ADHD in Girls

Former Member

Any girls here have ADHD or know any one know girls with ADHD? My mental health worker keeps suggesting I *could* have it, although she has admitted she does over diagnose it! I can see some symptoms of it in myself, but then they can also be symptoms of bi-polar or something similar.

I've only ever known boys with ADHD, and I don't think I'm anything like them... but then my mental health worker said it's very different in girls (but neglecting to explain how so).

Oh and also, has anyone ever been on ADHD medication? What does it do? And did it help?
Think I've posted about this before, but can't remember, so I'm sorry if I have.

Thanks

Former Member

i had a seminar on ADHD last week and we were told that the possible reasons for the large number of diagnoses in boys are likely to be similar to the reasons that conditions such as autism and conduct disorder are seen more in boys. it is a lot to do with parental and educational expectations and the stereotype of 'naughty boys' - people are more likely to look out for conditions like ADHD in boys, whereas when similar symptoms present in girls a more 'female' reason might be found. as you say, it can look like ADHD but it could look like something else too. also, girls are typically better at copying others and try harder to fit in and follow the crowd, so might be experiencing symptoms of ADHD but conceal them or cover them up by copying the behaviour of others, so it goes unnoticed. there isn't a biological reason for ADHD being more prevalent in males.

common drugs for ADHD are things like medikinet (ritalin/methylphenidate) which helps to reduce overactivity. sleep aids like melatonin are sometimes prescribed too.

Former Member

Thanks omg hi that's really useful to know
The mental health worker said the one thing that makes me stand out from ADHD is that my mood has very clear cycles.. it used to be 8 weeks up, then 8 weeks down, but now it's become a lot more rapid (days instead of weeks). She said in ADHD the cycles would be within a day, and I don't really have that I don't think.