ADHD Symptoms For Women
Women suffering from ADHD typically experience symptoms of emotional volatility and sensitivity to rejection. They might also experience insomnia and poor quality of sleep which can cause more symptoms.
Women and girls tend to hide their ADHD symptoms more effectively than men by employing strategies to cope with the social expectations and norms. This could lead to misdiagnosis and delay in treatment.
1. Difficulty Focusing
For a lot of women suffering from ADHD focus is the most challenging thing. Symptoms of this neurodevelopmental disorder can make it hard to concentrate at school, in meetings at work, or even when reading and listening to others ' conversations. It can be difficult to accomplish daily tasks like 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. According to CHADD, women with the inattentive version of the disorder might struggle with organizing their homes and their desk. They may be unable to prioritize their 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 make them feel bad about themselves and blame themselves for their troubles and think they're lazy or forgetful.
Attention-deficit ADHD symptoms can make it hard to manage responsibilities, leading to poor work or school performance and an accumulation of debt. According to CHADD they can be triggered by stress or other mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety.
Some girls and women with inattentive ADHD are not diagnosed or recognized due to the prejudices that parents and teachers may have toward boys and men. 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 instance, they may become more noticeable during the menstrual cycle or during perimenopausal transition, the period leading up to menopausal, when estrogen levels decrease and cause emotional problems, including mood swings and irritation.
Adults suffering from ADHD can benefit from stimulant medications to improve their focus, but it will not treat the condition. Other strategies like mindfulness training, lifestyle changes and cognitive behavioral therapies (CBT) can help in focusing and organization. Certain schools and workplaces have facilities that can help with these issues.
2. Forgetting Things
Inattention can make juggling daily tasks and responsibilities challenging. You may have difficulty remembering important details about people or events particularly when they take place in a noisy or busy environment. You might also find that you frequently forget appointments or are late to work or school. Not being able to pay your bills or respond to emails is common among women suffering from ADHD that can lead to financial stress and leave you feeling overwhelmed. You may have difficulty working in a busy or loud office and often zone out 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 sexually inappropriate behavior or becoming victims of violence from intimate partners. This is due to the fact that they have a harder managing their emotions and are more likely to become overwhelmed. They may also struggle with self-esteem, and may be more inclined to see their issues as "personal imperfections" instead of recognizing the fact that their behavior is correlated to their ADHD symptoms.
Due to gender biases, women and girls with ADHD are not diagnosed because their symptoms are less obvious than those of males and boys. They may camouflage symptoms with anxiety and mood disorders, which can result in a misdiagnosis or improper treatment.
ADHD symptoms can be different based on the fluctuation in hormone levels. This is particularly true during puberty, when estrogen levels drop and progesterone levels rise. This can cause greater variation in symptoms throughout the day, which can make it more difficult to identify and manage ADHD properly.
When diagnosed and treated, you will learn how to manage ADHD symptoms. You can also alter your lifestyle by eating an appropriate diet and avoiding stimulants such as caffeine, sugar and drinks with sugar that could worsen symptoms. It is also possible to practice meditation and mindfulness techniques to relax your mind, reduce impulsiveness and restlessness and improve your emotional regulation. A mental health professional may be able to assist by discussing possible accommodations that can help you manage ADHD symptoms at work or at school.
3. Disruptive Behavior
In most cases, women with ADHD are more likely to experience inattention than hyperactive or impulsive ones. It could be because the female and female brains differ from those of men and boys or it could be to do with the amount of activity is happening in the regions of the brain responsible for managing disruptive and impulsive behavior.
In the end, it is often difficult for a physician to identify and diagnose ADHD in women. Many women develop coping strategies to mask their symptoms. Some are healthy, but others aren't sustainable and can lead to other health issues. Some women, for example use excessive alcohol and drugs to cope. They may also be depressed or suffer from mental health problems like anxiety. These unhealthy coping strategies can make it difficult for people to notice that they have a problem and delay a proper diagnosis.
Disruptive behavior is a typical adhd symptom for women that can affect work or school performance and relationships. They usually involve not staying focused on a task, ignoring important dates or events, and being easily distracted by other aspects of the surroundings or in their thoughts. They might fumble or tap their feet or hands or squirm in their seats. They may also speak out loud or yell, and they may be disruptive.
Women who have the inattentive subtype may have trouble in concentrating during lectures or discussions or completing schoolwork writing, reading, or reading assignments, following directions in class or at work, and managing daily tasks. They can be disorganized and messy and find it difficult to follow through on commitments or tasks. They are more vulnerable to misplacing or losing things 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 type of disorder can cause problems at work, at home or at school. It can also cause feelings of boredom, restlessness and anger. They have a hard waiting for their turn at school, at home, or in the workplace and often interrupt others. They are not able to control their behavior and are likely to behave in a reckless manner.
4. Anxiety
Girls and women who suffer from ADHD may have a harder to manage their symptoms than boys and men. This is due to societal expectations, which demand that mothers and wives be the primary caregivers for their children and household. If related internet page with ADHD is unable to manage her obligations, she may be afflicted with anxiety and stress that can cause low self-esteem. This makes it harder to seek treatment.
In addition, women with ADHD often have difficulty getting diagnosed because 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. In addition they are more likely to develop strategies for coping that cover up their ADHD symptoms, such as frequent fidgeting and forgetfulness that could be mistaken for symptoms of anxiety disorders.
The symptoms of ADHD in women can also differ at different times during the woman's life. For example, during periods of hormonal changes, such as menstruation 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 biology: chromosomal make-up, hormones, and anatomical structure, while gender is a subjective sense of the person you are as a man, a woman, or if you're non-binary, an individual. This distinction is crucial because it allows for a better understanding of how and the ways ADHD manifests may differ between genders. For this reason, throughout this article, we refer to both men and those assigned to male at birth (AMAB) as men and boys and women and those assigned to female at birth (AFAB) as women and girls. This is consistent with how many research studies use this terminology. For more information, check out the guide to sex and gender by Verywell Health.