A unique collaboration between an ADHD psychiatrist and an author-illustrator and coach, this book brings ADHD in women to life through vivid stories, sound medical information, nuanced insights and humorous illustrations.
Discussion around ADHD has exploded in recent years. Yet its symptoms are still too often missed, minimised,or misunderstood – especially in girls and women.
The gap between the public face and the private reality is where many women with ADHD live, sometimes for decades. Symptoms shift. The same woman who appears impressively steady from the outside can feel perpetually on edge – one missed step away from losing her footing. The fallout can be chronic self-doubt, anxiety, burnout, underachievement and a quiet, corrosive sense of shame.
The good news is that ADHD is treatable. With clarity, compassion and evidence-based guidance, this book offers an anchor for women who want to understand what’s really going on, make informed choices about support – from lifestyle change to medication – and move forward with less self-blame and more self-trust.
Told through seven unforgettable case studies, this readable, humane exploration of ADHD in women, reframes ‘too much,’ ‘too sensitive,’ and ‘too disorganised’ as signs of a differently wired brain. It is both a validation and practical roadmap – a go-to survival guide for all women with high-wire brains.
Discussion around ADHD has exploded in recent years. Yet its symptoms are still too often missed, minimised,or misunderstood – especially in girls and women.
The gap between the public face and the private reality is where many women with ADHD live, sometimes for decades. Symptoms shift. The same woman who appears impressively steady from the outside can feel perpetually on edge – one missed step away from losing her footing. The fallout can be chronic self-doubt, anxiety, burnout, underachievement and a quiet, corrosive sense of shame.
The good news is that ADHD is treatable. With clarity, compassion and evidence-based guidance, this book offers an anchor for women who want to understand what’s really going on, make informed choices about support – from lifestyle change to medication – and move forward with less self-blame and more self-trust.
Told through seven unforgettable case studies, this readable, humane exploration of ADHD in women, reframes ‘too much,’ ‘too sensitive,’ and ‘too disorganised’ as signs of a differently wired brain. It is both a validation and practical roadmap – a go-to survival guide for all women with high-wire brains.
Reviews
Combining lived experience, clinical practice and evidence-based medical information, this is a fantastic resource. It provides information and practical coping strategies on a wide range of topics that affect women with ADHD across different stages of their lives. Warm, clear writing, personal stories and wonderful illustrations make it accessible and engaging. I highly recommend
An exceptionally comprehensive and engaging book for women with ADHD and their supporters. Whether you are looking to feel seen and understood, gain increased knowledge, or find advice on managing ADHD challenges, it's all covered. I can highly recommend this fantastic book
Warm, wise and wonderfully practical, this is the book so many women have been waiting for. Combining rigorous science, clinical wisdom and lived experience, it speaks directly to the reader: "I see you. I understand you. You are not broken." Essential reading - and a book I will be recommending without hesitation
Women and ADHD is an outstanding resource that goes far beyond the core symptoms of ADHD to explore the many physical and neurological conditions that commonly coexist with it. It offers women and their clinicians a much-needed understanding of the interplay between ADHD, migraine, sleep, fatigue, pain and hormonal influences. Compassionate, practical and highly accessible, I would wholeheartedly recommend this book to women with ADHD and to the healthcare professionals who support them
This beautifully written and disarmingly engaging book gives women a new way to understand themselves. Cubbin and Johnson Shakespeare make the science of ADHD accessible and bring depth and nuance to a struggle that so often becomes hidden and internalised, especially by women, then managed in ways that create even greater confusion and personal and interpersonal cost. A growing body of research suggests that chronic childhood stress and family trauma can shape attention, executive functioning and emotional regulation in ways that overlap with ADHD. Untreated ADHD is also a well-established risk factor for both substance use disorders and behavioural addictions, creating a powerful pathway through which trauma and neurodevelopmental differences can become deeply intertwined. This warm, wise, clear-eyed book broadens an important conversation. It is compassionate without being soft, and clear without being simplistic. I wish I'd had it to hand years ago
One of the most comprehensive and compassionate books I've read on ADHD in women. It combines scientific depth with practical guidance in a way that makes complex topics genuinely accessible. An essential read for women with ADHD, and for anyone who wants to understand them better
This wonderful volume is a mixture of storytelling, accessible textbook and self-help guide. It is packed with explanations which many will find revelations. It is full of understanding and personal stories which enable self-compassion, acceptance and the route to personal growth. It is full of wisdom and tools to help people make their best decisions - and more importantly for those with ADHD, follow through. It answers so many questions that I have been asked - and should have been asked - by so many ADHD patients in my thirty years as a GP
Finally! Women and ADHD captures the experiences of women like no book before. It does not talk down to anyone but rather brings clarity to different experiences, hormone fluctuations, societal role expectations, and the historical neglect by medical research of all things female. While this book is destined to become the standard text on the subject, it is also beautifully written, engaging and deeply empathic
An authoritative yet remarkably readable guide to ADHD in women. This book succeeds in making complex science understandable without losing clinical accuracy. The vivid clinical stories and thoughtful explanations will resonate with countless women who have spent years wondering why life has always seemed harder than it should. Compassionate, practical and scientifically balanced, this is a book I would happily recommend to my own patients
We often think of ADHD afflicting children but less frequently adult women. This incredibly helpful book demonstrates how many women might have this condition and offers useful advice and deep understanding. Told from both personal and medical standpoints, it's an invaluable tool
This is THE BOOK on ADHD in women. Cubbin and Johnson Shakespeare's book is pithy, warm, full of practical tips you can use today, as well as the wisdom that wanders through eternity. You will grow not only in knowledge of ADHD but also in your depth as a human being
A valuable and validating resource for women and girls. I believe this book must land in the hands of all healthcare and educational professionals who are invested in the wellbeing and support of women and girls to truly understand the impact of undiagnosed ADHD and why early diagnosis is key to better health outcomes for neurodivergent women
What a fantastic book! Managing ADHD in women is often considerably more nuanced than it is in men, and the book reflects that reality well. And at last, a book that challenges the idea that ADHD reflects a moral failing or character weakness. Helping people understand that their struggles arise from differences in brain wiring, not personal shortcomings, can be profoundly validating and healing. The stories of the women woven throughout the book reinforce this message beautifully
This is such an informative and needed book! The association of ADHD and hormones is important and can no longer be ignored
Every woman with ADHD will see herself in this wonderfully comprehensive and engaging book, whether she's sixteen or sixty-five. I consider this the new Bible of ADHD in women. This is a must-have for your ADHD library and one I will be recommending to my clients. This is a book you will not only fall in love with but will turn to whenever you need a better understanding of what you're going through, with much needed science-backed information, and gentle support via pragmatic tips you might not find elsewhere. Bravo!
A comprehensive guide for women with ADHD that strikes an unusual balance of deep empathy and solid expertise. It's infused with understanding and compassion and is completely accessible through illustrations, composite characters, and explanations that are simple, direct and nuanced - clearly grounded in both personal and professional experience
Women and ADHD is a remarkable and deeply moving book. With warmth, wisdom and compassion, Sally Cubbin and Gillian Johnson Shakespeare illuminate the often-overlooked experiences of women with ADHD, helping readers replace self-blame with understanding. This is a book that informs, reassures and inspires, while reminding us that it is never too late to rewrite our story
Many women with ADHD will recognise themselves in the pages of this wonderful book. Tthe authors take clinical language and evidence and ground it in practical insights women can use in their day-to-day lives. The book tackles topics too often overlooked for women with ADHD including sex, pregnancy, motherhood and the menopause
A life-changing book for women with ADHD! Packed with information and practical suggestions that come alive as you follow the lives of seven fictional women characters with ADHD. Truly a gift to women with ADHD searching for answers to a better life