ADHD Symptoms For Women
Women suffering from ADHD typically experience symptoms of emotional volatility and an sensitivity to rejection. They might also experience insomnia and poor quality sleep, which may cause symptoms to get worse.
Girls and women are generally better at masking their ADHD symptoms and coping mechanisms to comply with social expectations and norms. This can lead to a misdiagnosis or delays in treatment.
1. Trouble focusing
Focusing is the biggest challenge for many women suffering from ADHD. This neurodevelopmental disorder makes it difficult to focus at school in meetings at work as well as when reading or listening to other people talk. It can also be difficult to get through everyday tasks like keeping track of appointments or making sure to take medications.
Difficulty focusing is one of the most common adhd symptoms for girls and women, regardless of their gender identity or whether they have hyperactive/impulsive or inattentive ADHD. Women who suffer from the inattentive version of the disorder might have trouble organizing their home or their desk and find it difficult to prioritize tasks according to CHADD. These issues could cause them to skip appointments, arrive at the wrong place at the right time, or fail to keep up on their job responsibilities. These difficulties can make them feel embarrassed about themselves and they might blame themselves for their problems.
Inattentional ADHD can also lead to poor performance at work or in school, and the accumulation of debt. They can be triggered by stress or other mental health conditions, including depression and anxiety that often co-occur with ADHD in women, according to CHADD.
Teachers and parents might be biased towards males and females, which can cause some girls and women to be underdiagnosed. They may not be able to express their ADHD symptoms as well, especially the hyperactive/impulsive ones, and may have difficulty finding treatment that works for them.
Hormonal changes can also increase symptoms in women who suffer from ADHD. They can be more evident during menstrual cycles or perimenopausal periods which is the period leading up to menopausal symptoms which is when estrogen levels decrease and cause emotional problems like mood swings or irritation.
Stimulant medications can help increase the concentration of adults suffering from ADHD however it doesn't solve the problem. Other strategies such as mindfulness training, lifestyle changes and cognitive behavioral therapies (CBT) can also assist with organization and focus. Certain schools and workplaces have facilities that can help with these issues.
2. Forgetting Things
Forgetfulness can make it difficult to keep track of daily tasks or to manage your obligations. add symptoms in adult women can be difficult to keep track of important details particularly when they happen in a noisy setting. You may also find yourself forgetting appointments or running late to school or work. Women with ADHD tend to forget to pay bills or reply to emails, which could result in financial stress and an impression of urgency. You may have difficulty working in a busy or loud office and often zone out during conversations, causing the other person to feel ignored or misunderstood.
Many girls and women who have ADHD also struggle to keep friendships. They are also at risk of being forced into sexually inappropriate behavior or becoming victims of violence from intimate partners. This is due to the fact that they have a more difficult to manage their emotions and are more likely to feel overwhelmed. They may also have issues with self-esteem, and may be more inclined to see their difficulties as "personal imperfections" rather than recognizing that their behavior is linked to their ADHD symptoms.
Girl and women who suffer from ADHD are also often overlooked due to gender bias, as their symptoms are less obvious than the symptoms of men and boys. They may be more likely to conceal their symptoms with mood disorders or anxiety which could lead to being misdiagnosed and incorrectly treated.
ADHD symptoms can vary depending on the fluctuation in hormone levels. This is especially evident during puberty, as hormone levels drop and progesterone levels rise. This can lead to a more frequent change in symptoms from day to day, which makes it difficult to identify and manage ADHD effectively.
Diagnosed and treated, you can learn to manage ADHD symptoms. You can also alter your lifestyle by eating healthy and balanced meals and avoiding stimulants like sugar, caffeine and sugary drinks that could worsen symptoms. It is also possible to practice meditation and mindfulness techniques to relax your mind, decrease the impulsiveness and anxiety and improve your emotional regulation. A mental health professional could be able to help you by discussing possible accommodations that could assist you in managing ADHD symptoms at work or at school.
3. Disruptive Behavior
Women who suffer from ADHD tend to be less attentive than those with hyperactive or hyperactive symptoms. It could be because the brains of women and girls differ from the brains of boys and men, or it could have to do with the amount of activity is taking place in the parts of the brain responsible for managing impulsive and disruptive behavior.
This means it can be harder for a doctor to identify and diagnose ADHD in women. Many women develop coping mechanisms to mask their symptoms. Some of these are healthy, however others aren't sustainable and may cause other health problems. For instance, some women turn to drinking or using drugs to cope with their symptoms. They might also develop depression or other mental health conditions such as anxiety. These unhealthy ways of coping can make it difficult for people to recognize that they have an issue with their mental health and delay an accurate diagnosis.
Disruptive behavior is one of the most common symptom of adhd in women. It can impact their school or work performance, as well as their relationships. They typically involve not being focused on a particular task, not remembering important events or tasks and becoming easily distracted by other things in their environment or in their minds. They may fidget or tap their hands or feet or squirm in their seat. They can also talk out loudly or yell, and they could be disruptive.
Women with the inattentive subtype may have trouble staying focused during lectures or conversations, keeping up with schoolwork writing, reading, or reading assignments, following directions in the classroom or at work, and managing daily tasks. They are often disorganized and messy and have a difficult time keep track of commitments or tasks. They are more susceptible to misplacing or losing things like keys, wallets and eyeglasses.
Having the predominantly hyperactive/impulsive type of adhd can disrupt work or school, cause social problems, and create relationship challenges. This type of adhd can cause issues at home, at work and in schools, and can cause feelings of restlessness or boredom. They have a hard time waiting for their turn at school, home or in the workplace and often interrupt other people. They are unable to control their behavior and tend to behave in a reckless manner.
4. Anxiety
Girls and women with ADHD may find it harder to cope with their symptoms. This is due in part to the social expectations that demand women and mothers be the primary caregivers for their children and household. If a woman is struggling to manage her responsibilities this can cause anxiety and low self-esteem. This in turn could make it difficult to seek out treatment for her ADHD.
Additionally, women who suffer from ADHD are often unable to be diagnosed since their symptoms are not as prominent as the men and boys. They may present with primarily inattentive symptoms, which do not have the same outward appearance as hyperactive/impulsive ADHD symptoms, making them less likely to receive a referral for treatment from teachers and parents. They are also more likely to develop coping strategies that cover up their ADHD symptoms. For example, excessive fidgeting or forgetfulness could be interpreted as symptoms of anxiety disorders.
The signs of ADHD in women can change at different times in the woman's life. For example, during periods of hormonal changes, like menstrual or pregnancy, a woman may notice her ADHD symptoms to become more intense. This can result in being dismissed or misinterpreted as a terribly emotional woman which can increase her feelings of frustration.
The information in this article is based on research regarding how ADHD affects people based on their sexual. Verywell Health acknowledges that sex refers to biology, chromosomal makeup, hormones, and anatomy. whereas gender refers to an internal sense of being a man, woman, or nonbinary person. This distinction is important because it helps us to better understand the reasons behind why ADHD manifests differently in men and women. In this article, we will refer to males and people who were assigned male at birth as males and boys. We also refer to females as well as people who were assigned female at conception as women and girls. This terminology is utilized in many research studies. To find out more, check out Verywell Health's guide to sex and gender.