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ADHD Symptoms For Women
Women suffering from ADHD experience emotional instability and sensitivity to rejection. They can also experience insomnia and low quality sleep, which can make symptoms worse.
Girls and women are generally better at masking their ADHD symptoms by using coping strategies to conform to social expectations and norms. This can lead to a misdiagnosis and a delay in treatment.
1. Problems with Focusing
Concentration is the biggest issue for many women with ADHD. This neurodevelopmental disorder can make it difficult to concentrate at school or during work meetings, or when reading and listening to others' conversations. It can be difficult to complete 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 who suffer from the inattentive form of the condition can struggle to organize their home and desk. They may also find it hard to prioritize tasks. These difficulties can lead to being late for appointments, turning up at the wrong time or at the wrong place, or failing to complete their work tasks. They may also cause them to feel ashamed of themselves and blame themselves for their shortcomings and think they are lazy or forgetful.
Attention-deficit high functioning adhd in women symptoms can make it difficult to keep track of obligations, resulting in poor work or school performance and the accumulation of debt. They can be triggered by stress or other mental health issues such as anxiety and depression that are often associated with ADHD in women, according to CHADD.
Teachers and parents could be biased against males and females, which can cause 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 exacerbate symptoms for women who suffer from ADHD. They can be more evident during menstruation or perimenopause that is the time leading up to menopausal symptoms which is when estrogen levels decrease and cause emotional problems like mood swings or irritation.
Stimulant medications can help enhance concentration in 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 help with organization and focus. Some workplaces and school have facilities that can help with these issues.
2. Forgetting Things
Inattention can make it difficult to keep track of daily tasks or manage responsibilities. You may have difficulty remembering important details about events or people, especially when they happen in a noisy or crowded environment. You may also find yourself not remembering appointments or being late to work or school. Not being able to pay your bills or reply to emails is common among women suffering from ADHD that can lead to financial stress and make you feel rushed. You may experience difficulties working in a noisy or busy office, and you might be unable to concentrate during conversations. This could make the other person feel ignored or misunderstood.
Many women and girls who have ADHD also struggle to maintain friendships. They also run the risk of being pushed into unwanted sexual behavior or becoming victims of intimate partner violence. This is because they have a difficult time regulating their emotions and are more likely to feel overwhelmed. They might also be struggling with self-esteem, and may see their difficulties as a "personal flaw" rather than realizing that their behavior may be linked to their ADHD symptoms.
Girl and women who suffer from ADHD are also underdiagnosed due to gender bias, as their symptoms are less obvious than those of boys and men. They might be more likely to conceal their symptoms with anxiety or mood problems and this can lead to being misdiagnosed and improperly treated.
Symptoms of ADHD differ with the fluctuation of hormones, especially during puberty when estrogen drops and progesterone increases. This can lead to a wider range of symptoms, which makes it harder to identify and treat ADHD.
If you are diagnosed and treated, you will learn how 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 might cause symptoms to get worse. It is also possible to practice meditation and mindfulness techniques to calm your mind, reduce the impulsiveness and anxiety and improve your emotional control. Talking to an expert in mental health can be beneficial, as they can discuss possible accommodations at school or at work that might help you manage your ADHD symptoms better.
3. Disruptive Behavior
Women with ADHD tend to experience more inattentive than hyperactive or the symptoms of impulsivity. This could be due to the fact that girls and women have different brains than males and females. Or it could be due to the level of brain activity areas that control impulsive behavior.
This means it can be harder for a doctor to recognize and diagnose ADHD in women. Many women develop strategies for coping to mask their symptoms. Some of these are healthy, while others aren't sustainable and may result in other health issues. For instance some women resort to drinking or using drugs to manage their symptoms. They may also become depressed or suffer from mental health issues such as anxiety. These unhealthy coping strategies can make it difficult for people to recognize they have mental health issues and delay a proper diagnosis.
Disruptive behavior is a typical adhd symptom in women that can impact school or work performance and relationships. This includes being unable to stay focused on a specific task, forgetting important events or tasks, and easily getting distracted by the environment or their thoughts. They might fidget, tap their hands or feet or squirm. They may also shout or talk loudly, and can interrupt.
Women who have the inattentive subtype can have difficulty staying focused during lectures or conversations and juggling schoolwork, reading, or writing assignments, following instructions in classes or at work, and juggling daily tasks. They are often disorganized and messy and have a difficult time follow through on commitments or tasks. They are more likely to lose or misplace 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 subtype can cause problems at work, at home or at school. It can also lead to feelings of irritability, boredom and anger. They can't wait for their turn in school, at work, or at home. They are also known to interrupt others frequently. They tend to be reckless and are not able to manage their behavior.
4. Anxiety
Girls and women with ADHD may find it harder to manage their symptoms. This is due in part to societal expectations that demand women and mothers to be the primary caregivers for their children and household. When a woman struggles to manage her responsibilities, it can lead to anxiety and low self-esteem. This can make it more difficult for her to seek treatment.
Women with ADHD are typically not recognized as easily as men or boys because their symptoms don't appear as obvious. 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 also more likely to develop coping strategies which mask their ADHD symptoms. For instance the excessive fidgeting or forgetfulness could be interpreted as signs of anxiety disorders.
The symptoms of ADHD may also change over the course of a woman's lifetime. For instance, during periods of hormonal changes, like menstruation or pregnancy, a woman may find her ADHD symptoms to be exacerbated. This could cause her to be viewed as a victim of prejudice or thought of as a woman who is excessively emotional.
The information in this article is based on research into how ADHD affects people based on their sex. Verywell Health recognizes that sex is a matter of biology: chromosomal makeup, hormones, and anatomical structures, whereas gender is an internal perception of the person you are as a man, a woman, or if nonbinary, or a person. This distinction is important because it helps us to better know the ways and reasons adhd adult women diagnosis can manifest differently in men and women. In this article, we are referring to males and people who were assigned males at birth as boys and males. We also refer to females and people who were assigned females at conception as women and girls. This terminology is utilized in many research studies. For more details, refer to the guide to sex and gender by Verywell Health.