Why are women with ADHD often misdiagnosed with anxiety or depression?

This happens frequently in women because ADHD often presents differently in females than in males. While boys with ADHD are more likely to show obvious hyperactivity and disruptive behavior, girls and women more commonly have the inattentive type, which includes symptoms like difficulty focusing, forgetfulness, disorganization, and mental fatigue. These symptoms can easily be mistaken for depression, since low energy and poor motivation are common in both, or for anxiety, since distractibility and restlessness can resemble worry and tension. Additionally, many women with ADHD learn to mask their struggles through coping strategies, which can hide the underlying attention difficulties and make their challenges appear situational or emotional rather than neurological. As a result, the subtle, internalized nature of ADHD in women often leads to misdiagnosis and treatment for mood or anxiety disorders before the true cause is recognized