Women and their symptoms are often swept under the rug due to their experiences being presented differently.

When going into hospitals or clinics because of their health issues, doctors, typically male practitioners, often misdiagnose or dismiss women’s symptoms as something not as severe, causing them to receive improper treatment.

Northwell Health states, “[It could be a] heart disease labeled as anxiety, an autoimmune disorder attributed to depression, or ovarian cysts chalked up to ‘normal period pain’.”

This issue continues to affect many girls and women today.

Many women get turned away when they talk about what they’ve been experiencing, getting told everything is fine.

According to Prenuvo, “Studies show that women [especially of color] are at higher risk – about 20–30% more likely than white men to be on the receiving end of a diagnostic error​.”

Common disorders that get overlooked in women include, but are not limited to depression, anxiety, and ADHD.

According to psychologists Kathleen Nadeau and Stephen Hinshaw’s research, “Girls experience significant struggles that are often overlooked because their ADHD symptoms bear little resemblance to those of boys.”

Medical research has primarily been studied on men and how their symptoms can show, rather than women.

Conditions can show symptoms in a variety of ways, but for men, it can appear more outwardly compared to women with the same condition, causing men to get diagnosed at an earlier age than women.

Masking symptoms is a fairly common factor for girls and women, leading them to not being diagnosed at all. They often mask their symptoms or pain in order to “fit in”, however, that only leads to poorer mental health and not getting the help you need.

If you or someone you know are struggling with any symptoms, do not be afraid to reach out.

If you or someone you know is struggling or experiencing suicidal thoughts, please reach out to Disaster Distress Helpline – Call 1-800-985-5990 or text TalkWithUs to 66746. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – Call 800-273-8255 or Chat with Lifeline. Crisis Textline – Text TALK to 741741.