While researching, I found tons of resources for ADHD in youtubes, articles, blogs, medical websites, and books. Unfortunately they all had one blatantly main underlying common denominator:
Most information primarily addresses ADD/ADHD amongst hyperactive little boys or men.
There are very few resources for inactive, impulsive adult women. Seriously, google “ADHD for
women”, the majority of resources that will pop up are for women who are mothers with ADD
kids, but don't actually have it themselves. ARGHHH!! There are blogs written by and for women that seemed to pander to gender stereotypes: for "busy rich executives divas" or "overwhelmed stay-at-home-craft-moms", all of which did not speak to me directly and ultimately annoyed me. Some of the personal blogs from/for women were somewhat helpful, but I don't want a "Carrie Bradshaw-esque" breakdown, I need REALNESS. There were plenty of blogs from non-adhd wives of husbands that had adhd, adult's experiences on/off medication for ADHD, and very vague medical symptoms/tests/causes for ADHD. Again, not what I was looking for.
While I was able to pull some goodness and valid information from these various sites, there was still a major lack of connection for me. While certain parts were useful for my own life, I was forced to cryptically relate. I didn't really need to know how to get my spazzy child's morning routine easier for him, why my moody husband can't find his keys or keep a job, or read about exhausting and dramatic horror stories from people needing to change their dosage or stop their "over prescribed" ADHD meds!! (enter eyeroll: ya, people on too many uppers isn't going to be pleasant, ya rookie.)
There were plenty of articles on anxiety and depression for adult women ( some loosely connecting to ADHD specifically). This registered with me. I found many women with similar experiences to mine, had been quickly diagnosed/medicated for depression as a teenager, and also had symptoms of anxiety periodically throughout teen years and twenties.
What I have discovered through this roller coaster of new ADHD knowledge and acceptance, is that my anxiety and depression were actually symptoms of my untreated ADHD, and not solo general issues. My inability to focus on a task, idea, or creating/executing a plan, resulted in numerous “failures”. Those failures were directly followed with bouts of depression and anxiety. I was anxious that I didn’t pay my phone bill or would/had forgot my homework/keys. I was depressed that I never went to the art store to buy the canvas to start the process of nurturing my desire to paint. I reverted to anxiety and depression pre and post task because it was highly probable that I would forget something, not be able to focus, and ultimately not complete something. My anxiety and depression weren't ungrounded or "out of no where", I had concrete factual based reasons/evidence to worry or be bummed that I wouldn't complete something how I wanted to: experience. I had legit reasons to be anxious pre task, and to be depressed post task. All of my inabilities then seemed to be directly linked to the looming unknown monster: ADHD.
I needed to understand and then deal with this mysterious monster!
The lack of varied information for women with ADHD caused me massive amounts of frustration and determination to
further my hunt for knowledge. The list below are a few direct links to helpful information for women with ADHD, besides the classic ones that will come up in a basic search (which generally have awful and outdated web design, BTW. It's hard to even want to read them. #clipart #gross)
I'll add to this list in future posts on more specific topics:
3. (this one is for girls, not women- but still helpful) adhd youtube
This video discusses how adhd can be different for men and women. It is great!:
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