Why support for ADHD women matters to suicide prevention

NSPA Lived Experience Influencers Alice Brockway and Maxine Roper explain why recognising and supporting ADHD in women is so important to suicide prevention.

We are both women in our early 40s. One of us is late-diagnosed with ADHD and dyspraxia, the other on a 10-year waiting list for assessment, with a possible autism assessment to follow. We both came to NSPA due to our own experiences around suicide. Alice has battled with self-harm and suicide attempts, while Maxine has been bereaved or affected by suicide on multiple occasions. Both our lives have been dominated by uneven abilities, intense highs and lows, and unhelpful labels. Until very recently, ADHD was more often associated with young boys. An increasing number of women are now being diagnosed with ADHD. We know that that there will be a range of different experiences and perspectives amongst ADHD. Based on our own experience and research, here’s what we think is important for everyone in suicide prevention to know.

Women with ADHD are more likely to be impacted by suicide

Research suggests that adults with ADHD are five times more likely to attempt suicide than the general population) and 1 in 4 women with ADHD have attempted suicide. It’s important to emphasise that ADHD doesn’t directly lead to suicide attempts, the reasons for suicide attempts are often multiple and varied. However, the impact of living with unrecognised neurodivergence or co-occurring health issues may contribute to someone’s distress. If you have ADHD you’re also likely to know a lot people who experience suicidality, which increases the likelihood of being bereaved by suicide. The challenges of ADHD can also add to the complexities of being bereaved by suicide. Finally, most research into ADHD and suicidality involves people with a confirmed diagnosis, so doesn’t necessarily account for under-diagnosis or measure the impact of late diagnosis.

ADHD affects women differently

One of the reasons ADHD is under-recognised in women is that gendered expectations that many girls are socialised may make ADHD less visible. For example, women tend to be less hyperactive, or our hyperactivity shows up in different ways. Late diagnosis means years without support, and often being made to feel like difficulties are due to individual failure. This can include misdiagnoses of psychiatric disorders and years of treatments that are less effective than they could be. These issues can have a huge negative impact on mental health and wellbeing. For some women, hormonal fluctuations monthly or at key times in life (adolescence, pregnancy and menopause) can make ADHD harder to manage.

ADHD is far more than a difficulty paying attention

ADHD is a difficulty managing attention rather than paying attention, which means we hyperfocus as well as lack focus. Hyperfocus can help people with ADHD do well academically and at work, but lack of control over our focus on can be damaging. As well as attention, ADHD affects short-term memory, the ability to plan and prioritise, and manage emotions. These can all profoundly affect someone’s daily routines, work and relationships. When these core parts of someone’s life and identity are impacted, once again, the damage to wellbeing and increase of risk are serious.

Medication for ADHD can be difficult to access

Stimulants are the most common medication prescribed for ADHD, and research suggests they can help to reduce suicidal feelings. However, as Alice’s experience shows, waiting lists for ADHD diagnosis in many areas are painfully long. There have recently been worldwide shortages of stimulants as well as supply-chain issues. It is also worth knowing that the common overlap between ADHD and autism can impact the effects of these medications. With waiting lists for both diagnoses being years long it might take decades for someone to even try these drugs, and there are very limited alternatives. For someone struggling, delays are practically and emotionally draining and damaging. Other health issues can also affect how someone responds to medication.

ADHD women may have a range of other experiences and support needs making joined-up support vital

ADHD often goes with other diagnoses like dyspraxia, dyslexia, autism or learning disabilities. Women with ADHD are more likely to be diagnosed with psychiatric conditions such as anxiety, depression, OCD, addiction, eating disorders, personality disorders, trauma, bipolar). They are also more like to experience other health problems, like heart disease, obesity, gastrointestinal conditions, epilepsy, chronic pain). These can all affect the way ADHD presents or what helps someone with ADHD, so support needs to see the whole person.

For example, ADHD medication doesn’t work for everyone and may not be suitable for people with some health conditions. For people who menstruate the effects of medication may also vary throughout their menstrual cycle. High-intensity exercise, which is typically seen as good for people with ADHD, may not be as accessible for everyone. Some dyspraxics with ADHD find that stimulant medication for ADHD also helps dyspraxic difficulties, but as the two are usually diagnosed and discussed separately, most dyspraxics aren’t aware of this. While medication helps many, it can’t undo the consequences of decades of being misunderstood. Access to coaching and talking therapy are vital, both for those that can’t access medication and for people making sense of a late-diagnosis.

Being creative or being seen as successful doesn’t automatically turn ADHD into a ‘gift’

It’s true that workers in creative sectors are more likely to have ADHD than the general population (including both of us), and there are plenty of people with ADHD who have been very successful. These are good things, but are sometimes used to invalidate the difficulties people with ADHD have. It goes in with the wider conversation about disabilities as ‘superpowers’, something often decried by campaigners. We fully believe people like us have a huge amount to offer but we may well require adjustments and considerations to stay well. Mental health really suffers when the people around you demand the best of you but don’t want to support the struggles. Supporting people’s ADHD supports their wellbeing overall.

We hope this article helps you open conversation with women in your life who may need some specific support of adjustments because of their ADHD. This blog is based on our own lived experiences. Everyone’s experiences of ADHD and neurodivergence are unique to them and we’d always recommend discussing people’s individual needs with them directly.

Further resources and support

For more informational and support, you might find the following useful:

ADHD Adult UK provides resources, support and advocacy for adults with ADHD, run by people with ADHD.

ADHD UK provides information, support, advocacy and promotes awareness of ADHD.

If you need immediate emotional support you can call Samaritans for free on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org.

You can find specialist mental health support in your local region using Hub of Hope website

About the authors

Maxine Roper is a writer and speaker, and a Lived Experience Influencer with NSPA. She is the author of No Heels No Problem: A Neurodivergent Guide to Adult Life When You’re Dyspraxic or ADHD and a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.

Alice Brockway is a Manchester-based Lived Experience Influencer with the NSPA. She has a background as an actor/ creative and is currently doing academic work around mental health in actors. More broadly her work involves supporting and improving mental health in all performing arts workers through her organisation Playing Sane. She has done a lot of teaching and facilitation over the years and passionately believes that mental wellbeing and suicide prevention should be embedded in practices from earliest stages of training.