Why Adult ADHD in Women Often Goes Undiagnosed | Shanna Pearson - EP 718
Passion Struck with John R. Miles
Stigma Around Medication
Shanna discusses workplace stigma, secrecy about ADHD, and why people fear being 'found out.'
What if the chronic overwhelm, emotional chaos, and sense of being "too much" or "not enough" stem from Invisible ADHD rather than personal shortcomings?
In this revealing episode of Passion Struck, Shanna Pearson, founder of the world's largest one-on-one ADHD coaching program and author of the bestseller Invisible ADHD: Proven Mood and Life Management for Smart Yet Scattered Women, joins John R. Miles. With over 26 years of experience and her own late-diagnosed ADHD journey, Shanna explains why ADHD in women often remains hidden or misdiagnosed as anxiety, depression, or character flaws. She draws from hundreds of thousands of coaching sessions to highlight internal struggles like masking, rejection sensitivity, rumination, and burnout that intensify in midlife amid hormonal changes.
John and Shanna discuss the neurological roots of these experiences, why traditional strategies fall short for women, and practical tools from her book. The conversation centers on reclaiming agency: moving beyond endless effort to sustainable approaches that align with an ADHD brain, restore momentum, and foster genuine self-worth.
If you have ever felt smart yet scattered, unseen by others and sometimes yourself, or exhausted by success that drains rather than fulfills, this episode offers validation and clear steps forward.
Passion Struck was recently ranked #1 on FeedSpot’s list of the Top Passion Podcasts on the Web, recognizing the show’s ongoing commitment to thoughtful, human-centered conversations like this one.
Check the full show notes here: https://passionstruck.com/invisible-adhd-in-women-shanna-pearson/
Download a Free Companion Workbook with reflection prompts tied to this episode.
All links gathered here, including books, Substack, YouTube, and Start Mattering apparel: https://linktr.ee/John_R_Miles
Pre-order You Matter, Luma: https://youmatterluma.com/
For more about Shanna Pearson: https://expertadhdcoaching.com
Book: Invisible ADHD available wherever books are sold
In this episode, you will learn
- Why adult ADHD in women frequently goes undiagnosed or gets mislabeled as anxiety or depression
- How masking, people-pleasing, and emotional overwhelm conceal core ADHD traits in females
- The impact of rejection sensitivity, self-doubt, and identity erosion on self-worth
- Why symptoms often escalate in midlife due to perimenopause, burnout, and hormonal shifts
- Practical tools from Shanna’s coaching and book for managing mood, creating state changes, and building self-trust
- How to shift from constant overcompensation to strategies that work with an ADHD brain
- Why naming the experience and accessing targeted support restores clarity and meaning
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Disclaimer
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