ADHD Symptoms For Women
Women with ADHD have reported emotional instability and sensitivity towards rejection. They might also experience insomnia and poor quality sleep which can make symptoms worse.
Girls and women are typically better at masking their ADHD symptoms and coping mechanisms to comply with social expectations and norms. This can lead both to a misdiagnosis and an inability to treat.
1. Difficulty 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 others talk. It can also be challenging to complete 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 with the inattentive form of the disorder might struggle to organize their home or their desk and have difficulty focusing on tasks, according to CHADD. These issues can result in them missing appointments, showing up at the wrong time or place, or failing to complete their work duties. These problems can make them feel bad about themselves, and they might blame themselves for their problems.
Inattentive ADHD can also lead to poor performance at work or in school, and debt accumulation. According to CHADD the symptoms are often triggered by stress or other mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety.
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.
For adult women who suffer from ADHD symptoms, they may be caused by hormonal changes. They may be more apparent during menstruation or perimenopause which is the period leading up to the menopausal phase of a woman, when estrogen levels drop and cause emotional problems like mood swings or irritation.
The use of stimulants can help increase the concentration of adults suffering from ADHD, but it won't treat the condition. Other strategies, such as mindfulness training, lifestyle changes and cognitive behavioral therapies (CBT) can also help with focus and organization. Some schools and workplaces offer facilities that can help with these issues.
2. Forgetting Things
Inattention can make managing your daily tasks and responsibilities difficult. It can be difficult to remember important information about events or people particularly when they take place in a crowded or noisy environment. You may also end up not remembering appointments or being late to school or work. Women with ADHD tend to forget to pay bills or respond to emails, which could lead to financial stress and an impression of urgency. You may experience difficulties working in a crowded or noisy workplace and frequently lose focus during conversations, causing others feeling disregarded or untruthful.
Many girls and women with ADHD are also having a difficult time maintaining friendships and are at risk of being pushed into sexual activities that are not desired or being victims of violence from intimate partners. They are more likely than others to feel overwhelmed because they have difficulty regulating their emotions. They may also struggle with self-esteem and could be more inclined to see their problems as "personal flaws" instead of acknowledging the fact that their behavior is correlated to their ADHD symptoms.
Girl and women with ADHD are also underdiagnosed due to gender bias, because their symptoms are less obvious than the symptoms of men and boys. They may be more likely to camouflage their symptoms as mood or anxiety issues, which can result in being misdiagnosed or incorrectly treated.
ADHD symptoms can vary depending on fluctuations in hormones. This is especially the case during puberty when hormone levels drop and progesterone levels increase. This can lead to a wider variety of symptoms, making it more difficult to diagnose and treat ADHD.
Getting diagnosed and receiving treatment can help you gain how to manage your ADHD symptoms. You can also alter your lifestyle by eating an appropriate diet and avoiding stimulants such as caffeine, sugar, and sugary drinks that could worsen symptoms. You can also practice mindfulness techniques and meditation to help calm your mind, reduce the impulsiveness and anxiety, and improve emotional regulation. A mental health professional may be able to assist you by discussing possible accommodations that may aid you in managing ADHD symptoms at work or at school.
3. Disruptive Behavior
In the majority of cases, women who suffer from ADHD experience more inattentive symptoms than hyperactive or impulsive ones. This could be due to the fact that women and girls have different brains than boys and men. Or it could be due to the volume of activity in the brain areas that regulate impulsive behavior.
It can be challenging for doctors to recognize ADHD in women. Many women develop coping strategies to mask their symptoms. Some are healthy, but others are not sustainable and could cause other health problems. For example some women resort to excessive alcohol or drugs to deal with their symptoms. They might also develop depression or other mental health conditions such as anxiety. These unhealthy coping strategies may make it more difficult for someone to recognize that they have a problem and can delay an accurate diagnosis.
Disruptive behavior is one of the most common symptom of adhd in women. It can impact their work or school performance, and even their relationships. They often include not staying focused on a particular task, not remembering important events or tasks, and being easily distracted by other aspects of the environment or in their thoughts. They might fidget or tap their feet or hands or squirm their seats. They may also shout or speak loudly and may interrupt.
Women who suffer from the primarily inattentive type of adhd might struggle to concentrate on lectures or conversations; keeping up with writing, reading or schoolwork; adhering to instructions at the workplace or in class and juggling their daily chores. They might be unorganized and forgetful. They may also be messy. It can be difficult to keep up on commitments or tasks. conversational tone are more prone to misplacing or losing things, including 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 in school. It can also trigger feelings of restlessness, boredom, and frustration. They are not able to wait for their turn whether at school, work, or home. They also interrupt others frequently. blog tend to act recklessly and are not able to control their behavior.
4. Anxiety
Girls and women who suffer from ADHD can have a harder time coping with their symptoms than males and females. This is due to societal expectations that demand women and mothers be the primary caregivers for their children and household. If a woman is struggling to manage her responsibilities, it can lead to anxiety and low self-esteem. This makes it more difficult to seek treatment for her ADHD.
In addition, women with ADHD often have difficulty getting diagnosed as their symptoms are not as evident as those of boys and men. 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. Furthermore they are more likely to develop strategies for coping that cover up their ADHD symptoms, like frequent fidgeting and forgetfulness which can be mistaken for symptoms of anxiety disorders.
Symptoms of ADHD for women can change at different times in the woman's life. Women can be afflicted with ADHD symptoms in the course of hormonal changes, like menstrual cycle and pregnancy. This could cause her to be misunderstood, or considered being emotionally overly sensitive.
The information in this article is based on research about how ADHD affects people based on their sex. Verywell Health acknowledges that sex refers to biology, chromosomal makeup, hormones, and anatomy; while gender refers to an internal sense of being a man, woman, or nonbinary person. This distinction is crucial because it helps us to better comprehend the ways and reasons ADHD manifests differently in men and women. In adult add in women , we are referring to males and those who were assigned male at birth as males and boys. We also refer to females as well as people who were assigned females at conception as females and girls. This is consistent with how many research studies employ this term. For more information, read Verywell Health's guide on gender and sexuality.