Signs of ADHD: Symptoms in Women

A handy checklist of common ADHD symptoms in women - consult this before seeking an ADHD diagnosis for yourself or your child.

by Eunice Sigler

Do you have signs of attention deficit disorder (ADD ADHD)? Does your daughter? Only a mental-health professional can tell for sure, but completing a do-it-yourself symptom checklist will give you an idea of whether you have adult ADHD.

The more questions you answer in the affirmative, the more likely you are to have ADD. Be sure to share your completed checklist with a doctor.

• Do you feel overwhelmed in stores, at the office, or at parties? Is it impossible for you to shut out sounds and distractions that don't bother others?

• Is time, money, paper, or "stuff" dominating your life and hampering your ability to achieve your goals?

• Are you spending most of your time coping, looking for things, catching up, or covering up? Do you avoid people because of this?

• Have you stopped having people over to your house because of your shame at the mess?

• Do you have trouble balancing your checkbook?

• Do you often feel as if life is out of control, that it's impossible to meet demands?

• Do you feel that you have better ideas than other people but are unable to organize them or act on them?

• Do you start each day determined to get organized?

• Have you watched others of equal intelligence and education pass you by?

• Do you despair of ever fulfilling your potential and meeting your goals?

• Have you ever been thought of as selfish because you don't write thank-you notes or send birthday cards?

• Are you clueless as to how others manage to lead consistent, regular lives?

• Are you called "a slob" or "spacey?" Are you "passing for normal?" Do you feel as if you are an impostor?

Symptom checklists are available at addvance.com/help/women/girl_checklist.html and addresources.org/article_adhd_checklist_amen.php, as well as at sarisolden.com/checklist.html (the site from which the questions above are adapted).