ADHD Is for Boys? Think Again.

Let’s get this straight: almost any neurodevelopmental disorder is going to look a little different in boys than in girls—but with few exceptions, they affect both. This makes sense when you stop to think about it. The genes responsible for most neurological disorders aren’t located only on the X or Y chromosomes (the ones that determine biological sex), but across the other 22 pairs of chromosomes we all share.

Brain development is complicated. There are a lot of cooks in the genetic kitchen, and we’re still unlocking the recipe. So if ADHD isn’t just a “boy thing,” where did this myth come from?

It’s All About the Presentation

The problem wasn’t that girls didn’t have ADHD—it’s that their symptoms didn’t look like the stereotype.

Historically, boys were more likely to be diagnosed because they were more likely to exhibit the classic “hyperactive” behaviors: bouncing off the walls, shouting in class, constantly interrupting. That kind of energy is hard to miss.

But many girls showed signs of inattentiveness, not disruption. And even when they were hyperactive, it was often subtler. Think:

• Tapping toes inside shoes

• Doodling nonstop in notebooks

• Fidgeting with items in their desks

• Shifting constantly in their chairs

• Blurted-out answers or half-flapping hands raised too eagerly

We weren’t less hyper—we were just better at channeling it in ways that didn’t get us sent to the principal’s office.

Invisible ADHD = Invisible Support

In conversations with women diagnosed later in life, a common story emerges: they were practically bursting at the seams trying to contain themselves. But what teachers and parents saw was “spaced out,” “disorganized,” or “lazy.”

Late assignments? “She’s not trying.”
Messy backpack? “She’s just irresponsible.”
Forgotten chores? “She needs to stop day dreaming.”

No one paused to wonder if these girls needed help. They were told to just “try harder.” Their internal frustration grew, but because their struggles weren’t seen, the expectations remained the same—and support was nowhere to be found.

Many were left feeling gaslit: Why can’t I just do what everyone else seems to do so easily?
So they learned to mask, to internalize, to blame themselves—and the consequences followed: anxiety, low self-esteem, burnout, and chronic overwhelm.

We’re Finally Being Seen

As awareness around ADHD grows, many women are realizing that their lifelong struggles with focus, memory, organization, and emotional regulation weren’t personal failures—they were symptoms. And now that they know what’s going on, they can get help. Therapy, community, diagnosis, medication—whatever tools work for them.

So no—ADHD is not a special boys-only club.

It just looks different sometimes.

Of course, that’s not to say there aren’t boys with inattentive-type ADHD, or girls with hyperactive-type. But for decades, the medical model was built around how ADHD presented in young boys. That shaped the research, the interventions, and even the medications.

Hormones Matter, Too

Fun fact (or, not-so-fun for those living it): some studies have found that stimulant medications can be less effective during low-estrogen phases of the menstrual cycle. So one week your meds are doing their job—and a few days later, it feels like you’re taking Tic Tacs.

That’s not you “regressing” or that the medications aren’t working at all. That’s biology.

As more women and girls are included in ADHD research, we’re learning how the condition interacts with hormonal cycles, emotional regulation, and sensory processing in ways we didn’t understand before. And that means treatment is getting better—not just available, but actually tailored.

The Bottom Line

ADHD isn’t just for boys.
Girls have it. Women have it. And it’s not always obvious—but it is real.

For too long, we were overlooked, misdiagnosed, or dismissed. But not anymore. Awareness is rising, the research is catching up, and we’re finally being seen.

And that? That’s something worth celebrating.