Challenges of ADHD in Women and Girls
Girls and women often face a wide range of challenges when untreated ADHD symptoms impact their lives. They may feel inadequate at work, experience difficulties in relationships with peers, or suffer from anxiety and depression.
They also do better at creating coping mechanisms to hide their ADHD symptoms. This makes it harder to identify and treat them.
Symptoms
Although research shows that ADHD affects boys and men at a higher rate than girls and women however, the gap between the genders shrinks as people get older. This is why it's vital that people with ADHD sufferers don't feel neglected or abandoned when they reach adulthood.
As women and girls grow into adulthood and become adults, they struggle with ADHD symptoms. They may struggle with managing finances, keeping the house clean, or maintaining healthy relationships. Untreated ADHD can impact their mental health and self-esteem in the long run, and they may blame themselves for their problems.
ADHD is a chronic disorder, unlike some other mental disorders. Women and girls are prone to hide their symptoms by using coping strategies that can backfire, but they often do. In addition, hormonal changes during the menstrual period, pregnancy, and menopause could make it harder to manage ADHD symptoms.
Inattentive-type ADHD symptoms usually are characterized by being forgetful or numb, losing the track of time, having trouble paying attention during classes or at work, and having trouble with daily routines such as food preparation, laundry or scheduling. Hyperactive-impulsive ADHD symptoms can include rushing through tasks, jumping from one task to another or making rash decisions. It's important for healthcare providers to be aware of the different ways girls and women are diagnosed with ADHD and to think about whether anxiety or depression are contributing to their problems.
It's also crucial that people with ADHD be assessed by a doctor or another qualified healthcare provider who will examine their symptoms and medical history to rule out any other issues. Certain people with ADHD also have mental health issues, such as anxiety or depression or low self-esteem, as well as issues in social interactions and relationships. Adults with ADHD are also more likely to have physical health issues, such as anxiety or chronic stress.
Many women and girls who suffer from ADHD are not diagnosed because their parents, teachers or friends don't take them seriously. They may not think that their problems are a serious enough to seek help, or they may believe that their ADHD symptoms are the result of a poor parenting style or low self-esteem, or any other external factors. In some instances women and girls with ADHD are diagnosed only when their children are diagnosed with ADHD or they are not diagnosed until they're in their 40s or 50s and are having major difficulties with daily activities.
Diagnosis
Women often do not get diagnosed with ADHD until adulthood and may face challenges when it does occur. For one thing, girls may not have the same hyperactive/impulsive symptoms as boys -- and this can make them less likely to be recognised by teachers and parents, who are more accustomed to seeing those signs in male children. Girls may develop coping mechanisms to disguise their symptoms and make them less noticed. It is possible that girls' issues with concentration, organization and impulsivity might go unnoticed over a period of years.
Women are more likely to be affected by high-functioning ADHD. This makes it harder to detect their symptoms. They may also suffer from co-occurring disorders that affect their ability to manage their lives, such as anxiety and depression. For example, they can find it hard to control their emotions, and this can be exacerbated by hormonal changes throughout the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and menopause.
Many of these conditions can result in a low self-esteem and difficulties in relationships. As a result, it is often difficult for them to open up about their challenges and seek assistance. This can cause delays in the diagnosis and treatment.
In addition, it's common for people with ADHD to have difficulty making friends and engaging with others. They may miss social gatherings, fail to show up for appointments, and may have difficulty understanding body language. They may even go off on tangents when talking and make it difficult for others to follow them.
It's crucial to receive a thorough diagnosis and get it immediately. This could be an "lightbulb" moment for women. It can help them recognize their difficulties and make them feel more comfortable with themselves. It can also help women to recognize their strengths and adopt steps to improve their life management abilities. This can positively impact their professional, personal and family lives. Huma Sheikh MD has read the article.
Treatment
Untreated ADHD can affect the professional and personal lives of women and girls as they enter adulthood. The symptoms can affect relationships and work performance. They can cause feelings of anxiety and frustration. They can also make it difficult to manage adult demands, such as managing finances, maintaining a clean home or maintaining healthy relationships.
Women and girls are less likely to receive a diagnosis of ADHD than boys and men, partly because hyperactive/impulsive symptoms tend to be more commonly associated with males. This can lead to gender stereotypes about the disorder. Women and girls might also try to hide or suppress their symptoms to avoid being judged by the society.
There are effective treatment options for ADHD in women and girls. A licensed healthcare professional is able to prescribe medications that regulate brain activity and control symptoms. The first choice is stimulant medication, but non-stimulants can also be beneficial for certain individuals. Your healthcare professional may also suggest a combination treatment to treat related disorders like anxiety or depressive disorders.
In addition to medications lifestyle changes can also aid in the management of ADHD symptoms. Regular exercise can release neurotransmitters that boost concentration and focus as well as reduce stress and anxiety. Physical activities that can be enjoyed in groups, such as group fitness classes or team sports, are especially beneficial.
Therapy is also an important component of treatment. Cognitive behavioral therapy can help people identify and modify negative thinking patterns that contribute to their ADHD symptoms. Couples counseling is also beneficial in improving communication and resolving conflicts in relationships.
We use the words "girls", "women", and "womens" to refer to the gender that was established at birth, not to the person's gender identity. This is to facilitate the use of a more consistent and clear terminology across our content and to avoid confusion for our readers. This article applies to all people who were male at birth, including transgender and nonbinary individuals. We recognize that sex and gender are not mutually exclusive, and we welcome all readers to our site.
Support
Females and those who are assigned female at birth (AFAB) with ADHD are more likely to go undiagnosed or have a misdiagnosis than men. That's because girls and women tend to conceal their symptoms, which makes them more difficult for doctors to identify. They may also have signs that aren't apparent to others, like inattentiveness or disorganization instead of the impulsivity or hyperactivity.
This is particularly important for women, who often develop coping strategies that allow them to feel normal and conform to social norms. These strategies of coping can include healthy activities such as making daily schedules or setting reminders on phones. They can also be harmful like binge eating or substance abuse. Women who are not treated for ADHD might be overwhelmed, anxious and depressed, and may have relationship issues and chronic stress.
The challenges women and girls with ADHD confront can result in feelings of self-esteem loss, anxiety, depression or even somatic complaints such as headaches or abdominal pain. These issues can cause being unable to attend school or work, as well as social activities. They may also be more reliant on their parents for assistance with their daily tasks. This can create an unhealthy cycle of dependence and reliance that is hard to break.
As they grow older, girls and women who suffer from ADHD might be at a greater chance of engaging in sexual activities with non-consensual partners. This could be due to the impulsiveness of their lives, insufficient planning, or a lack of ability to use contraception. They are more likely to be forced into sexual activities that are not desired, and may be at a higher risk of being victims of domestic violence and abuse.
As adults, women suffering from ADHD typically benefit from coping strategies and medications to manage their symptoms. They can also seek therapy, either individually or with an individual or with a partner. This can help them to understand their challenges and develop more positive internal conversations. It can also help them improve their relationships.
Support services may also include coaching to teach parenting skills, as well as specialized programs for women with ADHD who are pregnant or have children. full report can help women with ADHD keep their jobs, manage their household responsibilities, and care for their children.