A Step-By-Step Guide For Choosing Your ADHD Symptoms For Women
ADHD Symptoms For Women
Women suffering from ADHD report emotional volatility and sensitivity to rejection. They may also suffer from insomnia and poor sleep quality which can make symptoms worse.
Girls and women are generally better at masking their ADHD symptoms by using coping strategies to conform to social expectations and norms. This can lead to a misdiagnosis as well as delays in treatment.
1. Trouble focusing
Concentration is the most difficult issue for many women with ADHD. Symptoms of this neurodevelopmental disorder could make it difficult to remain focused at school, during meetings at work, or when reading or listening to others talk. It can be challenging 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. According to CHADD, women with the inattentive type of the disorder may have difficulty organizing their home and their desk. They may also have difficulty deciding how to prioritize tasks. These problems can cause them to miss appointments, arrive in the wrong place at the correct time, or fail to follow through on their job responsibilities. They may also cause them to feel ashamed of themselves and blame themselves for their troubles believing they're lazy or forgetful.
Inattention ADHD symptoms can also make it difficult to manage the demands of life, resulting in poor work or school performance as well as the accumulation of debt. They are often triggered by stress or other mental health issues such as anxiety and depression that often co-occur with ADHD in women, according to CHADD.
Teachers and parents might be biased against males and females, which can cause women and girls to be overlooked. 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 worsened due to hormonal changes. They can be more noticeable during menstruation or perimenopause which is the period leading up to the menopausal phase of a woman which is when estrogen levels decrease and can cause emotional issues like mood swings or irritation.
Stimulant medications can help enhance concentration in adults suffering from ADHD However, it can't solve the problem. Other strategies, including lifestyle modifications, mindfulness-based training, and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), can also aid in focusing and organization. Some workplaces and school have accommodations to help with these issues.
2. Forgetting Things
Inattention can make it difficult to keep track of daily tasks or manage responsibilities. You may struggle to remember important information about events or people particularly when they take place in a noisy or crowded environment. You might also find that you are often late for appointments or get late to work or school. Not being able to pay your bills or respond to emails is common in women suffering from ADHD and can cause financial stress and leave you feeling overwhelmed. You might have trouble working in a noisy or crowded office, and may get lost in conversations. This can make the other person feel unimportant or confused.
Many girls and women who suffer from ADHD also struggle to keep friendships. They are also at risk of being forced into inappropriate sexual behaviour or becoming victims of intimate partner violence. This is because they have a harder managing their emotions and are more likely to feel overwhelmed. They may also struggle with their self-esteem and may be more inclined to see their problems as "personal flaws" instead of acknowledging 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. adhd symptoms in women adults may be more likely to camouflage their symptoms as anxiety or mood problems which could lead to being misdiagnosed and improperly treated.
ADHD symptoms can vary depending on the fluctuation in hormone levels. This is especially evident during puberty, as hormone levels drop and progesterone levels rise. This can result in greater variance in symptoms from day to day, which can make it harder to diagnose and manage ADHD properly.
Getting diagnosed and receiving treatment can help you develop how to manage your ADHD symptoms. You can also make lifestyle changes such as eating a balanced diet and limiting stimulants like sugar, caffeine, and sugary drinks that could worsen symptoms. You can also practice mindfulness techniques and meditation to relax your mind, reduce the impulsiveness and anxiety and improve your emotional regulation. A mental health professional might be able to assist by discussing possible accommodations that may help you manage ADHD symptoms at work or at school.
3. Disruptive Behavior
Women with ADHD tend to experience more sluggish than hyperactive or impulsive symptoms. This could be because women and girls have different brains than boys and men. Or it could be due to the amount of brain activity areas that control impulsive behavior.
It can be difficult for doctors to diagnose ADHD in women. Many women develop strategies for coping to disguise their symptoms. Some of these are healthy, but others are unsustainable and can cause health issues of other kinds. For example some women resort to alcohol or other drugs to deal with their symptoms. They might also develop depression or suffer from mental health problems like anxiety. These unhealthy coping strategies may make it more difficult for someone to recognize they are suffering from a disorder and can delay an accurate diagnosis.
Disruptive behavior is a common adhd symptom that affects women and can impact school or work performance and relationships. They can be a problem when they are unable to stay focused on a particular task, forgetting important tasks or events, and easily getting distracted by the surroundings or their thoughts. They might fidget, tap their hands or feet or make a squirming sound. They can also yell or speak loudly, and they may interrupt.
Women who suffer from the primarily inattentive subtype of adhd can have trouble concentrating on conversations or lectures; keeping up with reading, writing or schoolwork; following instructions at the workplace or in class and juggling their daily chores. They may be disorganized and forgetful. They may also be messy. It can be challenging to keep up with tasks or commitments. They are more prone to misplacing or losing things such as 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 work, at home, and in schools, and can trigger feelings of anxiety or boredom. They have a difficult waiting for their turn at school, home, or in the workplace and they frequently interrupt others. They are not able to control their behavior and are likely to behave in a reckless manner.
4. Anxiety
Women and girls with ADHD are more likely to have a difficult dealing with their issues than males and females. This is due to social expectations, which demand that women and mothers are the primary caregivers for their children and their household. When a woman struggles to manage her responsibilities and obligations, it can cause anxiety and low self-esteem. This makes it harder for her to seek treatment.
Women who suffer from ADHD are often not diagnosed as easily as men or boys because their symptoms do not seem to be as apparent. 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 more likely to develop coping strategies which mask their ADHD symptoms. For example, excessive fidgeting or forgetfulness can be misinterpreted as symptoms of anxiety disorders.
The symptoms of ADHD may also change over the woman's life. Women can be afflicted with ADHD symptoms during hormonal changes such as menstrual cycle and pregnancy. This can lead her to be misunderstood or considered being excessively emotional.
The information in this article is based on research regarding how ADHD affects people based on their sexual. Verywell Health acknowledges that sex is a reference to biology, including hormones, chromosomal makeup and anatomy. While gender is a subjective sense of being a man, woman or a nonbinary. This distinction is important because it allows for better understanding of how and why the ways that ADHD manifests can vary between genders. In adhd in young women , we will refer to males and people who were assigned male at birth as boys and males. We also refer to females and people who were assigned females at conception as females and girls. This terminology is used in a variety of research studies. For more information, read the guide on sex and gender by Verywell Health.