ADHD

Silhouette of a woman's head with cacti and butterflies flowing from it, representing creativity and nature.

Beyond the Stigma Az specializes in diagnosing and treating women and girls with ADHD!

DID YOU KNOW THAT ADHD IS OFTEN MISSED IN WOMEN AND GIRLS?

Why, you ask! The common finding is that the condition typically presents with different symptoms for females than it does for our male friends, leaving us diagnosed with conditions such as anxiety, depression, or OCD, or maybe never diagnosed at all because we tend to compensate and cover the presenting symptoms.

Common symptoms by gender:

Males = Hyperactivity

VS

Females = Inattentive, Internalizing, hyper-focus, chronic fatigue

Tell me do any of these sound like you or your daughter:

  • Often found daydreaming or “zoning out” - this is often mistaken as being “spacey” or uninterested in what others are talking about.

  • Struggling with forgetfulness and lack of organization - often runs late, may leave tasks uncompleted, may seem irresponsible.

  • Elevated levels of emotional sensitivity or mood swings - presents with self doubt, increased anxiety, inability to control emotions.

  • Hyper-focused or perfectionist - struggles to take a break before completion of a task, may set unrealistic expectations for themself.

  • Chronic fatigue and feeling overwhelmed - mental exhaustion from expectations they set on themselves and the constant juggling of work, school, life, and friendships while unknowingly trying to compensate to mask or hide the symptoms that are present.

At Beyond the Stigma Az, we believe that a comprehensive, evidence-based evaluation is essential in understanding how your brain works, and what treatment plan will lead to the outcomes you desire most!

Person working on a laptop in a bright room with large windows, holding a cup, with a backpack and various items on the table.

ADHD may look like THIS

Or THIS

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Research has found that untreated ADHD leads to decreased life expectancy

One 2024 study shares that under treating ADHD does not go without consequences and that when appropriately prescribed medication by providers trained in screening, diagnosing, and treating there is substantial reduction in mortality risk factors.

(Treating Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Matters)

It may look like this…

Person using smartphone in relaxed setting

Another states that the initiation of medication for the treatment of diagnosed ADHD is associated with significantly lower rates of death particularly when looking at death due to unnatural causes.

(ADHD Pharmacotherapy and Mortality in Individuals with ADHD)

While FEELING like THIS

Long exposure light trails in a dark room

The CDC shares that treating ADHD with pharmacotherapy results in decreased social & emotional impairment, substance use disorders, and unintentional injury all leading to decreased unnatural causes of death. They go on to say that decreasing delays in obtaining treatment as adults could improve long-term health risks.

(Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Diagnosis, Treatment, and Telehealth Use in Adults)