ADHD Symptoms For Women Tips That Will Change Your Life
ADHD Symptoms For Women
Women who suffer from ADHD frequently experience symptoms of emotional instability and sensitive to rejection. They might also experience insomnia and low quality sleep, which could cause symptoms to get worse.
Girls and women often hide their ADHD symptoms better than men by employing coping strategies to meet social expectations and norms. high functioning adhd in women can lead to a misdiagnosis as well as an inability to treat.
1. Difficulty Focusing
Concentration is the biggest issue for many women with ADHD. This neurodevelopmental disorder makes it difficult to concentrate at school, during meetings at work, or when reading and listening to others talk. It can be difficult to complete daily tasks like 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. According to CHADD women who suffer from the inattentive version of the disorder might have difficulty organizing their home and their desks. They may also have difficulty deciding how to prioritize their tasks. These problems can result in them missing appointments, showing up at the wrong time or location or failing to finish their tasks. These difficulties can make them feel embarrassed about themselves and they could blame themselves for their own problems.
Inattentive ADHD can also result in poor performance at school or at work and can lead to the accumulation of debt. They are often triggered by stress or other mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression that are often associated with ADHD in women, according to CHADD.
Women and girls with inattentive ADHD are not diagnosed or recognized because of the biases teachers and parents may be prone to towards males and females. 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, they may be caused by hormonal changes. For instance, they may be more evident during the menstrual cycle or during perimenopause--the run-up to menopause--when estrogen levels dip and can cause emotional issues, including mood swings and irritability.
Adults with ADHD may benefit from stimulant medication to improve their focus however, it cannot cure the condition. Other strategies, such as lifestyle modifications, mindfulness-based training, and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can aid in organizing and focus. Some schools and workplaces offer facilities that can help with these issues.
2. Forgetting Things
Inattention can make it difficult to keep track of daily tasks or to manage your the responsibilities. You may struggle to remember important information about events or people particularly when they occur in a crowded or noisy environment. You may also find that you frequently forget appointments or run late to work or school. Women with ADHD tend to forget to pay bills or reply to emails, which can result in financial stress and a feeling of urgency. You may experience difficulties working in a noisy or crowded office, and may get lost in conversations. This can make the other person feel ignored or misunderstood.
Many women and girls suffering from ADHD also have difficulty maintaining friendships and are at risk of being forced into unintentional sexual activity or becoming victims of intimate partner violence. This is because they have a harder 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 an "personal fault" instead of realizing that their behavior is linked to their ADHD symptoms.
Because of gender bias due to gender bias, girls and women with ADHD are not diagnosed because their symptoms are less obvious than those of men and boys. They might be more likely to camouflage their symptoms by claiming anxiety or mood problems, which can result in being misdiagnosed or incorrectly treated.
Symptoms of ADHD vary with hormone fluctuations, 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.
Getting diagnosed and receiving treatment can help you gain life skills to manage your ADHD symptoms. You can also alter your lifestyle by eating a balanced diet and limiting stimulants like sugar, caffeine and sugary drinks which can aggravate symptoms. Meditation and mindfulness techniques can calm your mind and reduce restlessness and impulsiveness. They can also help improve emotional regulation. A mental health professional could be able to assist you by discussing possible accommodations that may aid you in managing ADHD symptoms at work or in school.
3. Disruptive Behavior
In the majority of cases, women with ADHD have more irritable symptoms than hyperactive or impulsive ones. That may be because the brains of women and girls differ from those of males and females, or it could have to do with how much activity is occurring in the areas of the brain that control disruptive and impulsive behavior.
As a result, it can be difficult for a physician to identify and diagnose ADHD in women. Many women develop coping strategies to mask their symptoms. Some of these are healthy, however others are unsustainable and can result in other health issues. Women, for instance, turn to excessive alcohol or drugs to manage. They might also develop depression or other mental health conditions like anxiety. These unhealthy coping strategies can make it difficult for people to recognize a mental health problem and delay the diagnosis.
Disruptive behavior is a typical adhd symptom for women that can affect school or work performance and relationships. These include being in a state of disorientation and not being able to focus on a specific task, forgetting important events or tasks, and being easily distracted by the environment or their thoughts. They might fumble or tap their hands or feet or squirm their seats. They can also talk out loudly or yell, and they could be disruptive.
Women who are inattentive can have difficulty concentrating during lectures or conversations or completing 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 can be challenging to keep up with commitments or tasks. They are more susceptible to misplacing or losing 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 subtype can cause problems at home, work or in school. It can also lead to feelings of restlessness, boredom and frustration. They have a difficult time waiting for their turn at home, school or in the workplace and are often disruptive to others. They tend to be reckless and aren't able to control their behavior.
4. Anxiety
Girls and women with ADHD can have a harder dealing with their issues than men and boys. This is largely due to social expectations that insist that women and mothers are the primary caregivers for their children and their household. If a woman is struggling to manage her responsibilities and obligations, it can cause anxiety and low self-esteem. This in turn can make it harder to seek out treatment for her ADHD.
Women who suffer from ADHD are not often diagnosed as easily as boys or men because their symptoms do not appear as prominent. 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 example, excessive fidgeting or forgetfulness could be interpreted as symptoms of anxiety disorders.
The symptoms of ADHD can also change over the life of a woman. For example, during periods of hormonal changes, like menstrual or pregnancy, a woman could notice her ADHD symptoms to become more intense. This can lead to her being misunderstood or dismissed as a terribly emotional woman, which adds to her feeling of anger.
The information in this article is based on research regarding how ADHD affects people based on their sex. Verywell Health acknowledges that sex refers to biology: chromosomal makeup, hormones, and anatomy. While gender refers to an internal sense of being a woman, man or a nonbinary. This distinction is important as it helps us know the reasons behind why ADHD can manifest differently in men and women. In this article, we are referring to males and those who were assigned males at birth as boys and men. We also refer to females and people who were assigned female at conception as women and girls. This is in line with how many research studies use this terminology. For more information, check out the guide to sex & gender by Verywell Health.