ADHD Symptoms For Women
Women with ADHD typically experience symptoms of emotional volatility and sensitive to rejection. They might also experience insomnia and poor quality sleep which can cause more symptoms.
Women and girls are often better at concealing their ADHD symptoms, using coping mechanisms to meet societal expectations and norms. This could lead to misdiagnosis and delay in treatment.
1. Difficulty Focusing
Focusing is the biggest challenge for many women with ADHD. This neurodevelopmental disorder can make it difficult to concentrate at school, during meetings at work or while reading or listening to others' conversations. It can be challenging to complete daily tasks, such as keeping track of appointments or taking 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 may struggle to organize their house or desks and may have difficulty focusing on tasks, according to CHADD. These issues can result in being late for appointments, turning up at the wrong time or location or failing to finish their tasks. These issues can cause them to feel bad about themselves, and they may blame themselves for their troubles.
Inattention ADHD symptoms can also make it difficult to stay on top of obligations, resulting in poor work or school performance as well as the accumulation of debt. According to CHADD the symptoms can be triggered by stress or other mental disorders such as depression and anxiety.
Teachers and parents could be biased towards boys and men, causing some girls and women to be misdiagnosed. 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 for women who suffer from ADHD. For example, they can be more apparent during menstrual cycles or during perimenopause, which is the time before menopause--when estrogen levels dip and can cause emotional issues, including mood swings and irritation.
Adults with ADHD can benefit from stimulant medications to boost their concentration however, it cannot treat the condition. Other strategies, such as lifestyle modifications, mindfulness-based training, and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), can also aid in focusing and organization. Some workplaces and school have accommodations to help with these issues.
2. Forgetting Things
Forgetfulness can make juggling daily tasks and responsibilities difficult. You may find it difficult to remember important details especially when they take place in a noisy area. You might also find yourself forgetting appointments or running late to work or school. Forgetting to pay bills or reply to emails is common in women suffering from ADHD, which can create financial stress and leave you feeling overwhelmed. You might have trouble working in a crowded or noisy office. You may also lose focus during conversations, leaving the other person feeling disregarded or untruthful.
Many girls and women who suffer from ADHD also struggle to maintain friendships. They are also at risk of being forced into unwanted sexual behavior or becoming victims of violence from intimate partners. This is because they have a difficult to manage their emotions and are more likely to be overwhelmed. They might also have trouble with self-esteem and could be more likely to interpret their problems as "personal imperfections" rather than recognizing the fact that their behavior is correlated to their ADHD symptoms.
Because of gender bias due to gender bias, girls and women with ADHD are not diagnosed because their symptoms are more subtle than those of men and boys. They may be more likely to camouflage their symptoms with anxiety or mood problems which could lead to being misdiagnosed or incorrectly treated.
The symptoms of ADHD are influenced by hormone fluctuations, especially during puberty when estrogen drops and progesterone increases. This can cause greater variance in symptoms throughout the day, which can make it more difficult to identify and treat ADHD correctly.
If you are diagnosed and treated, you will learn to manage ADHD symptoms. You can also alter your lifestyle by eating a balanced diet and limiting stimulants like sugar, caffeine and drinks with sugar that could worsen symptoms. Meditation and mindfulness techniques can relax your mind and reduce restlessness and impulsiveness. They can also help improve the regulation of emotions. A mental health professional may be able to assist you by discussing possible accommodations that may help you manage ADHD symptoms at work or in school.
3. Disruptive Behavior
In most cases, women who suffer from ADHD have more irritable symptoms than those with hyperactive or impulsive symptoms. This could be because girls and women have different brains than males and females. Or it could be due to the volume of brain activity areas that regulate impulsive behavior.
It can be difficult for doctors to identify ADHD in women. Many women develop coping mechanisms to disguise their symptoms. Some of these are healthy, but others are unsustainable and can cause other health problems. Women, for instance use excessive alcohol and other drugs to deal with their problems. adhd in adult women treatment could also develop depression or other mental health conditions like anxiety. These unhealthy coping methods can make it difficult for people to recognize that they have a mental health problem and delay a proper diagnosis.
Disruptive behavior is a common symptom of adhd in women. It can impact their school or work performance, or even their relationships. This includes being in a state of disorientation and not being able to focus on a particular task, or forgetting important events or tasks and being easily distracted by the environment or their thoughts. They might fumble or tap their hands or feet or squirm their seats. They can also talk out loudly or yell, and they could be disruptive.
Women with the predominantly inattentive type of adhd might have trouble concentrating on lectures or conversations as well as keeping up with reading, writing or schoolwork; adhering to instructions at the workplace or in class and juggling their daily chores. They are often disorganized, messy, and forgetful and find it difficult to adhere to commitments or tasks. They are more prone to losing or misplacing items, 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 subtype can lead to issues at home, at work, as well as at schools, and can lead to feelings of agitation or boredom. They can't wait for their turn, whether at school, work, or home. They are also known to interrupt others frequently. They are prone to act recklessly and aren't able to manage their behavior.
4. Anxiety
Women and girls with ADHD are more likely to have a difficult to manage their symptoms than boys and men. This is largely due to the expectations of society, which demand that mothers and women be the primary caregivers for their children and household. If a woman is struggling to meet her responsibilities this can cause anxiety and low self-esteem. This makes it more difficult for her to seek treatment.
Additionally, adhd in women uk who suffer from ADHD frequently have a difficult time getting diagnosed because their symptoms are not as pronounced 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 more likely to develop coping mechanisms which mask their ADHD symptoms. For example the excessive fidgeting or forgetfulness can be misinterpreted as signs of anxiety disorders.
The symptoms of ADHD may also change over the life of a woman. For example, during periods of hormonal changes, like menstrual cycles or pregnancy, a woman may find her ADHD symptoms to become more intense. This can cause her to be misunderstood, or dismissed as a woman who is excessively emotional.
The information in this article is based on research about how ADHD affects people based on their sex. Verywell Health recognizes that sex is a biological phenomenon: chromosomal makeup hormones, hormones, and anatomical structure. gender is an internal sense of what you're like as a man, woman, or if nonbinary, an individual. This distinction is crucial because it allows us to better understand the ways and reasons ADHD manifests differently in men and women. In this article, we are referring to males and people who were assigned male at birth as boys and males. We also refer to females and those who were assigned females at conception as females and girls. This terminology is used in many research studies. To learn more, read the Verywell Health guide to sex and gender.