Jun 11, 2026 · 36 min · 10 segments
**Welcome back to the Pressing Play Podcast.** In this episode, Jo is joined by Dr. Helen Wall GP, menopause specialist, Resident GP on BBC Breakfast and author of Menopause and ADHD: How to…
Jo FiddyHostI think, you know, for years women have gone missed with all forms of neurodivergence.
So they've been misdiagnosed, they've been, uh, mislabeled, fobbed off, dismissed.
Um, societal terminology around women, you know, they're scatty, they're ditzy, they're, uh, you know, this and that.
All the things that we wouldn't necessarily choose to, to put on a boy in terms of their sort of labeling and language-
... has been historically how women and, and girls have been brought, brought up.
And I think because of that, we've h- missed the opportunities to see, uh, neurodivergence, particularly ADHD in, in women and girls.
Um, they're not the hyperactive boy in the classroom that's, you know, running about, can't sit still.
Very often, I mean, this is a generalization, they're very often the girl who's trying to fit in, who's inattentive in her mind, hyperactive in her mind, not able to switch off, but internally restless.
And, um, you know, she can lose focus, and she can be labeled as ditzy or, or, or dippy or, you know, can't, can't stay focused.
And all of those things go with them through life, and girls are very good at learning to fit into society, and we, we program them like that.
You know, we want them to be good girls and, and sit quietly and not be disruptive.
And therefore, they start building these, this scaffolding around them, which, which is basically a mask.
And what parents who come to see me as a GP will often say is, you know, the school say she's absolutely perfectly behaved.
You know, she's spent all day in this world where she's having to perform almost.
I think, you know, for years women have gone missed with all forms of neurodivergence.
So they've been misdiagnosed, they've been, uh, mislabeled, fobbed off, dismissed.
Um, societal terminology around women, you know, they're scatty, they're ditzy, they're, uh, you know, this and that.
All the things that we wouldn't necessarily choose to, to put on a boy in terms of their sort of labeling and language-
... has been historically how women and, and girls have been brought, brought up.
And I think because of that, we've h- missed the opportunities to see, uh, neurodivergence, particularly ADHD in, in women and girls.
Um, they're not the hyperactive boy in the classroom that's, you know, running about, can't sit still.
Very often, I mean, this is a generalization, they're very often the girl who's trying to fit in, who's inattentive in her mind, hyperactive in her mind, not able to switch off, but internally restless.
And, um, you know, she can lose focus, and she can be labeled as ditzy or, or, or dippy or, you know, can't, can't stay focused.
And all of those things go with them through life, and girls are very good at learning to fit into society, and we, we program them like that.
You know, we want them to be good girls and, and sit quietly and not be disruptive.
And therefore, they start building these, this scaffolding around them, which, which is basically a mask.
And what parents who come to see me as a GP will often say is, you know, the school say she's absolutely perfectly behaved.
You know, she's spent all day in this world where she's having to perform almost.
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