ADHD is something many people have heard of. You may know someone who has been diagnosed. You may already have a diagnosis, or maybe you’ve quietly wondered if it could explain parts of your life that have always felt harder than they should.

For a lot of people, the story sounds like this: “This is just me. I’m scattered. I’m forgetful. I start things and don’t finish them. I’m bad at routines.”
And over time, those patterns can become identity.

In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Sarah Carthy, who specialises in ADHD, to unpack what ADHD can actually look like in real life — especially in girls and women, where it so often goes unseen and misunderstood.

Because ADHD doesn’t always look like the stereotype.

It can look like being high-functioning on the outside but overwhelmed on the inside.
It can look like chronic procrastination, emotional intensity, people-pleasing, or burnout.
It can look like constantly trying to “keep up” with a world that feels just slightly out of sync with how your brain works.

And for many women, it goes undiagnosed for years.

Instead, it gets labelled as anxiety.
Or sensitivity.
Or “just the way you are.”

In this conversation, we explore:

• The different ways ADHD presents, particularly beyond the hyperactive stereotype
• Why so many girls and women are missed or misdiagnosed
• The emotional impact of living without answers
• How ADHD can shape self-worth, relationships, and daily functioning

I also share my own personal journey with ADHD — what led me to explore it, what shifted when I began to understand it, and my experience with medication.

Because this isn’t just about diagnosis.
It’s about knowledge.
It’s about context.
It’s about recognising that some of the things you’ve been blaming yourself for, have never been character flaws to begin with.

Dr Sarah Carthy: www.adhddoc.ie

www.irelandadhd.ie

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