ADHD & Women: Misdiagnosed & Misunderstood

with Dr Anneka Tomlinson

Anneka starts by clearing away the myths: that ADHD only affects boys, that it’s laziness or a lack of effort, or that it’s simply a superpower. She explains what ADHD actually is — a neurodevelopmental condition affecting attention, impulsivity, activity and emotion — walks through its inattentive, hyperactive-impulsive and combined presentations, and sets out exactly how it’s assessed and diagnosed, from the diagnostic criteria to NHS and private referral routes.

• The most common myths about ADHD, and what’s really going on
• How the three ADHD presentations differ
• The difference between having some ADHD traits and having the condition
• How diagnosis works — criteria, referrals and waiting lists

with Dr Anneka Tomlinson

Why are so many women diagnosed late, or not at all? Anneka looks at research built on male samples, referral rates of between three and sixteen boys for every girl, and the quieter, inattentive presentation that’s easily missed — or masked. She then lays out what untreated ADHD can cost, from relationships, finances and risk-taking to self-esteem, and why assessment and management matter so much.

• Why girls and women are so often missed or misdiagnosed
• How masking and coping strategies can hide ADHD for years
• Why symptoms often surface at life transitions
• The real-world impact of ADHD that goes untreated

with Dr Anneka Tomlinson

ADHD rarely travels alone. Anneka explores the conditions that commonly sit alongside it — depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, substance use and disordered eating — and why women tend to show internalising conditions that can hide the ADHD underneath. She covers how clinicians decide what to treat first, the link between hormones and mood, and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD).

• Why 43% of adults with ADHD also experience depression
• Telling ADHD and bipolar disorder apart
• What PMDD is, and why it matters so much for women with ADHD
• How clinicians decide which condition to treat first

with Dr Anneka Tomlinson

What’s different about the ADHD brain? Anneka explains the structural, functional and chemical differences — including the roles of dopamine and noradrenaline — and asks whether the science points to a disorder or a difference. She then turns to treatment: the full range of management options, how stimulant and non-stimulant medications work, their side effects and monitoring, and what a shared care agreement is.

• The brain science of ADHD, explained clearly
• The full toolkit of treatments, medical and non-medical
• How ADHD medications work, and how they differ
• Side effects, monitoring and shared care agreements

with Dr Anneka Tomlinson

Hormones are central to understanding ADHD in women. Anneka explains the link between oestrogen and dopamine, and how ADHD symptoms can shift across the menstrual cycle, with hormonal contraception, through perimenopause and menopause — when diagnoses are rising fast — and during pregnancy, where she discusses the evidence on medication and the risk of postnatal depression.

• How oestrogen and dopamine are linked
• Why ADHD symptoms can change across your cycle
• ADHD in perimenopause and menopause
• What’s known about ADHD and medication in pregnancy

with Dr Anneka Tomlinson

The final module covers the parts of ADHD that often affect daily life the most. Anneka explains what executive functions are and what happens when they falter — time blindness included — then explores emotional dysregulation and rejection sensitive dysphoria, with practical strategies for each. She closes with ADHD coaching: what it is, what the evidence says, and how to choose a coach.

• What executive dysfunction is, and how it shows up
• Why emotions can feel so intense with ADHD
• Rejection sensitive dysphoria, and how to challenge it
• What ADHD coaching can offer, and how to find a good coach

with Dr Anneka Tomlinson

Anneka rounds off the course with her practical, everyday strategies for living well with ADHD — from keeping a symptom diary to the lifestyle foundations that make a real difference.

• Tracking your symptoms to spot patterns
• Everyday habits that support focus and mood