As a Black woman with ADHD, whether it is a new diagnosis or self-diagnosed, you’re on a new journey of self-discovery and understanding. Finally receiving this diagnosis might bring up a mix of emotions, from relief (“Finally, there’s an explanation!”) to overwhelm (“Where do I even start?”).

Many Black women, in particular, remain undiagnosed because their symptoms are often misunderstood. I want to share some essential terms that have helped many Black women with ADHD make sense of their experience, especially considering our unique cultural context and challenges.

Core ADHD Concepts

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

More than just “trouble focusing,” ADHD is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects how our brains process information and manage tasks. For many Black girls with ADHD, symptoms can look different than the stereotypical hyperactive child bouncing off walls. Our symptoms often show up in ways that society might misinterpret through racial and gender stereotypes, which is why Black women with ADHD or young girls are more likely to have their symptoms mischaracterized.

Executive Dysfunction

Ever feel like your brain’s control center is working overtime but you still don’t feel like you have it together? That’s executive dysfunction – difficulties with planning, organizing, starting tasks, and managing time. As Black women and girls, we often develop elaborate coping mechanisms to hide these struggles, especially in professional settings where we’re already fighting against stereotypes and biases.

Time Blindness

This isn’t about being on “CP time”  it’s about genuinely struggling to perceive how long things take. The reality of being Black women with ADHD means you might plan to be early, start getting ready with plenty of time, and somehow still end up running late. Studies show that this is a common struggle among those with ADHD, but for Black women with ADHD this can complicate things even further.

Hyperfocus 

This can be one of those aspects that people consider a superpower when used correctly. This is the tendency or ability to become so absorbed in tasks that interest us, sometimes to the point where it throws off our schedule or causes us to skip lunch for the third time this week. If you can learn to channel your moments of hyperfocus effectively, it can lead to finishing up long tasks or coming up with new innovative ideas. 

Neurodivergent

This describes people whose brains work in ways that are different from what’s considered “typical.” For example, if you have ADHD, autism, or dyslexia, you’re neurodivergent. For Black women with ADHD, understanding that you’re neurodivergent can be empowering. It puts a name to your experiences and helps you see that you’re not alone. It can also make it easier to advocate for yourself in workplaces, relationships, and communities that might not yet fully understand ADHD.

Emotional and Social Impact

Masking 

This one hits hard. Masking is when we hide our ADHD symptoms to fit in or avoid judgment. Many Black women take on that pressure of masking long before getting diagnosed partly because of the pressure to be “twice as good” and defy stereotypes. While masking can help us survive certain situations, it comes at a cost to our mental health and authenticity. 

Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria (RSD) 

That deep, intense pain you feel when you face criticism or what you perceive as rejection is RSD. As Black women and girls, we might experience this more intensely because of how it overlaps with experiences of racial and gender discrimination. Black women with ADHD may suppress or internalize their feelings of rejection to avoid  being labeled as an “angry Black woman”  Research suggests that Black women in particular may experience RSD more intensely due to the compounded effects of racism and sexism.

Imposter Syndrome 

Many of us already battle imposter syndrome as Black women in various spaces. Add ADHD to the mix, and those feelings of “not belonging” or “waiting to be found out” can become more intense. The reality of being a Black woman with ADHD means navigating these feelings while often being less likely to receive a diagnosis for ADHD than our peers. 

Living with ADHD

Organized Chaos 

Organized chaos is when things look messy or unstructured on the surface, but there’s actually a system or method behind it that works for the person managing it. It’s like having a cluttered desk but knowing exactly where everything is when you need it. For many, especially Black women with ADHD, organized chaos might be the way their brain naturally functions. Traditional systems of organization don’t always work, but they’ve figured out unique ways to stay on top of things—even if it doesn’t look “typical.” Leaning into organized chaos means understanding that your way of doing things doesn’t have to match anyone else’s as long as it works for you.

Out of Sight, Out of Mind 

Out of Sight, Out of Mind refers to the tendency to forget about things you can’t see or aren’t actively reminded of. When things aren’t visible, they might as well not exist for the ADHD brain. For people with ADHD, this can show up in everyday life because ADHD affects working memory—the ability to hold and manage information in your mind. What can be viewed as forgetfulness or carelessness is really a reflection of how our attention and memory systems work. Understanding this can help you create strategies to work with your brain instead of against it.

I know this might feel like a lot to take in, but learning about ADHD as a Black woman gives language for experiences you’ve probably been dealing with your whole life. Your journey might look different from what you see in mainstream ADHD discussions, and that’s okay. The reality of being Black women with ADHD means our path often includes navigating both race and gender alongside our ADHD traits. But always remember that your experiences are valid, your struggles are real, and your ways of managing are legitimate – even if they don’t look like everyone else’s.

What terms were surprising to you? Let’s talk about it in the comments below!

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