ADHD Chatter The Masking Expert: '97% of ADHD women can’t unmask until they learn THIS!' | Dana Dzamic
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Sep 22, 2025 Dr. Dana Dzamic, a leading ADHD coach specializing in masking in women, shares her insights on late diagnoses among women and the complexities of unmasking. She reveals the hidden costs of prolonged masking, including ADHD burnout and emotional distress, while exploring people-pleasing behavior and its ties to social overwhelm. Dana emphasizes the importance of understanding personal triggers and offers practical steps for safe unmasking, encouraging listeners to embrace their identities and foster supportive environments.
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Personal Example: Daughters And Diagnosis
- Dr Dana explains her daughters' experiences and the gendered play differences that delay detection.
- She cites charities pushing diagnosis earlier to catch social complexity changes around age eight.
Why Girls Are Diagnosed Later
- Girls often mask earlier and more effectively, so ADHD shows later in life and around puberty.
- Masking can hide symptoms in school while causing exhaustion and later mental health problems.
Masking Distorts Identity
- Long-term masking blurs where the mask ends and the real self begins, making identity unclear.
- Unmasking can be as difficult as decades of masking and raises safety and identity questions.
