ADHD Symptoms For Women
Women suffering from ADHD frequently experience symptoms of emotional volatility and sensitive to rejection. They may also suffer from insomnia and poor quality of sleep which can make symptoms worse.
Women and girls often mask their ADHD symptoms better than males and employ strategies to manage their stress and meet social expectations and norms. This can lead to misdiagnosis and delay in treatment.
1. Problems with Focusing
Focusing is the biggest challenge for many women suffering from ADHD. This neurodevelopmental disorder makes it difficult to focus at school or during work meetings as well as when reading or listening to others talk. It can also be difficult to complete everyday 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, women with the inattentive version of the disorder may have difficulty organizing their home and desk. They may also find it hard to prioritize tasks. These difficulties could cause them to skip appointments, show up in the wrong place at the right time, or fail to follow through on their job responsibilities. These difficulties can make them feel embarrassed about themselves and they might blame themselves for their own problems.
Inattention ADHD symptoms can make it difficult to stay on top of the demands of life, resulting in poor work or school performance as well as the accumulation of debt. According to CHADD the symptoms can be triggered by stress or other mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety.
Women and girls with inattentional ADHD aren't diagnosed or treated due to the prejudices that teachers and parents might 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 increase symptoms in adult women with ADHD. For instance, they may become more noticeable during menstrual cycles, or during perimenopause--the run-up to menopause--when estrogen levels dip and can cause emotional issues, including mood swings and irritation.
Stimulant medications can help enhance concentration in adults suffering from ADHD however it doesn't cure the condition. Other strategies like mindfulness training, lifestyle changes and cognitive behavioral therapies (CBT) can also assist in focusing and organization. Some schools and workplaces offer accommodations to help with these issues.
2. Forgetting Things
Forgetfulness can make it difficult to keep track of daily tasks or to manage your responsibilities. It may be difficult to keep track of important details, especially if they occur in a noisy environment. You might also notice that you often forget appointments or are late to work or school. Inability to pay bills or reply to emails is a common occurrence for women with ADHD, which can create financial stress and make you feel rushed. You may have difficulty working in a busy or loud office and often zone out during conversations, causing others feeling disregarded or untruthful.
Many women and girls who suffer from ADHD also struggle to keep friendships. They also run the risk of being pushed into sexually inappropriate behavior or becoming intimate partner violence victims. They are more likely than others to be overwhelmed because they are unable to manage their emotions. They may also struggle with self-esteem and could be more likely to view their issues as "personal imperfections" instead of recognizing that their behavior is related to their ADHD symptoms.
Because of gender bias due to gender bias, girls and women with ADHD are underdiagnosed as their symptoms are less obvious than those of males and boys. They might be more likely to conceal their symptoms as anxiety or mood problems, which can result in being misdiagnosed or incorrectly treated.
Symptoms of ADHD differ with the fluctuation of hormones particularly during puberty, when progesterone levels drop and estrogen rises. This can cause a greater range of symptoms, making it harder to diagnose and manage ADHD.
If you are diagnosed and treated, you will learn to manage ADHD symptoms. adhd in women adult can also try lifestyle changes, for example, eating a well-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 anxiety and impulsiveness. They can also help improve emotional regulation. A mental health professional may be able to assist you by discussing possible accommodations that can help you manage ADHD symptoms at work or at school.
3. Disruptive Behavior
In the majority of cases, women with ADHD are more likely to experience inattention than those with hyperactive or impulsive symptoms. This could be because girls and women have different brains than men and boys. Or it could be due to the amount of brain activity areas that control impulsive behavior.
It can be challenging for doctors to identify ADHD in women. Many women develop coping strategies to disguise their symptoms. Some are healthy, while others aren't sustainable and could cause other health issues. For instance, some women turn to alcohol or other drugs to cope with their symptoms. They may also become depressed or have other mental health issues like anxiety. These unhealthy coping strategies may make it harder for someone to recognize that they have a problem and may delay a correct diagnosis.
Disruptive behavior is a typical adhd symptom in women that can affect school or work performance and relationships. They often include not staying focused on a task, ignoring important dates or events, and becoming easily distracted by other things in their surroundings or in their thoughts. They might fidget or tap their feet or hands or squirm in their seat. They may also talk loud or yell, and they could be disruptive.
Women who are inattentive can have difficulty concentrating during lectures or conversations, keeping up with schoolwork writing, reading, or reading assignments, following instructions in classes or at work, and managing daily tasks. They might be unorganized and forgetful. They can also be messy. It is often difficult for them to stick 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 lead to problems at work, at home, and in schools, and can cause feelings of restlessness, boredom, and frustration. They have a hard waiting for their turn at home, school, or in the workplace and they frequently interrupt others. They have a tendency to be reckless and aren't able to control their behavior.
4. Anxiety
Women and girls who have ADHD may find it harder to manage their issues. This is largely due to societal expectations that insist that women and mothers are the primary caregivers of their children and household. If a woman suffering from ADHD struggles to manage her responsibilities, she can feel anxious and stressed that can cause low self-esteem. This makes it harder for her to seek help.
Women who suffer from ADHD are not often diagnosed as easily as boys or men because their symptoms do not 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. Furthermore they are more likely to develop strategies for coping to disguise their ADHD symptoms, including excessive fidgeting and forgetfulness that could be mistaken for symptoms of anxiety disorders.
Symptoms of ADHD in women can also vary at different times throughout the woman's lifetime. For example, during periods of hormonal changes, like menstruation or pregnancy, a woman could discover her ADHD symptoms to become more severe. This can cause her to be misunderstood, or considered an emotionally overly sensitive.
This article is based on research on how ADHD affects different people depending on their gender. Verywell Health acknowledges that sex refers to biology: hormonal makeup, chromosomal makeup and anatomy. While gender refers to the internal feeling of being a woman, man or a nonbinary. This distinction is important as it allows us to better understand the reasons behind why ADHD can manifest differently in women and men. In this article, we will 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 girls and women. This is in line with how many research studies employ this term. To find out more, check out Verywell Health's guide on gender and sexuality.