ADHD Symptoms For Women
Women suffering from ADHD have reported emotional instability and sensitivity to rejection. They might also experience insomnia and poor sleep quality which can make symptoms worse.
Women and girls often mask their ADHD symptoms more effectively than men by employing strategies to cope with the social expectations and norms. This can lead to a misdiagnosis or delays in treatment.
1. Problems with Focusing
For many women suffering from ADHD concentration is the most difficult thing to do. Symptoms of this neurodevelopmental disorder could make it hard to remain focused at school, during meetings at work, or when listening to others talk. It can also be challenging to manage daily tasks, like 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. Women with the inattentive form of the disorder might be struggling to organize their house or desks and may find it difficult to prioritize tasks, according to CHADD. killer deal could cause them to skip appointments, show up in the wrong place at the correct time or fail to keep up on their work duties. They may cause them to feel ashamed of themselves and blame themselves for their shortcomings, thinking they're lazy or forgetful.
Inattentive ADHD can also lead to poor performance at work or in school and can also lead to the accumulation of debt. According to CHADD the symptoms are often triggered by stress or other mental conditions such as anxiety and depression.
Women and girls with inattentive ADHD are underdiagnosed or overlooked because of biases that 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 of adult age with ADHD symptoms, they can be worsened due to hormonal changes. For instance, they may be more evident during the menstrual cycle or during perimenopause--the run-up to menopausal changes. This is when estrogen levels drop and cause emotional problems, including mood swings and anger.
Stimulant medication can improve concentration for adults with ADHD, but it won't treat the condition. Other strategies such as mindfulness training, lifestyle changes and cognitive behavioral therapies (CBT) can help with focus and organization. Certain schools and workplaces have accommodations that can help with these issues as well.
2. Forgetting Things
Forgetfulness can make juggling daily tasks and responsibilities difficult. You may struggle to remember important details about events or people, especially when they happen in a crowded or noisy environment. You may also end up forgetting appointments or running late to work or school. Inability to pay bills or respond to emails is common among women suffering from ADHD and can cause financial stress and leave you feeling stressed. You might have trouble working in a noisy or busy office, and you may zone out during conversations. This can make someone else feel unimportant or confused.
Many girls and women with ADHD also have difficulty maintaining friendships and are at risk of being pushed into unwanted sexual activity or becoming victims of intimate partner violence. They are more likely than other people to feel overwhelmed because they have difficulty regulating their emotions. They may also struggle with their self-esteem and may be more likely to view their issues as "personal imperfections" rather than recognizing that their behavior is related to their ADHD symptoms.
Due to gender biases, women and girls with ADHD are often overlooked because their symptoms are less obvious than those of men and boys. They may camouflage symptoms with anxiety and mood disorders, which could cause a misdiagnosis and inappropriate treatment.
The symptoms of ADHD are influenced by hormone fluctuations particularly during puberty, when progesterone levels drop and estrogen rises. This can result in a wider range of symptoms, which makes it harder to identify and manage ADHD.
Being diagnosed and receiving treatment can help you learn life skills to manage your ADHD symptoms. You can also change your lifestyle, such as eating healthy and balanced meals and avoiding stimulants like caffeine, sugar and drinks with sugar which can aggravate symptoms. You can also try mindfulness and meditation techniques to help calm your mind, reduce the impulsiveness and anxiety, and improve emotional regulation. A mental health professional might be able to assist you by discussing possible accommodations that can aid you in managing ADHD symptoms at work or in school.
3. Disruptive Behavior
In the majority of cases, women with ADHD are more likely to experience inattention than those who are hyperactive or impulsive. It could be because the brains of women and girls differ from those of men and boys, or it could have to do with how much activity is happening in the areas of the brain responsible for managing impulsive and disruptive behavior.
It can be a challenge for doctors to diagnose ADHD in women. Many women develop coping strategies to disguise their symptoms. Some are healthy, while others are not sustainable and can lead to other health problems. For instance, some women are prone to drinking excessively or drugs to manage. They could also develop depression or other mental health problems such as anxiety. These unhealthy coping strategies can make it more difficult for someone to recognize they have a problem and can delay an accurate diagnosis.
Disruptive behavior is a common adhd symptoms for women. It can impact their academic or work performance, and even their relationships. They typically involve not being focused on a task, forgetting important dates or events, and being easily distracted by other things in the surroundings or in their thoughts. They might fidget, tap their feet or hands, or make a squirming sound. They may also speak out loudly or yell, and they may be disruptive.
Women who suffer from the primarily inattentive type of adhd might struggle with concentrating on their lectures or conversations as well as keeping up with writing, reading, or schoolwork; following instructions at the workplace or in class and juggling their daily chores. They are often disorganized, messy, and forgetful and have a difficult time follow through on commitments or tasks. They are more likely to lose or misplace 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 type of disorder can cause problems at home, work or in school. It can also trigger feelings of boredom, restlessness and anger. They have a tough time waiting for their turn at school, home or in the workplace and often interrupt others. They have a tendency to act recklessly and aren't able to control their behavior.
4. Anxiety
Girls and women with ADHD are more likely to have a difficult dealing with their issues than men and boys. This is largely due to social expectations, which demand that mothers and women be the primary caregivers for their children and household. If a woman suffering from ADHD is unable to fulfill her obligations, she may feel anxious and stressed that lead to low self-esteem. This in turn could make it difficult to seek out treatment for her ADHD.
adhd symptoms in women with ADHD are not often diagnosed as readily 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 mechanisms that mask their ADHD symptoms. For example excessive fidgeting and forgetfulness could be interpreted as symptoms of anxiety disorders.
The symptoms of ADHD for women can change at different times in the woman's life. Women may be afflicted with ADHD symptoms during hormonal changes such as menstrual cycle and pregnancy. This could result in being dismissed or misinterpreted as a terribly emotional woman and can cause a feelings of frustration.
This article is based on research into how ADHD affects different people depending on their gender. Verywell Health recognizes that sex is a matter of biology: chromosomal makeup hormones, hormones and anatomical structure. gender is an internal sense of what you're like as a man, woman, or if non-binary, a person. This distinction is crucial because it allows for better understanding of the ways and the ways ADHD manifests can vary between genders. For this reason, throughout this article, we refer to men and people assigned male at birth (AMAB) as boys and men and women and people assigned female at birth (AFAB) as girls and women. This terminology is used in a variety of research studies. To find out more, check out Verywell Health's guide on sex and gender.