Late ADHD diagnosis meets decades of “success” in this revealing midlife conversation on identity, mental health, and self-acceptance. Listen in and see what happens when striving gives way to true fulfillment.

As a former psychotherapist who's diagnosed others with ADHD and been diagnosed myself, I want to open up a conversation about who fits under the ADHD umbrella. Getting a formal ADHD diagnosis as an adult woman involves meticulous interviews, forms, symptom checklists, and sometimes full psychological evaluations—if it's even available where you live. The psychiatric community has a gender bias when it comes to ADHD diagnosis. Women are told "you can't have ADHD, you completed a college degree" or "you've made it this far without a diagnosis, why get one now?" One woman was told by a psychiatrist that he "does not believe women can have ADHD." Here's a lesser-known fact: it's not the number or severity of symptoms that determine diagnosis—it's the degree of impairment. Women who've created workarounds and built systems might not meet diagnostic criteria, but they most definitely have ADHD. The term ADHD-ish creates space for those who resonate with ADHD traits but don't have formal diagnosis. It's about being inclusive and acknowledging that we all deserve validation.

Struggling to get an ADHD diagnosis? This episode's for you! Explore reasons people delay diagnosis, navigate challenges, and discover what to expect. Plus, why "ADHD-ish" can empower you.