ADHD Symptoms For Women
Women who suffer from ADHD experience emotional instability and sensitivity to rejection. They may also suffer from insomnia and poor quality of sleep which can cause more symptoms.
Girls and women are generally more adept at hiding their ADHD symptoms and coping mechanisms to comply with social expectations and norms. This can lead both to a misdiagnosis and delays in treatment.
1. Difficulty Focusing
Concentration is the most difficult issue for women suffering from ADHD. The symptoms of this neurodevelopmental disorder may make it hard to stay on task at school, at meetings at work, or when reading or listening to others ' conversations. It can also be difficult to manage everyday tasks, such as 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 type of the disorder might struggle to organize their home and their desk. They may also have difficulty deciding how to prioritize tasks. These difficulties can lead them to miss appointments, arrive in the wrong place at the correct time, or fail to keep up on their tasks. They may also cause them to feel bad about themselves and blame themselves for their troubles and think they're lazy or forgetful.
Inattentive ADHD symptoms can make it difficult to manage the demands of life, resulting in poor school or work performance as well as the accumulation of debt. They can be caused 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 may be biased towards males and females, which can cause women and girls 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 in women who suffer from ADHD. They can be more noticeable during perimenopausal or menstrual cycle which is the period leading up to menopausal symptoms which is when estrogen levels decrease and cause emotional problems like mood swings or irritation.
Adults with ADHD may benefit from stimulant medication to boost their concentration however, it cannot treat the condition. Other strategies, including lifestyle modifications, mindfulness-based training, and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can aid in organizing and focus. Certain schools and workplaces have facilities to assist with these issues.
2. Forgetting Things
Forgetfulness can make juggling daily tasks and responsibilities challenging. You may struggle to remember important information about events or people particularly when they take place in a noisy or busy environment. You may also end up forgetting appointments or running late to school or work. Women who suffer from ADHD tend to forget to pay bills or respond to emails, which could result in financial stress and a feeling of urgency. You might have trouble working in a noisy or noisy workplace and frequently get lost in conversations, leaving others feeling ignored or misunderstood.
Many girls and women who suffer from ADHD also struggle to maintain friendships. They also run the risk of being pushed into unwanted sexual behavior or becoming victims of violence from intimate partners. This is because they have a harder managing their emotions and are more likely to become overwhelmed. They could also be struggling with their self-esteem, and they might view their problems as an "personal fault" rather than realizing that their behavior is linked to their ADHD symptoms.
Due to gender biases Due to gender bias, girls and women suffering from ADHD are often overlooked because their symptoms are more subtle than those of men and boys. They are more likely to camouflage their symptoms with mood disorders or anxiety which could lead to being misdiagnosed and incorrectly treated.
Symptoms of ADHD differ with the fluctuation of hormones, especially during puberty when progesterone drops and estrogen increases. This can lead to a more frequent change in symptoms from day to day which can make it more difficult to identify and treat ADHD correctly.
Getting diagnosed and receiving treatment can help you develop life skills to manage your ADHD symptoms. You can also consider lifestyle changes, for example, eating a well-balanced diet and avoiding caffeine, sugar and other stimulants that may cause symptoms to worsen. It is also possible to practice mindfulness techniques and meditation to relax your mind, decrease the impulsiveness and anxiety and improve your emotional control. Talking to an expert in mental health can be beneficial, since they can discuss possible accommodations at work or at school that can aid in managing your ADHD symptoms better.
3. Disruptive Behavior
In the majority of cases, women who suffer from ADHD have more irritable symptoms than hyperactive or impulsive ones. It could be because the brains of girls and women differ from those of boys and men or it could have to do with the amount of activity is happening in the regions of the brain that control impulsive and disruptive behavior.
It can be difficult for doctors to recognize ADHD in women. Many women devise strategies to hide their symptoms. Some are healthy, but others are not sustainable and can lead to other health issues. For instance women may turn to drinking or using drugs to cope with their symptoms. They may also develop depression or other mental health issues like anxiety. These unhealthy coping strategies can make it difficult for people to recognize they are suffering from a condition and can delay an accurate diagnosis.
Disruptive behaviors are a common adhd symptom that affects women and can affect work or school performance and relationships. They typically involve not being focused on a task, ignoring important events or tasks and being easily distracted by other things in the environment or in their thoughts. They might fidget, tap their feet or hands or squirm. They may also yell or talk loudly, and may interrupt.
Women who have the most inattentional type of adhd may struggle with concentrating on lectures or conversations and juggling writing, reading, or schoolwork; following instructions at work or in class; and juggling their daily chores. They may be disorganized and forgetful. They can also be messy. It can be difficult for them to stick with commitments or tasks. They are more likely to lose or misplace things like glasses, wallets, keys and even wallets.
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 trouble at home, at work and at school, and it can lead to feelings of agitation and boredom. It can also cause frustration. They have a difficult waiting for their turn at home, school or in the workplace and are often disruptive to other people. They have a tendency to act recklessly and aren't able to control their behavior.
4. Anxiety
Girls and women with ADHD may have a harder time to manage their symptoms. This is due to the expectations of society that insist that mothers and women be the primary caregivers for their children and household. If a woman is struggling to manage her responsibilities and obligations, it can cause anxiety and low self-esteem. This in turn makes it more difficult to seek treatment for her ADHD.
In addition, women with ADHD often have difficulty getting diagnosed because their symptoms aren't 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. Additionally they are more likely to develop coping strategies that mask their ADHD symptoms, like frequent fidgeting and forgetfulness which can be mistaken for symptoms of anxiety disorders.
Symptoms of ADHD in women can vary at different times throughout the woman's life. For adhd symptoms in women adults , during periods of hormonal changes, like menstruation or pregnancy, a woman could notice her ADHD symptoms to become more severe. This can cause her to be misunderstood or dismissed as an overly 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, hormones, and anatomical structure. gender is an internal perception of what you're like as a man, a woman, or, if nonbinary, or a person. This distinction is important because it allows us to better know the reasons behind why ADHD manifests differently in men and women. In this article, we are referring to males and people who were assigned male at birth as males and boys. We also refer to females and people who were assigned female at conception as girls and women. This terminology is used in a variety of research studies. For more information, read the guide to sex & gender by Verywell Health.