A psychiatrist said ADHD is “often misunderstood” in women and named five “subtle but powerful” signs many people miss
A psychiatrist has discussed the signs of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in women and how they are “often misunderstood.” He named five “subtle” signs of the condition that often go unnoticed.
Professor Ahmed Hankir, a consultant psychiatrist and author of Breakthrough: A Story of Hope, Resilience and Mental Health Recovery, often shares advice with his 389k TikTok followers. In a recent clip, the expert talked about ADHD in women and how it is sometimes misdiagnosed as different conditions.
The video was captioned: “ADHD in women is often misunderstood — here are 5 subtle but powerful signs many people miss.” The short clip racked up more than 608k views and over 20k likes.
In the video, Professor Hankir said: “Five signs of high-functioning ADHD in women. One – hypersensitivity to rejection and criticism. Many women with ADHD experience something called rejection sensitivity dysphoria, an intense emotional response to perceived criticism, exclusion, or disapproval.
“Even small slights can feel deeply painful. In fact, this sensitivity is one of the main reasons women with ADHD are often misdiagnosed with borderline personality disorder.
“Two – difficulty regulating emotions. Women with ADHD may struggle to manage intense emotions like sadness, frustration, or anger through no fault of their own. This can lead to emotional overwhelm or even meltdowns, and again, it’s often mistaken for borderline personality disorder.”
Next, the expert said: “Three – chronic disorganisation and messiness. This often stems from executive dysfunction and reduced motivation, not laziness. but in many patriarchal cultures, women are judged harshly and these very real symptoms are mislabelled as personal failings.
“Four – masking. Many women with ADHD learn to hide their symptoms by overcompensating, mimicking social norms, or pushing themselves to exhaustion. This masking can delay diagnosis, often until they reach a breaking point.”
He added: “Five – inattention and the cost of overcompensation. Yes, women with ADHD may struggle with focus and distractibility, but instead of underperforming, many overcompensate, staying late, over preparing, holding themselves to impossible standards.
“On the outside they may seem high functioning, but inside they are running on empty, facing emotional depletion, mental fatigue, or silent burnout.”
The expert finished the clip by adding: “Important note just because you relate to some or all of these signs. It doesn’t necessarily mean you have ADHD – these traits can appear in men, boys and in other conditions too. But if these signs are affecting your day to day life, speak to your family doctor.
“They can refer you for a specialist assessment to find out if ADHD is the right diagnosis or if something else is going on. Protect your minds and protect your hearts, and bye for now.”
Types of ADHD
- Predominantly inattentive: You have trouble with attention, focus, and organisation.
- Predominantly hyperactive/impulsive: You may feel restless or act without thinking.
- Combined: You have parts of the two other types.
The experts at Understood.org said: “Girls and women mostly have the inattentive type of ADHD. Being inattentive doesn’t stand out like being hyperactive and impulsive does. Those symptoms are more common in boys and men. Inattentive girls and women are more likely to be overlooked or misdiagnosed.”
They added that women are “less likely than men to have hyperactivity as a symptom”, and this is one of the reasons they’re diagnosed less often. Your symptoms determine the type or ‘presentation’ of ADHD you have. Mental health professionals look at the main symptoms to make a diagnosis.