ADHD Symptoms For Women
Women with ADHD experience emotional instability and sensitivity to rejection. They can also experience insomnia or poor quality sleep, which can cause the symptoms to become worse.
Women and girls often mask their ADHD symptoms more effectively than men by employing strategies to manage their stress and meet the social expectations and norms. This can lead to misdiagnosis and delay in treatment.
1. Difficulty Focusing
For many women suffering from ADHD, focusing is the most challenging thing. The symptoms of this neurodevelopmental disorder could make it difficult to concentrate at school, at meetings at work, or when listening to others ' conversations. adhd in older women can also be difficult to complete everyday 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. Women who suffer from the inattentive version of the condition may have trouble organizing their home or their desks and may have difficulty focusing on tasks, according to CHADD. These difficulties can cause them to miss appointments, show up at the wrong place at the right time, or fail to follow through on their tasks. These issues can cause them to feel embarrassed about themselves and they may blame themselves for their troubles.
Attention-deficit ADHD can lead to poor performance at school or at work and can lead to 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, as per CHADD.
Women and girls with inattentional ADHD are not diagnosed or recognized because of the biases teachers and parents may be prone to towards males and females. 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 cause symptoms in adult women with ADHD. For instance, they could become more noticeable during the menstrual cycle or during perimenopause, which is the time before menopausal changes. This is when estrogen levels drop and cause emotional problems, including mood swings and irritation.
Stimulant medication can enhance concentration in adults suffering from ADHD However, it can't cure the condition. Other strategies, including lifestyle changes, mindfulness training and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can aid in organizing and focus. Some workplaces and school have facilities to assist with these issues.
2. Forgetting Things
Inattention can make it difficult to keep track of your daily activities or take care of responsibilities. It can be difficult to keep track of important details particularly when they happen in a noisy area. You might also find that you frequently forget appointments or run late to work or school. Forgetting to pay bills or respond to emails is common in women suffering from ADHD, which can create financial stress and make you feel stressed. You might have trouble working in a noisy or noisy workplace and frequently get lost in conversations, causing others feeling ignored or misunderstood.
Many women and girls with ADHD also have trouble maintaining friendships and are at risk of being forced into sexual activities that are not desired or being victims of violence from intimate partners. They are more likely than other people to feel overwhelmed because they struggle to control their emotions. They could also be struggling with their self-esteem and may see their issues as a "personal fault" rather than realizing that their behavior is linked to their ADHD symptoms.
Girl and women with ADHD are also underdiagnosed due to gender bias, as their symptoms are less noticeable than those of boys and men. They can disguise symptoms as anxiety and mood disorders, which can result in a misdiagnosis or incorrect treatment.
ADHD symptoms can differ based on fluctuations in hormones. This is particularly the case during puberty when hormone levels drop and progesterone levels increase. This can result in a wider range of symptoms, which makes it harder to identify and manage ADHD.
When diagnosed and treated, you will learn how to manage ADHD symptoms. You can also change your lifestyle, such as eating an appropriate diet and avoiding stimulants such as caffeine, sugar and drinks with sugar that can worsen symptoms. You can also practice mindfulness techniques and meditation to help calm your mind, reduce restlessness and impulsiveness and improve your emotional regulation. A mental health professional may be able to help you by discussing possible accommodations that can aid you in managing ADHD symptoms at work or at school.
3. Disruptive Behavior
In the majority of cases, women who suffer from ADHD are more likely to experience inattention than hyperactive or impulsive ones. This could be because girls and women have different brains than boys and men. Or it could be due to the level of brain activity areas that regulate impulsive behavior.
It can be a challenge for doctors to identify ADHD in women. Many women develop coping strategies to hide their symptoms. Some of these are healthy, while others are not sustainable and could cause health issues of other kinds. Some women, for example, turn to excessive alcohol and other drugs to deal with their problems. They might also develop depression or suffer from mental health problems such as anxiety. These unhealthy coping mechanisms can make it more difficult for someone to recognize they are suffering from a disorder and delay a proper diagnosis.
Disruptive behavior is a typical adhd symptom that affects women and can impact school or work performance and relationships. They typically involve not being focused on a task, forgetting important dates or events, and becoming easily distracted by other things in their surroundings or in their thoughts. They may fidget or tap their hands or feet or squirm their seats. They can also yell or speak loudly and may interrupt.
Women with the predominantly inattentive type of adhd might have trouble concentrating on their lectures or conversations as well as keeping up with reading, writing or schoolwork; following instructions at school or at work; and juggling their daily chores. They may be unorganized and messy and find it difficult to keep track of commitments or tasks. They are more likely to lose or misplace 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, work, or school. It can also lead to feelings of boredom, restlessness and frustration. They have a hard time waiting for their turn at school, at home, or in the workplace and they frequently interrupt others. They are unable to manage their behavior and tend to be reckless.
4. Anxiety
Girls and women who suffer from ADHD may have a harder time coping with their symptoms than males and females. This is due in part to the social expectations that demand women and mothers to be the primary caregivers for their children and household. If a woman suffering from ADHD struggles to manage her obligations, she may feel anxious and stressed that can cause low self-esteem. This makes it harder for her to seek treatment.
Additionally, women who suffer from ADHD frequently have a difficult time getting diagnosed since their symptoms aren't as pronounced as those of 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 more likely to develop coping strategies which mask their ADHD symptoms. For instance the excessive fidgeting or forgetfulness could be interpreted as symptoms of anxiety disorders.
The symptoms of ADHD may also change throughout the life of a woman. For instance, during times of hormonal changes, such as menstrual or pregnancy, women may find her ADHD symptoms to be exacerbated. This can result in her being misunderstood or dismissed as an overly emotional woman which can increase her feelings of frustration.
This article is based upon research on how ADHD affects different individuals based on their gender. Verywell Health recognizes that sex is a biological phenomenon: chromosomal makeup, hormones, and anatomical structure. gender is a subjective sense of the person you are as a man, woman, or, if non-binary, you're a person. This distinction is crucial as it allows for a better understanding of how and why the ways ADHD manifests can vary between genders. In this article, we are referring to males and those who were assigned male at birth as males and boys. We also refer to females and those who were assigned female at conception as women and girls. This is in line with how numerous research studies employ this term. For more information, read the guide on sex and gender by Verywell Health.