Quick Answer
Here's something that might surprise you: at Proactive For Her, one in four women who walk through our doors worried about anxiety or burnout end up screening positive for ADHD-like patterns. And most of them? They're years past school or college, wondering why life suddenly feels so hard to manage.
Adult ADHD doesn't look like what you see in movies. It shows up as distraction when you're trying to focus, hyperfocus on things that don't matter right now, time blindness that makes you constantly late, or emotional overwhelm that leaves you exhausted.
And here's what matters most: the goal isn't to medicate your personality away. It's about understanding how your brain works so you can finally stop fighting yourself. Every assessment we do is private, completely non-judgmental, and focused on supporting you, not labeling you.
Understanding ADHD in Adults
ADHD Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects how your brain handles focus, planning, and emotional regulation. But that clinical definition doesn't capture what it actually feels like to live with it.
Many Indian women we work with share similar memories: being called a "careless student" in school, labeled a "messy employee" at work, or constantly told they just needed to "try harder." But the real issue wasn't carelessness or lack of effort. It was executive function difficulty the brain's ability to organize, prioritize, and follow through on tasks.
Our psychiatry team follows guidelines from the American Psychiatric Association, but we adapt them to the Indian context. Because ADHD doesn't mean you lack discipline or willpower. It means your brain processes motivation, attention, and reward differently. And once you understand that, everything starts making more sense.
Common Symptoms of Adult ADHD
ADHD in adults shows up in ways that can feel deeply personal and frustrating. You might experience chronic forgetfulness not just misplacing your keys, but forgetting important appointments or conversations. Impulsivity that makes you interrupt people or make decisions you later regret. Disorganization that leaves your workspace, your schedule, and your thoughts in constant chaos.
There's also the difficulty starting tasks, especially ones that feel boring or overwhelming. And mood swings that seem to come out of nowhere, leaving you feeling like you're on an emotional rollercoaster.
One of our patients put it perfectly: "I can pull an all-nighter for a deadline and hyperfocus for twelve hours straight, but I can't do simple paperwork or reply to emails. It makes no sense."
That's the thing about ADHD it's not about being unable to focus. It's about not being able to control where your focus goes. At Proactive, our psychiatrists are trained to differentiate ADHD from anxiety, depression, or bipolar symptoms, because these conditions can overlap and it's crucial to get an accurate diagnosis.
And please remember: these symptoms aren't character flaws or moral failures. They're signals of how your brain manages motivation, attention, and reward systems. Understanding this changes everything.
What is ADHD and what is not ADHD
| What ADHD Is | What ADHD Is Not |
| A neurodevelopmental condition affecting attention, motivation, and self regulation | Laziness, carelessness, or lack of effort |
| Difficulty controlling where attention goes | Inability to focus at all |
| A condition that can involve hyperfocus on engaging tasks | A consistent lack of interest in everything |
| Linked to differences in brain chemistry and reward processing | A personality flaw or character weakness |
| Often present since childhood, even if diagnosed in adulthood | Something that suddenly appears without a long pattern |
| A pattern of executive functioning challenges | Simply being disorganised or messy |
| A reason tasks feel mentally heavy or hard to start | An excuse for avoiding responsibility |
| Frequently overlaps with anxiety or mood symptoms | The same as anxiety, depression, or bipolar disorder |
| A condition that benefits from structured support and care | Something that can be fixed by willpower alone |
| A valid medical diagnosis | A trend or self diagnosis for attention issues |
Why Women Often Go Undiagnosed
Women with ADHD are masters of compensation. We've learned to mask our symptoms through perfectionism, color-coded planners, excessive list-making, or sheer overachievement. We push ourselves harder than everyone around us just to keep up with what feels "normal" to others. And then we burn out.
The truth is, hormonal fluctuations make everything harder. PMS, postpartum, perimenopause—these phases can worsen focus issues and emotional regulation, making you feel like you're losing your grip when you're actually just dealing with more than your brain can manage.
At Proactive For Her, we've observed that about 70% of our female ADHD patients initially come to us seeking help for anxiety or chronic fatigue, not attention problems. They've been told they're "stressed" or "sensitive" for years, when what they actually needed was someone to see the full picture.
Getting a late diagnosis often brings profound relief. You finally realize you were never lazy, never broken, never "too much" or "not enough." Your brain just works differently, and that's not a flaw—it's information you can use.
Why Testing Matters
Getting tested isn't about getting a label stuck on you. It's about getting clarity that can genuinely change your life.
Accurate testing helps differentiate ADHD from stress, anxiety, or depression. Because while these conditions can coexist, they need different approaches. Understanding what you're actually dealing with leads to better treatment options and more effective self-management strategies.
One of our patients told us: "Once I understood my ADHD, I stopped feeling guilty for using reminders and structure. I stopped thinking I was supposed to just 'remember' things like everyone else. I built systems that work for my brain instead of against it."
Our psychiatrists and therapists work together to create personalized care plans. This might include behavioral therapy, medication if it's appropriate and you're comfortable with it, and practical coaching on managing daily life. But it all starts with understanding what's actually happening in your brain.
Testing is the first step toward self-compassion, not self-criticism. It's about answering the question: "Why has life felt so much harder for me?" And finally getting an answer that makes sense.
Types of Adult ADHD Tests
Let's talk about what testing actually involves, because there's a lot of confusion out there.
Many women tell us they've tried online quizzes and gotten contradictory results - one says "definitely ADHD," another says "probably not." It's frustrating and confusing.
At Proactive For Her, we use a three-step testing process:
Step 1: A pre-consultation screening to understand your symptoms and concerns
Step 2: A psychiatrist-led assessment that goes deeper into your history, current challenges, and how symptoms show up in your daily life
Step 3: A therapy review focused on identifying coping strategies and practical tools you can start using immediately
Online tests can be a helpful starting point they can prompt you to seek professional help. But they're not a final answer. ADHD assessment requires nuance, context, and expertise to distinguish it from other conditions or life circumstances that can mimic ADHD symptoms.
Where and How to Get Tested
You have options when it comes to getting tested. Online screening tools are readily available, but for an accurate diagnosis, you need a comprehensive psychiatric evaluation.
We've noticed that women in tier-1 cities particularly prefer online sessions they offer privacy and accessibility without the hassle of commuting or taking time off work. You can have your assessment from home, in a space where you feel comfortable and safe.
Proactive For Her offers tele-psychiatry ADHD assessments across India, with follow-up therapy plans tailored to your needs. Every session is confidential, women-only, and led by licensed psychiatrists who specialize in ADHD care. We understand the specific ways ADHD shows up in women's lives—the masking, the perfectionism, the way symptoms shift with hormonal changes.
Whether you're in Bangalore, Mumbai, Delhi, or anywhere else in India, you can access expert care that understands both ADHD and the specific context of being a woman navigating professional and personal expectations.
After Testing: Next Steps
One of our patients said something beautiful: "Getting a diagnosis didn't change me—it helped me understand why my brain works the way it does."
After testing, you might receive a formal ADHD diagnosis, or you might discover that your symptoms stem from something else, or a combination of factors. Whatever the outcome, you'll have clarity and a path forward.
Possible next steps include coaching to build executive-function skills, therapy to address emotional regulation and self-esteem, lifestyle adjustments that work with your brain instead of against it, and sometimes medication to help manage symptoms.
Our therapists train patients in practical skills: time management techniques that actually work for ADHD brains, task chunking to make big projects feel manageable, and emotional regulation strategies to handle the overwhelm and mood swings.
Here's the truth: ADHD is manageable. It doesn't require you to change who you are or shrink yourself. It requires the right structure, the right support, and zero shame. With understanding and the right tools, you can work with your brain instead of constantly fighting it.
Why Proactive For Her
We're India's first women-led clinic offering psychiatrist-administered ADHD testing specifically designed for adults. Our assessments use validated tools like the ASRS and Conners scales, interpreted by psychiatrists who specialize in ADHD.
Since 2023, we've assessed over 500 women for ADHD and executive-function issues. Every single session is 100% private and women-only—whether you come to our clinics in Bangalore, Pune, or Mumbai, or join us online from anywhere in India.
What sets us apart is integrated care. You're not just getting a diagnosis and being sent on your way. You're getting psychiatry, therapy, and practical coaching to support your daily functioning. Because understanding your ADHD is just the beginning—learning to live well with it is the real journey.
If you struggle to focus or finish tasks, if you feel like you're constantly forgetting things or running late, if you're exhausted from trying to keep up with everyone else—you're not broken. Your brain might just work differently. And that's something we can help you understand, manage, and even appreciate. Take the first step toward clarity. You deserve to understand yourself, stigma-free.