ADHD Symptoms For Women
Women who suffer from ADHD typically experience symptoms of emotional instability and sensitive to rejection. They may also suffer from insomnia and poor sleep quality, which can exacerbate symptoms.
Women and girls are often more adept at hiding their ADHD symptoms and coping mechanisms to comply with social expectations and norms. adhd symptoms in women adults can lead to misdiagnosis and delay in treatment.
1. Problems with Focusing
Concentration is the biggest issue for many women with ADHD. The symptoms of this neurodevelopmental disorder may make it difficult to stay on task at school, during work meetings, or even when listening to others ' conversations. It can also be difficult to complete daily tasks, like keeping track of appointments or remembering to take 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 the women who suffer from the inattentive type of the disorder may have difficulty organizing their home and their desks. They may also find it hard to prioritize tasks. These problems can result in being late for appointments, turning up at the wrong time or at the wrong place or not completing their work tasks. They may cause them to feel ashamed of themselves and blame themselves for their shortcomings believing they are lazy or forgetful.
Inattentional ADHD can also lead to poor performance at school or at work, and debt accumulation. According to CHADD the symptoms can be triggered by stress or other mental disorders like anxiety and depression.
Teachers and parents could be biased towards males and girls, leading to women and girls 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.
Hormonal changes can also exacerbate symptoms in women who suffer from ADHD. For example, they can be more apparent during menstrual cycles or during perimenopause, which is the time before menopausal, when estrogen levels decrease and cause emotional problems such as mood swings and irritability.
Adults with ADHD may benefit from stimulant medications to improve their focus but it won't cure the condition. Other strategies, such as lifestyle changes, mindfulness training, and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can help with focus and organization. Some workplaces and schools have accommodations that can help with these issues, as well.
2. Forgetting Things
Inattention can make it difficult to stay on top of daily tasks or manage responsibilities. It can be difficult to remember important information especially when they take place in a noisy environment. You might also notice that you frequently forget appointments or run late for school or work. Women with ADHD tend to forget to pay bills or respond to emails, which can lead to financial stress and an impression of urgency. You may have difficulty working in a busy or noisy office, and may be unable to concentrate during conversations. This can cause the other person to feel ignored or misunderstood.
Many girls and women who suffer from ADHD also struggle to maintain friendships. They also run the risk of being pushed into inappropriate sexual behaviour or becoming intimate partner violence victims. They are more likely than other people to be overwhelmed because they have difficulty regulating their emotions. They might also have a problem with their self-esteem and may see their problems as an "personal fault" instead of recognizing that their behavior may be linked to their ADHD symptoms.
Females and females with ADHD are also not diagnosed due to gender bias, as their symptoms are less evident than those of males and females. They may be more likely to disguise their symptoms by claiming anxiety or mood problems, which can result in being misdiagnosed and improperly treated.
ADHD symptoms can be different based on fluctuations in hormones. This is particularly evident during puberty, as hormone levels decrease and progesterone levels rise. This can lead to a wider range of symptoms, making it harder to identify and manage ADHD.
Finding a doctor and getting treatment can help you develop how to manage your ADHD symptoms. You can also make lifestyle changes, such as eating a balanced diet and limiting sugar, caffeine, and other stimulants that may cause symptoms to worsen. Meditation and mindfulness techniques can help relax your mind and reduce restlessness and impulsiveness. They also aid in improving emotional regulation. A mental health professional could be able to assist you by discussing possible accommodations that may assist you in managing ADHD symptoms at work or at school.
3. Disruptive Behavior
Women with ADHD tend to experience more inattentive than hyperactive or the symptoms of impulsivity. That may be because the brains of girls and women differ from the brains of boys and men, or it could have to do with the amount of activity is happening in the areas of the brain that manage disruptive and impulsive behavior.
This means it can be difficult for a doctor to recognize and diagnose ADHD in women. Many women develop coping strategies to disguise their symptoms. Some of these are healthy, however others aren't sustainable and may result in other health issues. For example, some women turn to drinking or using drugs to cope with their symptoms. They might also develop depression or other mental health conditions like anxiety. These unhealthy coping methods can make it difficult for someone to recognize they have mental health issues and delay a proper diagnosis.
Disruptive behavior is a common adhd symptom for women that can affect work or school performance and relationships. These include being in a state of disorientation and not being able to focus on a particular task, or forgetting important tasks or events, 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 can also yell or speak loudly and can interrupt.
Women who have the inattentive subtype are prone to having difficulty concentrating during lectures or conversations, keeping up with schoolwork writing, reading, or reading assignments, following instructions in the classroom or at work, and juggling daily tasks. They are often disorganized, messy, and forgetful and find it difficult to follow through on commitments or tasks. They are more susceptible to losing or misplacing items such as 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 cause problems at work, home, or school. It can also lead to feelings of boredom, restlessness and anger. They are not able to wait for their turn, whether at school, at work, or home. They also interrupt others frequently. They have a tendency to act recklessly and are unable control their behavior.
4. Anxiety
Girls and women who suffer from ADHD can have a harder dealing with their issues than boys and men. This is partly due to societal expectations that demand that mothers and wives be the primary caregivers of their children and their household. When a woman struggles to manage her responsibilities this can cause anxiety and low self-esteem. This makes it harder for her to seek help.
In addition, women who suffer from ADHD are often unable to be diagnosed as their symptoms are not 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. Furthermore they are more likely to develop coping strategies that cover up their ADHD symptoms, such as excessive fidgeting and forgetfulness that could be mistaken for symptoms of anxiety disorders.
The symptoms of ADHD can also change over the course of the life of a woman. Women may experience ADHD symptoms when hormonal changes occur, such as menstrual cycle and pregnancy. This could result in being viewed as an overly emotional woman and can cause a feelings of frustration.
The information in this article is based on research about how ADHD affects people based on their sex. Verywell Health acknowledges that sex is a reference to biology, including chromosomal makeup, hormones, and anatomy; while gender is a subjective sense of being a man, woman, or nonbinary person. This distinction is crucial because it helps us to better understand the ways and reasons ADHD can manifest differently in men and women. In this article, we will refer to males and those who were assigned male at birth as boys and men. We also refer to females and those who were assigned female at conception as girls and women. This is in line with how numerous research studies employ this terminology. For more information, read Verywell Health's guide to gender and sex.