ADHD Symptoms For Women
Women suffering from ADHD report emotional volatility and sensitivity towards rejection. They can also experience insomnia and poor quality sleep, which could cause symptoms to get worse.
Women and girls tend to hide their ADHD symptoms more effectively than men by employing strategies to manage their stress and meet social expectations and norms. This can lead to misdiagnosis or delay in treatment.
1. Difficulty Focusing
Concentration is the biggest issue for many women suffering from ADHD. Symptoms of this neurodevelopmental disorder may make it difficult to stay on task at school, at meetings at work, or even when reading or listening to others ' conversations. It can also be difficult to get through daily tasks, like keeping track of appointments or remembering to take your 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 women who suffer from the inattentive form of the condition can have difficulty organizing their home and their desk. They may also find it hard to prioritize their tasks. These difficulties can lead them to miss appointments, arrive in the wrong place at the correct time, or fail to follow through on their job responsibilities. They can make them feel ashamed of themselves and blame themselves for their shortcomings, thinking they are incompetent or forgetful.
Inattentional ADHD can also result in poor performance at school or at work, and the accumulation of debt. They are often triggered by stress or other mental health issues such as anxiety and depression that often co-occur with ADHD in women, according to CHADD.
Some girls and women with inattentive ADHD are underdiagnosed or overlooked because of the biases teachers and parents 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.
For women of adult age who suffer from ADHD symptoms, they can be caused due to hormonal changes. For instance, they could be more evident during the menstrual cycle or during perimenopause--the run-up to menopausal changes. This is when estrogen levels drop and can cause emotional issues which include mood swings as well as anger.
The use of stimulants can help increase the concentration of adults suffering from ADHD, but it won't cure the condition. Other strategies such as mindfulness training, lifestyle changes, and cognitive behavioral therapies (CBT) can also assist with focus and organization. Some schools and workplaces offer facilities to assist with these issues.
2. Forgetting Things
Forgetfulness can make juggling daily chores and responsibilities difficult. You may have difficulty remembering important details about events or people, especially when they happen in a noisy or busy environment. You might also find that you are often late for appointments or are late for school or work. Not being able to pay your bills or reply to emails is common in women with ADHD and can cause financial stress and leave you feeling stressed. You might have trouble working in a noisy or busy office, and you might zone out during conversations. This could make someone else feel unimportant or misunderstood.
Many women and girls suffering from ADHD are also having a difficult time maintaining friendships and are at risk of being forced into sexual activities that are not desired or being victims of violence from intimate partners. They are more likely than other people to feel overwhelmed because they are unable to manage their emotions. They might also have trouble with self-esteem and could be more likely to interpret their difficulties as "personal flaws" instead of recognizing that their behavior is related to their ADHD symptoms.
Due to gender biases, women and girls with ADHD are often overlooked because their symptoms are more subtle than those of men and boys. They might be more likely to conceal their symptoms as anxiety or mood problems, which can result in being misdiagnosed and improperly treated.
The symptoms of ADHD vary with hormone fluctuations, especially during puberty when progesterone levels drop and estrogen rises. This can result in greater variance in symptoms throughout the day, which makes it difficult to diagnose and manage ADHD correctly.
Being diagnosed and receiving treatment can help you develop how to manage your ADHD symptoms. You can also consider lifestyle changes, for example, eating a balanced diet and avoiding sugar, caffeine and other stimulants that may cause symptoms to become worse. It is also possible to practice mindfulness techniques and meditation to help calm your mind, reduce the impulsiveness and anxiety and improve your emotional control. Talking with an expert in mental health can be beneficial, since they can discuss possible accommodations at school or at work to help you manage your ADHD symptoms better.
3. Disruptive Behavior
Women who suffer from ADHD tend to experience more inattentive than hyperactive or impulsive symptoms. This could be due to the fact that women and girls have different brains than males and females. Or it could be due to the amount of brain activity areas that regulate impulsive behavior.
In the end, it can be harder for a doctor to recognize and diagnose ADHD in women. Many women devise strategies to disguise their symptoms. Some of these are healthy, but others aren't sustainable and may cause other health problems. For example women may turn to excessive alcohol or drugs to deal with their symptoms. They may also be depressed or have other mental health issues like anxiety. These unhealthy coping strategies can make it difficult for someone to recognize that they have mental health issues and delay an accurate diagnosis.
Disruptive behavior is a common symptom of adhd in women. It can impact their work or school performance, and even their relationships. They usually involve not staying focused on a task, ignoring important events or tasks, and being easily distracted by other things in the surroundings or in their thoughts. They may fidget, shake their feet or hands or make a squirming sound. They can also yell or speak loudly and they may interrupt.
Women with the inattentive subtype can have difficulty concentrating during lectures or conversations, keeping up with schoolwork writing, reading, or reading assignments, following directions in class or at work, and managing daily tasks. They might be unorganized and forgetful. They can also be messy. It can be challenging for them to stick on commitments or tasks. They are more likely to lose or misplace items like 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, at work and at schools, and can cause feelings of restlessness and boredom. It can also cause frustration. They can't wait for their turn, whether at school, at work, or at home. They often interrupt others. They aren't able to control their behavior and tend to behave in a reckless manner.
4. Anxiety
Girls and women with ADHD might find it difficult to manage their issues. This is due in part to the social expectations that demand women and mothers to be the primary caregivers for their children and household. If a woman is struggling to fulfill her obligations, it can lead to anxiety and low self-esteem. This makes it more difficult to seek treatment.
Additionally, women who suffer from ADHD frequently have a difficult time getting diagnosed since 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. In addition, they are more likely to develop strategies for coping that mask their ADHD symptoms, such as excessive fidgeting and forgetfulness which can be mistaken for symptoms of anxiety disorders.
The symptoms of ADHD in women can vary at different times throughout the woman's lifetime. great site may be afflicted with ADHD symptoms in the course of hormonal changes, like menstrual cycles and pregnancy. This can lead her to be misunderstood or considered being excessively emotional.
This article is based upon research into how ADHD affects different people depending on their gender. Verywell Health recognizes that sex is a matter of biology: chromosomal makeup hormones, hormones and anatomical structure, while gender is an internal sense of the person you are as a male, a woman, or if you're non-binary, you're a person. This distinction is important as it helps us understand how and why ADHD manifests differently in women and men. In this article, we are referring to males and those who were assigned males at birth as boys and males. We also refer to females and those who were assigned female at conception as women and girls. This is consistent with how many research studies employ this term. For more information, read the guide to sex and gender by Verywell Health.