Does ADHD look the same in every person, or is that expectation part of why it gets missed?

It doesn't, and that expectation is a real part of why ADHD gets missed in some people. DSM-5-TR recognizes three distinct presentations, inattentive, hyperactive-impulsive, and combined, and individual experience varies further within those categories based on coexisting conditions, coping strategies, and life stage. The popular image of ADHD, usually a hyperactive young boy, reflects the population most studied historically, not the full range of how the condition actually presents. FasTreat also offers private online ADHD assessment and ongoing care, depending on your needs and clinical assessment. Related reading: https://www.fastreat.com/en/adhd-faq References: https://www.psychiatry.org/psychiatrists/practice/dsm

Everyone in my assessment interview commented on how composed I seemed. Turns out that's basically expected and my assessor didn't blink, my actual history was what mattered. I actually mentioned this exact worry to my assessor beforehand and she said it comes up constantly, which made me feel a lot less self-conscious. Nice to know it's a common enough worry that it doesn't need much explaining.