dealing with a combination of anxiety and ADHD.

The Hidden Struggle

ADHD in women is frequently missed or misdiagnosed, mainly due to the variance in symptoms compared to men. What we see and learn about ADHD in the media points straight at inattention and hyperactivity. Women deal with a much different version of those symptoms. These symptoms include:

• chronic disorganization
• forgetfulness
• emotional sensitivity
• a harsh inner critic

In an effort to cope, many women become experts at masking their symptoms to avoid standing out from social norms. You may take on certain roles that overcompensate for your struggles — the perfectionist to cover for the fact that you keep getting distracted and have to start a task over, or the overly organized person to cover your struggle with disorganization.

Women with ADHD are typically mistaken for being “spacey,” overworkers, or people-pleasers.

Adding Anxiety to the Mix

When you add anxiety on top of the ADHD, you have a perfect combination for overwhelm. One starts to fuel the other, making it exceptionally hard to break that cycle.

ADHD may trigger anxiety when you have this constant worry that you’re missing details, not meeting expectations, or running late.

Anxiety can cause your ADHD symptoms to flare up because it’s harder to focus and stay organized when you’re feeling anxious.

For high-achieving women, this can become such ious cycle that everymakes thing in your their feelsfeely and overwhelming.

Actions to Take

Managing ADHD and anxiety isn’t necessarily about fixing anything, but rather learning more about how your brain works and what strategies you can implement that would be healthier.

Self-Awareness

Start by doing some self-reflection. Track your triggers for anxiety. Note what happens when it spikes and how your ADHD can be connected or affected.

Self-Discovery

Focus your efforts on your strengths. Pivoting away from the negatives, you may also find that your ADHD comes with greater creativity, empathy, and out-of-the-box thinking.

Self-Regulation

Start building calming routines that you can utilize when you start to feel anxious. Structure can help guide you through both anxiety and ADHD. Consider practicing deep breathing, mindfulness, and purposeful physical activity.

Self-Love

Stop feeling bad or guilty for your symptoms. You’re not broken in any way; your brain is just wired differently. Practice giving yourself grace and patience.

Exploring Therapy and Professional Guidance

If any of this hits close to home, you may want to consider therapeutic options. Women’s therapy can be a safe space to explore root causes, develop coping strategies, and rewrite your narrative. You don’t have to travel this journey alone. Contact me and let’s get started.

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