ADHD and: The fear of failure
ADHD and: The fear of failure  
Podcast: MissUnderstood: The ADHD in Women Channel
Published On: Tue Apr 08 2025
Description: For some women with ADHD, the fear of failure can feel overwhelming, causing them to second-guess their every move. They might avoid taking risks or stepping out of their comfort zone, even when they have the skills to succeed. It’s a cycle that’s tough to break, but there are ways to face this fear and move forward with confidence. In this episode, Dr. Monica Johnson explores how fear of failure uniquely impacts women with ADHD. Tune in as she shares insights on transforming that fear into growth—and offers practical strategies for breaking free of this cycle.Related resourcesHow ADHD can affect your mental healthThe ADHD failure cycle (Jared Robson’s story)Timestamps(01:27) How ADHD can influence the fear of failure(07:46) How to manage the fear of failureFor a transcript and more resources, visit our episode page on Understood.org. We love hearing from our listeners! Email us at podcast@understood.org. ADHD Unstuck is a free, self-guided activity from Understood.org and Northwestern University designed to help women with ADHD boost their mood and take small, practical steps to get unstuck. In about 10 minutes, learn why mood spirals happen and get a personalized action plan of quick wins and science-backed strategies that work with your brain. Give it a try at Understood.org/GetUnstuck.Understood.org is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering people with learning and thinking differences, like ADHD and dyslexia. If you want to help us continue this work, donate at understood.org/give Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.