Understood.org Launches "ADHD Unstuck" to Help Women With ADHD Regulate Their Mood and Beat the Winter Blues

New survey by Harris Poll reveals that 58% of all women — and 81% of women with ADHD — feel more mentally overwhelmed at this time of year

NEW YORK, Jan. 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Understood.org, a leading nonprofit supporting the 70 million people in the U.S. who have learning and thinking differences, like ADHD and dyslexia, launched ADHD Unstuck today. This free, self-guided activity is designed to help women with ADHD boost their mood and build self-awareness around emotional regulation. Developed in partnership with Northwestern University's Lab for Scalable Mental Health, ADHD Unstuck provides a personalized action plan of motivating quick wins, plus fun and social activities — all in one single session that takes an average of 10 minutes to complete.

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The holiday and New Year season disproportionately impacts women with ADHD
This time every year, millions of women feel the weight of expectations, resolutions and routine-setting. According to a new survey for Understood.org conducted by The Harris Poll, "Women, ADHD and Winter Blues," more than half of women (55%) often experience the "winter blues." This jumps to 79% among women with ADHD. In addition, 44% of all women feel lonelier or more isolated this time of year, which is even more common among women with ADHD (71%).

Expectations around goal-setting can also present challenges. The survey found that about half of women (46%) typically set New Year's resolutions or self-improvement goals at the beginning of the calendar year. But 58% — and 81% of women with ADHD — end up quitting or failing to meet their goals. What begins as a joyful season often turns into exhaustion, with 50% of all women and 75% of women with ADHD saying they start off excited about the holidays but then burn out.

"The start of the year brings enormous pressure to reset, perform and 'get it together' — especially for women," said Sarah Greenberg, vice president of expertise and strategic design at Understood.org. "Our research shows women with ADHD are trying their best, but tend to crash once the holiday sparkles disappear and the days get shorter and darker. Women with ADHD are much more likely to experience 'winter blues' and struggle with sadness, irritability, lower energy or general stuckness. Understood.org is proud to provide ADHD Unstuck as a free resource built for and by women with ADHD, and designed to meet them where and when they need support."

A new evidence-based solution for women
An estimated 26 million women have learning and thinking differences, with the rate of new ADHD diagnoses among women nearly doubling in recent years. One of the biggest challenges women with ADHD face is emotional regulation. This can significantly impact daily responsibilities like work and caregiving, strain relationships and erode self-confidence. There are often barriers to getting support, including cost, full schedules, trouble finding a therapist and stigma overall.

Understood partnered with Northwestern's Lab for Scalable Mental Health to create ADHD Unstuck. The work of the lab demonstrates that single-session interventions (SSIs) significantly reduce mental health issues, particularly for youth and adults who may not otherwise have access to treatment. ADHD Unstuck leverages the SSI framework to help women with ADHD break a negative mood cycle in three steps:

1. Psychoeducation: Learn about the science of stress, emotional regulation and ADHD — specifically how the brain is wired to focus on and avoid negative events for self-preservation.
2. Mood experiment: Participate in a practical mood experiment to understand how small actions can influence mood.
3. Action plan creation: Develop an action plan by selecting three mood-boosting activities and a positive affirmation to counteract potential roadblock thoughts.

The new Harris Poll survey also supports the need for resources, such as ADHD Unstuck. More than two in three women (68%), and 82% of women with ADHD, wish they had better strategies to get "unstuck" when lacking motivation. When they feel "stuck," nearly two in three women with ADHD say they often avoid identifying strategies or solutions because they don't have time due to family commitments (66%) or work schedule (64%). And those with ADHD often experience a loud self-critic and debilitating perfectionism: 86% say they tend to procrastinate if they don't have the time or energy to do tasks perfectly, and 85% often get mad at themselves for not achieving goals or meeting their own standards.

"We're often taught that change requires a long journey. And while that's sometimes true, our research shows we can't underestimate the power of a single encounter to spark meaningful change," said Dr. Jessica Schleider, founding director of the Lab for Scalable Mental Health and associate professor of medical social sciences, pediatrics and psychology at Northwestern University. "By combining accessible digital design with science-backed psychological strategies, ADHD Unstuck empowers women to combat negative mood cycles in real time. Understood's commitment to designing and deploying scientifically informed resources, built and tested in partnership with both scientists and women with ADHD themselves, offers an incredible model for scaling meaningful support!"

"Women with ADHD deserve tools that are practical, grounded in science and created specifically for them," added Greenberg. "We are proud to partner with Northwestern, bringing together our respective expertise to create an impactful resource for women with ADHD. We hope that providing a small nudge in the right direction can give more women confidence to navigate the challenges of their daily lives."

Try ADHD Unstuck and explore other resources for women with ADHD traits at understood.org/ADHD-women.

Survey Methodology
This survey was conducted online within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of Understood.org from November 18–20, 2025, among 2,090 U.S. adults ages 18+, of whom 1,102 are women and 189 are women who have received a diagnosis or think they have ADHD ("women with ADHD"). The sampling precision of Harris online polls is measured by using a Bayesian credible interval. For this study, the full sample data for women is accurate to within +/- 3.6 percentage points using a 95% confidence level.

About Understood.org
Understood.org is a nonprofit focused on shaping the world for difference. We raise awareness of the challenges, skills and strengths of people who learn and think differently. Our resources help people navigate challenges, gain confidence and find support and community so they can thrive. Together, we can build a world where everyone can reach their full potential. Understood.org is a 501(c)(3) organization headquartered in New York. For more information, to donate or to partner, visit u.org/media and follow us @UnderstoodOrg.

SOURCE Understood for All, Inc.