ADHD Symptoms For Women
Women who suffer from ADHD frequently experience symptoms of emotional volatility and an sensitivity to rejection. They may also suffer from insomnia and poor quality of sleep, which can exacerbate symptoms.
Girls and women are typically better at masking their ADHD symptoms by using coping strategies to comply with social expectations and norms. This can lead to misdiagnosis and delay in treatment.
1. Difficulty Focusing
For many women with ADHD, focusing is the most difficult thing to do. This neurodevelopmental disorder makes it difficult to focus at school or during work meetings or while reading or listening to others talk. It can be difficult to complete daily tasks, such as keeping track of appointments or taking medications.
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 suffering from the inattentive type of the disorder may be struggling to organize their homes or at their desks and may find it difficult to prioritize tasks according to CHADD. These issues could cause them to skip appointments, show up at the wrong place at the right time, or not follow through on their tasks. These problems can make them feel bad about themselves, and they could blame themselves for their problems.
Attention-deficit ADHD symptoms can also make it hard to manage the demands of life, resulting in poor work or school performance and the accumulation of debt. They are often caused by stress or other mental health issues, including depression and anxiety that often co-occur with ADHD in women, according to CHADD.
Teachers and parents might be biased against males and girls, leading to some girls and women 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 increase symptoms in adult women with ADHD. They may be more apparent during menstruation or perimenopause that is the time leading up to the menopausal phase of a woman which is when estrogen levels decrease and cause emotional problems like mood swings and irritation.
The use of stimulants can help improve concentration for adults with ADHD, but it won't solve the problem. Other strategies, such as mindfulness training, lifestyle changes and cognitive behavioral therapies (CBT) can help in focusing and organization. Some schools and workplaces have facilities that can assist with these issues, as well.
2. Forgetting Things
Inattention can make it difficult to stay on top of daily tasks or manage the responsibilities. You may find it difficult to keep track of important details especially when they take place in a noisy environment. You may also end up forgetting appointments or running late to work or school. Women with ADHD are prone to forgetting to pay bills or reply to emails, which can cause financial stress and a sense of urgency. You might have trouble working in a crowded or noisy office. You may also lose focus during conversations, leaving the other person to feel unimportant or misunderstood.
Many women and girls with ADHD are also having a difficult time maintaining friendships and are at risk of being pressured into sexual activities that are not desired or becoming victims of intimate partner violence. This is due to the fact that they have a harder to manage their emotions and are more likely to be overwhelmed. They may also be struggling with self-esteem, and may see their problems as an "personal fault" instead of realizing that their behavior is linked to their ADHD symptoms.
Because of gender bias, women and girls with ADHD are underdiagnosed as their symptoms are less obvious than those of males and boys. They may camouflage symptoms with anxiety and mood disorders, which could lead to a misdiagnosis and inappropriate treatment.
ADHD symptoms can be different based on fluctuations in hormones. This is especially true during puberty, when hormone levels drop and progesterone levels increase. undiagnosed adhd in women can cause a greater range of symptoms, making it harder to identify and treat ADHD.
Finding a doctor and getting treatment can help you develop how to manage your ADHD symptoms. You can also make lifestyle changes such as eating an appropriate diet and avoiding stimulants like caffeine, sugar and sugary drinks that can worsen symptoms. You can also try mindfulness and meditation techniques to help calm your mind, decrease the impulsiveness and anxiety and improve your emotional control. A mental health professional may 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
Women who suffer from ADHD tend to be more inattentive than hyperactive or hyperactive symptoms. This could be due to the fact that girls and women have different brains than boys and men. Or it could be due to the level of brain activity areas that control impulsive behavior.
It can be challenging for doctors to identify ADHD in women. Many women devise strategies to disguise their symptoms. Some of these are healthy, while others are unsustainable and can cause health issues of other kinds. Women, for instance, turn to excessive alcohol and other drugs to deal with their problems. They may also develop depression or other mental health issues like anxiety. These unhealthy coping methods can make it difficult for someone to recognize they have an issue with their mental health and delay an accurate diagnosis.
Disruptive behavior is one of the most common adhd symptoms for women. It can affect their academic or work performance, and even their relationships. They often include not staying focused on a task, ignoring important events or tasks and becoming easily distracted by other things in their environment or in their minds. They might fidget, tap their hands or feet, or make a squirming sound. They may also yell or speak loudly, and they may interrupt.
Women who suffer from the primarily inattentive subtype of adhd can have trouble concentrating on their lectures or conversations and juggling writing, reading, or schoolwork; following instructions at work or in class; and juggling their daily chores. They may be unorganized and messy and find it difficult to follow through on commitments or tasks. They are more likely to lose or misplace things such as eyeglasses, wallets, and keys.
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 home, at work, and in school, and it can lead to feelings of agitation and boredom. It can also cause frustration. They have a difficult waiting to be called upon at school, at home or in the workplace and often interrupt other people. They are not able to control their behavior and tend to be reckless.
4. Anxiety
Girls and women with ADHD may have a harder to manage their symptoms than men and boys. This is due in part to the expectations of society that require women and mothers to be the primary caregivers for their children and household. When a woman with ADHD struggles to manage her responsibilities, she can experience heightened feelings of anxiety that can cause low self-esteem. This makes it harder for her to seek help.
In addition, women who suffer from ADHD frequently have a difficult time getting diagnosed as their symptoms aren't as evident 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. undiagnosed adhd in women are more likely to develop coping strategies that mask their ADHD symptoms. For instance the excessive fidgeting or forgetfulness can be mistaken as symptoms of anxiety disorders.
Symptoms of ADHD in women can also change at different times in the woman's life. For instance, during periods of hormonal changes, like menstruation or pregnancy, a woman may notice her ADHD symptoms to become more severe. This can result in being dismissed or misinterpreted as a woman who is emotionally overly sensitive which can increase her sense of frustration.
The information in this article is based on research about how ADHD affects people based on their sexual. Verywell Health acknowledges that sex is a reference to biology, including chromosomal makeup, hormones, and anatomy. whereas gender refers to the internal feeling of being a man, woman, or nonbinary person. This distinction is crucial because it allows for better understanding of the ways and the ways that ADHD manifests may differ between genders. This is why throughout this article we will refer to both men and those assigned male at birth (AMAB) as males and boys and women and those assigned to female at birth (AFAB) as girls and women. This is in line with how many research studies use this terminology. For more details, refer to the guide to sex & gender by Verywell Health.