ADHD Symptoms For Women
Women suffering from ADHD have reported emotional instability and sensitivity to rejection. They may also suffer from insomnia and poor quality sleep which can cause more symptoms.
Girls and women are typically better at concealing their ADHD symptoms and coping mechanisms to comply with social expectations and norms. This can lead to a misdiagnosis or delays in treatment.
1. Difficulty Focusing
For many women with ADHD focus is the most difficult thing to do. Symptoms of this neurodevelopmental disorder may make it hard to concentrate at school, during meetings at work, or even when reading and listening to others ' conversations. It can be difficult to complete everyday tasks such as remembering appointments or taking 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. Women with the inattentive form of the disorder may be struggling to organize their homes or at their work desk and have difficulty focusing on tasks according to CHADD. These difficulties can lead them to miss appointments, show up at the wrong place at the right time, or fail to follow through on their tasks. They may also cause them to feel ashamed of themselves and blame themselves for their problems believing they're lazy or forgetful.
Attention-deficit ADHD symptoms can also make it hard to stay on top of responsibilities, leading to poor school or work performance as well as the accumulation of debt. They can be triggered by stress or other mental health issues, including depression and anxiety, which often co-occur with ADHD in women, as per CHADD.
Teachers and parents might be biased towards males and females, which can cause some 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.
For women who are adults with ADHD, symptoms can also be worsened due to hormonal changes. They can be more evident during menstruation or perimenopause, the run-up to menopausal symptoms as estrogen levels drop and can cause emotional issues like mood swings and irritation.
Stimulant medications can help improve concentration for adults with ADHD However, it can't cure the condition. Other strategies, like lifestyle changes, mindfulness training, and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), can also aid in organizing and focus. Some schools and workplaces have accommodations that can help with these issues, as well.
2. Forgetting Things
The habit of forgetting can make managing daily chores and responsibilities difficult. It can be difficult to remember important details about people or events particularly when they occur in a crowded or noisy environment. You might also notice that you are often late for appointments or are late for work and school. Forgetting to pay bills or reply to emails is common in women suffering from ADHD that can lead to financial stress and leave you feeling overwhelmed. You may experience difficulties working in a crowded or noisy workplace and frequently zone out during conversations, leaving others feeling disregarded or untruthful.
Many women and girls who have ADHD also struggle to maintain friendships. They also run the risk of being pushed into sexually inappropriate behavior or becoming intimate partner violence victims. They are more likely than other people to be overwhelmed because they struggle to control their emotions. They might also have trouble with self-esteem, and may be more inclined to see their problems as "personal imperfections" instead of acknowledging that their behavior is related to their ADHD symptoms.
Women and girls with ADHD are also often overlooked due to gender bias since their symptoms are more noticeable than those of males and females. They may camouflage symptoms with anxiety and mood disorders, which can result in a misdiagnosis or inappropriate treatment.
Symptoms of ADHD vary with hormone fluctuations, especially during puberty when estrogen drops and progesterone increases. This can result in a wider variety of symptoms, making it harder to diagnose and manage ADHD.
Finding a doctor and getting treatment can help you learn how to manage your ADHD symptoms. You can also make lifestyle changes, such as eating a well-balanced diet and limiting sugar, caffeine, and other stimulants that could cause symptoms to worsen. Meditation and mindfulness techniques can relax your mind and reduce the impulsiveness and restlessness. They can also improve emotional regulation. A mental health professional may be able to assist by discussing possible accommodations that may aid you in managing ADHD symptoms at work or at school.
3. add and adhd in women with ADHD are less attentive than those with hyperactive or the symptoms of impulsivity. This could be because women and girls have different brains than boys and men. Or it could be due to the amount of activity in the brain areas that control impulsive behavior.
It can be a challenge for doctors to recognize ADHD in women. Many women develop coping mechanisms to disguise their symptoms. Some of these are healthy, while others aren't sustainable and may cause health issues of other kinds. For instance women may turn to alcohol or other drugs to manage their symptoms. They may also develop depression or other mental health conditions such as anxiety. These unhealthy ways of coping can make it difficult for people to recognize a mental health problem and delay the diagnosis.
Disruptive behavior is one of the most common adhd symptoms for women. It can affect their academic or work performance, or even their relationships. They often include not staying focused on a task, ignoring important events or tasks, and becoming easily distracted by other aspects of the environment or in their thoughts. They might fidget, tap their feet or hands, or shake their hands. They may also speak out loud or yell, and they may be disruptive.
Women who are inattentive are prone to having 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 can be disorganized, messy, and forgetful and have a difficult time adhere to commitments or tasks. They are more prone to misplacing or losing things 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 subtype can cause problems at home, work or at school. It can also trigger feelings of restlessness, boredom and frustration. They have a difficult waiting to be called upon at school, at home, or in the workplace and are often disruptive to other people. They aren't able to control their behavior and are likely to behave recklessly.
4. Anxiety
Women and girls with ADHD are more likely to have a difficult to manage their symptoms than males and females. This is partly due to social expectations, which demand that mothers and women be the primary caregivers for their children and their household. When a woman struggles to manage her responsibilities, it can lead to anxiety and low self-esteem. This, in turn, could make it difficult to seek out treatment for her ADHD.
In addition, women who suffer from ADHD frequently have a difficult time getting diagnosed since their symptoms are not as prominent 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. Additionally, they are more likely to develop coping strategies to disguise their ADHD symptoms, such as frequent fidgeting and forgetfulness which could be misinterpreted as symptoms of anxiety disorders.
The symptoms of ADHD for women can differ at different times during the woman's life. Women can be afflicted with ADHD symptoms in the course of hormonal changes, like menstrual cycles and pregnancy. This could result in being dismissed or misinterpreted as a terribly emotional woman and can cause a feeling of anger.
This article is based on research on how ADHD affects different individuals based on their gender. Verywell Health recognizes that sex is biology: chromosomal make-up hormones, hormones, and anatomical structure, while gender is an internal perception of what you're like as a man, woman, or, if non-binary, you're an individual. This distinction is important because it allows for better understanding of how and the ways in which ADHD manifests may differ between genders. 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 female at conception as girls and women. This is in line with how many research studies employ this terminology. For more information, read the guide on sex and gender by Verywell Health.