October is ADHD Awareness Month.

This years theme, 'The Many Faces of ADHD' feels especially close to my heart.

For years, ADHD was seen as a 'naughty boys’ condition”— associated with more visible symptoms like hyperactivity and impulsivity.

Now we know that ADHD affects both females and males in roughly equal proportions.

However, there’s still a huge gap in diagnosis, with males almost three times more likely to be formally identified than females.

Historically, this was because female presentations were often overlooked — traits such as being dreamy, chatty, disorganised, or inattentive were misinterpreted. Many girls learned to cope by masking, pretending everything was fine, while quietly struggling and wondering why life felt harder than it “should.”

So what does that look like for those girls who’ve now grown up — the women in midlife?

• It looks like the woman who’s holding everything together on the outside but quietly unravelling on the inside.

• It looks like the professional who’s spent decades juggling work, family, and endless responsibilities, yet still feels like she’s falling short.

• She’s smart, capable, and endlessly caring — but her mind never stops. She’s constantly firefighting, spinning plates, and wondering why she can’t just “get it together.”

• For years, she’s blamed herself for being inconsistent, distracted, or forgetful.

1. Awareness: Seeing the Full Picture

For many women, discovering ADHD in midlife is both a relief and a reckoning. It explains so much — the overwhelm, the time blindness, the emotional exhaustion.

But it can also bring grief for all the years spent trying to fit into systems that were never designed for us.

“Awareness is powerful — but acceptance is where the real freedom begins.”

2. Acceptance: Reframing the Story

After receiving a diagnosis in midlife, she’s beginning to see that her brain isn’t broken — it’s just wired differently.

• Inconsistency isn’t failure. It’s a sign that your brain thrives on interest, not pressure.

• Procrastination isn’t laziness. It’s often a response to overwhelm or perfectionism.

• And self-doubt? It’s the echo of years spent masking and overcompensating.

When we start to see these patterns with compassion instead of criticism, everything changes.

3. Empowerment: Working With Your Brain, Not Against It

Thriving with ADHD in midlife isn’t about fixing yourself. It’s about creating systems that support you.

Simple, flexible routines. Visual reminders. Gentle accountability.

And most importantly, community — a space where you can be fully seen and supported.

Because when women come together to share their stories, we realise we’re not alone. We’re part of the many faces of ADHD— each one unique, resilient, and full of potential.

4. Purpose: A Midlife Reset

Midlife isn’t an ending. It’s a reset.

It’s a chance to reconnect with your purpose, rediscover your spark, and design a life that finally fits who you are now.

So this October, as we celebrate ADHD Awareness Month, let’s honour the many faces of ADHD — the women who are learning to slow down, trust themselves, and thrive with calm, clarity, and confidence.

💛If this resonated, join me inside the Female ADHD Network Facebook Group — a private supportive community for women navigating midlife with ADHD.