Women & Young Girls With ADHD: How They Feel & Why They Do What They Do w/ Dr. Kathleen Nadeau

What if some of the challenges you've struggled with for years have a name and you've never been diagnosed?

In this episode of Older Women & Friends, Jane Leder talks with Dr. Kathleen Nadeau, an internationally recognized clinical psychologist, author, and pioneer in ADHD research for girls and women across the lifespan.

Kathleen shares her own experience growing up with ADHD before she understood what was happening. She describes being active, athletic, intensely focused on academics, and a passionate reader, while still experiencing challenges that, in hindsight, made sense through the lens of ADHD. She also explains why ADHD can look very different from one person to another and why girls and women have historically been overlooked or diagnosed later.

The conversation explores late ADHD diagnosis, attention and focus, anxiety and overwhelm, family patterns, genetics, and the impact of environment and expectations on women with ADHD. Kathleen discusses how traditional expectations around homemaking, caregiving, multitasking, and managing a household can create particular challenges for women with ADHD.

Jane and Kathleen also discuss hormones, puberty, pregnancy, perimenopause, and menopause, and how hormonal fluctuations can affect women with ADHD. They talk about ADHD medications, working collaboratively with healthcare providers, and the importance of understanding individual needs rather than assuming there is one solution for everyone.

But this conversation isn't only about difficulties. Kathleen offers a different perspective: ADHD can also come with creativity, energy, problem-solving, enthusiasm, adaptability, and the ability to think on your feet. She encourages people to understand their strengths and find environments where those strengths can flourish.

For women over 50, older women, caregivers, families, and anyone interested in ADHD across the lifespan, this is an insightful conversation about diagnosis, self-understanding, personal growth, and learning how to live well with a differently wired brain.

*Personal Experiences

*Signs and Symptoms

*Across the Lifespan

*Role of the Environment

*Genetic Factors in ADHD

*Hormonal Influences

*Medication

*Tools & Strategies for Managing ADHD

https://drkathleennadeau.com/

https://www.accelevents.com/e/ilatglobal