ADHD Symptoms For Women
Women suffering from ADHD often report symptoms of emotional instability and an sensitivity to rejection. They may also suffer from insomnia and poor quality of sleep, which can exacerbate symptoms.
Girls and women often hide their ADHD symptoms more effectively than men, using strategies to cope with the social expectations and norms. This can lead to misdiagnosis or delay in treatment.
1. Trouble focusing
Focusing is the biggest challenge for many women with ADHD. This neurodevelopmental disorder can make it difficult to concentrate at school in meetings at work, or when reading and listening to others talk. It can also be challenging to manage everyday tasks, such as 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. According to CHADD the women who suffer from the inattentive form of the condition can struggle with organizing their homes and their desks. They may also find it hard to prioritize tasks. These problems can lead them to miss appointments, show up in the wrong place at the correct time, or fail to keep up on their job responsibilities. They can also cause them to feel bad about themselves and blame themselves for their shortcomings and think they are incompetent or forgetful.
Inattentional ADHD can also result in poor performance at school or at work and can also lead to debt accumulation. According to CHADD the symptoms are often triggered by stress or other mental conditions such as depression and anxiety.
Teachers and parents may be biased against males and females, which can cause some girls and women to be overlooked. 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 example, they can be more evident during the menstrual cycle or during perimenopause, which is the time before menopausal, when estrogen levels decrease and can cause emotional issues which include mood swings as well as anger.
Adults suffering from ADHD can benefit from stimulant medications to improve their focus however, it cannot solve the problem. Other strategies, including 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
The habit of forgetting can make managing daily chores and responsibilities difficult. It can be difficult to remember important information especially when they take place in a noisy environment. You might also find yourself having trouble remembering appointments or getting late to work or school. Not being able to pay your bills or reply to emails is common among women with ADHD that can lead to financial stress and make you feel stressed. You may experience difficulties working in a noisy or crowded office, and you might zone out during conversations. This could make the other person feel unimportant or misunderstood.
Many women and girls who suffer from ADHD also struggle to maintain friendships. They are also at risk of being pushed into sexually inappropriate behavior or becoming victims of intimate partner violence. This is because they have a difficult managing their emotions and are more likely to become overwhelmed. They may also have issues with self-esteem and could be more likely to interpret their problems as "personal flaws" instead of recognizing that their behavior is linked 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 might be more likely to disguise their symptoms with mood or anxiety issues and this can lead to being misdiagnosed and improperly treated.
ADHD symptoms can vary depending on the fluctuation in hormone levels. This is especially true during puberty, when estrogen levels drop and progesterone levels rise. This can cause greater variance in symptoms from day to day, which can make it more difficult to identify and treat ADHD properly.
If undiagnosed adhd in women are diagnosed and treated, you will learn to manage ADHD symptoms. You can also make lifestyle changes, such as eating a well-balanced diet and limiting caffeine, sugar and other stimulants that may cause symptoms to get worse. Meditation and mindfulness techniques can help relax your mind and reduce the impulsiveness and restlessness. They also aid in improving emotional regulation. Talking to a mental health professional can also be helpful, as they can suggest possible adjustments at work or at school that can aid in managing your ADHD symptoms better.
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 due to the fact that girls and women have different brains than boys and men. It could also be due to the amount of activity in the brain areas that regulate impulsive behavior.
In the end, it is often difficult for a doctor to recognize and diagnose ADHD in women. Many women develop coping mechanisms to disguise their symptoms. Some are healthy, but others are not sustainable and could cause other health issues. Women, for instance, turn to excessive alcohol and other drugs to deal with their problems. They might also develop depression or have other mental health conditions like anxiety. These unhealthy coping strategies may make it harder for someone to notice that they are suffering from a condition and delay a proper diagnosis.
Disruptive behavior is a common adhd symptom in women that can affect school or work performance and relationships. This includes being in a state of disorientation and not being able to focus on a specific task, forgetting important tasks or events, and being easily distracted by the surroundings or their thoughts. They might fidget or tap their feet or hands or squirm in their seats. They may also talk loud or yell, and they may be disruptive.
Women with the predominantly inattentive type of adhd might struggle to concentrate on lectures or conversations as well as keeping up with writing, reading or schoolwork; adhering to instructions at school or at work; and juggling their daily chores. They might be unorganized, forgetful, and messy. It is often difficult to keep up with tasks or commitments. They are more likely to lose or misplace 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 type of disorder can cause issues at work, at home, as well as at school, and it can trigger feelings of anxiety and boredom. It can also cause frustration. They are unable to wait for their turn whether at school, at work, or home. They are also known to interrupt others frequently. They are unable to manage their behavior and tend to be reckless.
4. Anxiety
Women and girls with ADHD are more likely to have a difficult dealing with their issues than men and boys. 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 and obligations, it can cause anxiety and low self-esteem. This in turn makes it more difficult to seek out treatment for her ADHD.
In addition, women with ADHD often have difficulty getting diagnosed as their symptoms are not as pronounced 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. Additionally, they are more likely to develop strategies for coping to disguise their ADHD symptoms, such as excessive fidgeting and forgetfulness which can be mistaken for symptoms of anxiety disorders.
The symptoms of ADHD can change over the course of the life of a woman. For example, during periods of hormonal changes, like menstruation or pregnancy, women may notice her ADHD symptoms to become more intense. This can lead to being viewed as an overly emotional woman, which adds to her feeling of anger.
The information in this article is based on research into how ADHD affects people based on their sexual. Verywell Health recognizes that sex is a matter of biology: chromosomal makeup hormones, hormones, and anatomical structures, whereas gender is an internal perception of what you're like as a man, woman, or, if non-binary, you're a person. This distinction is crucial because it enables a better understanding of how and the ways that ADHD manifests can vary between genders. In this article, we refer to males as well as people who were assigned males at birth as boys and males. We also refer to females and those who were assigned female at conception as females and girls. This terminology is utilized in many research studies. For more information, read the guide to sex and gender by Verywell Health.
