ADHD Symptoms For Women
Women suffering from ADHD have reported emotional instability and sensitivity to rejection. They may also suffer from insomnia and poor sleep quality, which can exacerbate symptoms.
Women and girls often mask their ADHD symptoms better than men by employing strategies to manage their stress and meet social expectations and norms. This can lead to a misdiagnosis as well as an inability to treat.
1. Difficulty Focusing
Focusing is the biggest challenge for women suffering from ADHD. This neurodevelopmental disorder can make it difficult to concentrate at school in meetings at work, or when reading and listening to others' conversations. It can also be difficult to manage daily tasks, like keeping track of appointments or remembering to take your medication.
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. According to CHADD, women with the inattentive type of the condition can have difficulty organizing their home and desk. They may also find it hard to prioritize their tasks. These issues can result in being late for appointments, turning up at the wrong time or place or not completing their work tasks. They may cause them to feel embarrassed and blame themselves for their problems and think they're lazy or forgetful.
Inattentional ADHD can also result in poor performance at school or at work and can also lead to debt accumulation. They are often caused by stress or other mental health issues such as anxiety and depression that often co-occur with ADHD in women, as per CHADD.
Certain women and girls who suffer from inattentive ADHD are not diagnosed or recognized because of the biases teachers and parents may have towards men and boys. 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.
For women of adult age who suffer from ADHD, symptoms can also be caused due to hormonal changes. They can be more noticeable during menstrual cycles or perimenopausal periods that is the time leading up to menopausal symptoms as estrogen levels drop and can cause emotional issues like mood swings and irritation.
Stimulant medication can improve concentration for adults with ADHD, but it won't cure the condition. Other strategies, such as lifestyle changes, mindfulness training, and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can aid in organizing and focus. Certain schools and workplaces have facilities that can assist with these issues, as well.
2. Forgetting Things
Inattention can make it difficult to keep track of your daily tasks or to manage your the responsibilities. You may have difficulty remembering important information about people or events particularly when they take place in a noisy or busy environment. You may also find yourself not remembering appointments or being late to work or school. Women with ADHD tend to forget to pay bills or responding to emails, which could result in financial stress and a feeling of urgency. You may experience difficulties working in a noisy or noisy office. You may also get lost in conversations, leaving the other person feeling ignored or misunderstood.
Many girls and women who suffer from ADHD also struggle to keep friendships. They are also at risk of being pushed into unwanted sexual behavior or becoming intimate partner violence victims. This is because they have a more difficult to manage their emotions and are more likely to be overwhelmed. They may also be struggling with their self-esteem and may see their difficulties as something that is a "personal flaw" instead of realizing that their behavior is related to their ADHD symptoms.
Due to gender bias due to gender bias, girls and women with ADHD are underdiagnosed as their symptoms are more subtle than those of men and boys. They may camouflage symptoms with anxiety and mood disorders, which could lead to a misdiagnosis and improper treatment.
ADHD symptoms can be different based on the fluctuation in hormone levels. This is particularly the case during puberty when hormone levels decrease and progesterone levels rise. This can cause a greater range of symptoms, which makes it harder to identify and treat ADHD.
When diagnosed and treated, you will learn how to manage ADHD symptoms. You can also alter your lifestyle by eating a balanced diet and limiting stimulants like sugar, caffeine and sugary drinks which can aggravate symptoms. Meditation and mindfulness techniques can help relax your mind and reduce restlessness and impulsiveness. They can also help improve emotional regulation. A mental health professional may be able to assist you by discussing possible accommodations that can assist you in managing ADHD symptoms at work or in school.
3. Disruptive Behavior
Women with ADHD tend to experience more sluggish than hyperactive or the symptoms of impulsivity. It could be because the brains of women and girls differ from the brains of men and boys or it could be to do with how much activity is taking place in the parts of the brain responsible for managing disruptive and impulsive behavior.
This means it is often difficult for a doctor to identify and diagnose ADHD in women. Many women develop coping strategies to mask their symptoms. Some of these are healthy, while others aren't sustainable and may cause other health problems. For instance, some women, turn to excessive alcohol and other drugs to deal with their problems. They could also develop depression or other mental health conditions like anxiety. These unhealthy coping methods can make it difficult for someone to recognize that they have an issue with their mental health and delay a proper diagnosis.
Disruptive behavior is a common adhd symptom in women that can impact school or work performance and relationships. They can be a problem when they are incapable of staying focused on a particular task, ignoring important events or tasks, and being easily distracted by the environment or their thoughts. They might fumble or tap their feet or hands or squirm in their seats. They may also yell or speak loudly, and they may interrupt.
Women with the predominantly inattentive type of adhd might struggle to concentrate on conversations or lectures as well as keeping up with writing, reading or schoolwork; adhering to instructions at the workplace or in class and managing daily tasks. They may be disorganized, forgetful, and messy. It is often difficult for them to follow through with tasks or commitments. They are more likely to lose or lose items such as glasses, wallets, keys and even wallets.
Having the predominantly hyperactive/impulsive type of adhd can disrupt work or school, cause social problems, and create relationship challenges. This subtype can cause problems at home, work or at school. It can also cause feelings of boredom, restlessness and frustration. They have a hard waiting for their turn at home, school or at work and are often disruptive to other people. They are not able to control their behavior and are likely to be reckless.
4. Anxiety
Girls and women who suffer from ADHD are more likely to have a difficult time coping with their symptoms than males and females. This is due to social expectations that insist that women and mothers are the primary caregivers of their children and household. If a woman is struggling to manage her responsibilities, it can lead to anxiety and low self-esteem. This in turn makes it more difficult to seek out treatment for her ADHD.
Women with ADHD are often not recognized as easily as boys or men because their symptoms don't appear as prominent. 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. In addition, they are more likely to develop strategies for coping that mask their ADHD symptoms, including frequent fidgeting and forgetfulness which could be misinterpreted as symptoms of anxiety disorders.
The symptoms of ADHD can change over the course of a woman's lifetime. For instance, during periods of hormonal changes, like menstruation or pregnancy, a woman could find her ADHD symptoms to be exacerbated. This can lead her to be misunderstood or thought of as a woman who is emotionally overly sensitive.
The information in this article is based on research about how ADHD affects people based on their sex. Verywell Health recognizes that sex is biology: chromosomal make-up, hormones, and anatomical structure, while gender is an internal perception of who you are as a male, a woman, or, if non-binary, you're a person. This distinction is important because it allows us to better know the reasons behind why ADHD manifests differently in women and men. For this reason, throughout this article we refer to men and people assigned male at birth (AMAB) as boys and men, and to women and people assigned to female at birth (AFAB) as girls and women. adhd in adult women test is in line with how many research studies use this term. To find out more, check out Verywell Health's guide to sex and gender.