Jo MacIntosh

ADHD in women often looks different than what people expect.

It's not always hyperactivity or inability to focus.
It's perfectionism masking as control.
It's anxiety that tells you you're not enough.
It's depression that shows up as "I just can't" when really it's "my brain is working so hard to keep up that there's nothing left."

For me, it's all of that, plus.

The inattentive type means my brain functions in these chaotically creative bursts of productivity and then slams into a wall.

I hyperfocus on shiny things that suddenly matter to me (or things that are totally irrelevant and useless) and entirely lose track of time. It means I developed complete alter egos so good at being fake-productive that nobody realised I was struggling.

I wish I'd known this is not laziness or lack of discipline. It's neurology: Low estrogen = already-short-supply of dopamine tanks = brain gets chemical withdrawal = zero motivation or emotional regulation

If you think you might have ADHD, trust your gut instinct and consider getting assessed. Your life might change the way mine did.

Send me a message if you want to chat about it. No judgment, just understanding.