Tracy Otsuka

“For many women with ADHD, we may be able to sit still but we can’t stop moving through our never-ending thoughts.”
― Tracy Otsuka, ADHD for Smart Ass Women: How to Fall in Love with Your Neurodivergent Brain

“Women are more likely to internalize their symptoms Boys and men with ADHD are more likely to “externalize” their symptoms, meaning they might break rules, engage in aggressive behaviors, or mouth off. They act out. Girls and women with the condition, on the other hand, are more likely to “internalize” their symptoms. They live with their symptoms in their head. Girls and women are also more likely to suppress feelings of anger and frustration, and many times are too fearful to share with others what they’re going through. Instead of reaching out for help—or receiving it passively because they display disruptive behavior like boys often do—girls and women develop negative thought patterns when dealing with their symptoms. This exacerbates low self-esteem, anxiety, and depression.”
― Tracy Otsuka, ADHD for Smart Ass Women: How to Fall in Love with Your Neurodivergent Brain