When most people think about ADHD, they imagine someone who’s hyperactive or impulsive. However, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder has another side that’s often overlooked: ADHD inattentive type. This form of ADHD is less about visible restlessness and more about subtle symptoms, making it easy to miss, even though it can significantly impact daily life.

The unique mental load of moms with ADHD: Being a mom means managing meals, homework, doctor’s appointments, birthday parties, emotional support, and more. When you add ADHD to the mix, the mental load can become overwhelming. Many moms with ADHD find that planners, routines, and color-coded calendars never seem to stick, and it’s not because they’re lazy or disorganized. Traditional systems simply weren’t built for your brain or your lifestyle.

Planners are difficult for adults with ADHD because of executive function challenges: ADHD disrupts the brain’s executive functions, which are essential for managing time, organizing tasks, and following through. Planners require initiation, organization, working memory, sustained attention, and task monitoring, which are precisely the areas where adults with ADHD struggle. Maintaining a planner can feel like a job in itself.

Women with ADHD are frequently undiagnosed or misunderstood, resulting in years of silent struggle. Unlike the classic image of a hyperactive child, women often experience quieter, internalized ADHD symptoms that are easily missed. Layer in gender norms, emotional labor, and hormonal changes, and the reality for women with ADHD becomes much more complex. Here are the most common challenges women with ADHD face, and supportive strategies designed specifically for their needs.