ADHD Symptoms For Women
Women suffering from ADHD frequently experience symptoms of emotional instability and sensitive to rejection. They may also experience insomnia and low quality sleep, which may make symptoms worse.
Women and girls are often more adept at hiding their ADHD symptoms by using coping strategies to conform to social expectations and norms. This can lead both to a misdiagnosis as well as delays in treatment.
1. Trouble focusing
Concentration is the most difficult issue for many women suffering from ADHD. Symptoms of this neurodevelopmental disorder could make it difficult to remain focused at school, in meetings at work, or even when listening to others talk. It can also be difficult to get through daily tasks, like keeping track of appointments or making sure to take 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 have trouble organizing their homes or at their work desk and struggle to prioritize tasks, according to CHADD. These difficulties could cause them to skip appointments, arrive in the wrong place at the correct time or fail to follow through on their job responsibilities. They can cause them to feel ashamed of themselves and blame themselves for their troubles believing they're lazy or forgetful.
Inattentive ADHD can also lead to poor performance at school or at work and can also lead to debt accumulation. They can be 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 may be biased towards males and girls, leading to some girls and women to be underdiagnosed. 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. For instance, they may be more apparent during menstrual cycles or during perimenopause, which is the time before menopause--when estrogen levels dip and can cause emotional issues which include mood swings as well as anger.
Adults suffering from ADHD may benefit from stimulant medications to boost their concentration, but it will not treat the condition. Other strategies, including lifestyle changes, mindfulness training, and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), can also aid in organizing and focus. Some workplaces and schools have facilities that can assist with these issues, too.
2. Forgetting Things
It can be difficult to stay on top of daily activities or take care of responsibilities. It can be difficult to remember important information about events or people, especially when they happen in a noisy or crowded environment. You may also find that you often forget appointments or get late for school or work. Forgetting to pay bills or reply to emails is a common occurrence for women with ADHD that can lead to financial stress and leave you feeling stressed. You may have difficulty working in a crowded or noisy workplace and frequently lose focus during conversations, leaving others feeling ignored or misunderstood.
Many girls and women with ADHD are also having a difficult time maintaining friendships and are at risk of being forced into unwanted sexual activity or being victims of violence from intimate partners. They are more likely than other people to feel overwhelmed due to the fact that they have difficulty regulating their emotions. They may also have issues with self-esteem, and may be more inclined to see their problems as "personal flaws" instead of recognizing the fact that their behavior is correlated to their ADHD symptoms.
Girl and women with ADHD are also underdiagnosed due to gender bias, because their symptoms are less evident than the symptoms of men and boys. They may be more likely to conceal their symptoms by claiming anxiety or mood problems and this can lead to being misdiagnosed and improperly treated.
ADHD symptoms can differ based on hormone fluctuations. This is especially evident during puberty, as hormone levels drop and progesterone levels increase. This can result in a wider range of symptoms, which makes it more difficult to diagnose and manage ADHD.
Getting diagnosed and receiving treatment can help you learn how to manage your ADHD symptoms. You can also consider lifestyle changes, for example, eating a well-balanced diet and limiting sugar, caffeine and other stimulants that might cause symptoms to worsen. Meditation and mindfulness techniques can calm your mind and reduce the impulsiveness and restlessness. They can also improve emotional regulation. Talking to a mental health professional could also be helpful, as they can discuss possible accommodations at work or at school that might aid in managing your ADHD symptoms better.
3. Disruptive Behavior
Women with ADHD tend to be less attentive than those with hyperactive or impulsive symptoms. adhd in older women could be due to the fact that girls and women have different brains than males and females. Or it could be due to the level of activity in the brain areas that regulate impulsive behavior.
It can be a challenge for doctors to diagnose ADHD in women. Many women devise strategies to mask their symptoms. Some are healthy, but others are not sustainable and can lead to other health issues. For instance, some women turn to alcohol or other drugs to cope with their symptoms. They might also develop depression or suffer from mental health problems such as anxiety. These unhealthy coping methods can make it difficult for people to recognize that they have a mental health problem and delay an accurate diagnosis.
Disruptive behavior is one of the most common symptom of adhd for women. It can impact their academic or work performance, as well as their relationships. This includes being unable to stay focused on a specific task, ignoring important tasks or events, and easily getting distracted by the surrounding environment or their thoughts. They may fidget, shake their feet or hands, or make a squirming sound. They may also talk loud or yell, and they could be disruptive.
Women with the inattentive subtype are prone to having difficulty staying focused during lectures or conversations, keeping up with schoolwork, reading, or writing assignments, following instructions in the classroom or at work, and managing daily tasks. They may be disorganized and forgetful. They can also be messy. It can be challenging to keep up with commitments or tasks. They are more vulnerable to misplacing or losing items, including 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 lead to problems at work, at home, and at school, and can cause feelings of restlessness and boredom. It can also cause frustration. They are unable to wait for their turn, whether at school, at work, or home. They are also known to interrupt others frequently. They aren't able to manage their behavior and tend to be reckless.
4. Anxiety
Girls and women who suffer from ADHD may have a harder time coping with their symptoms than boys and men. This is due in part to societal expectations that demand women and mothers to be the primary caregivers for their children and household. If a woman is struggling to fulfill her obligations, it can lead to anxiety and low self-esteem. This can make it more difficult for her to seek help.
Women with ADHD are typically not recognized as easily as boys or men 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. Additionally they are more likely to develop strategies for coping to disguise their ADHD symptoms, like excessive fidgeting and forgetfulness which can be mistaken for symptoms of anxiety disorders.
The signs of ADHD in women can change at different times in the woman's lifetime. Women may suffer ADHD symptoms in the course of hormonal changes, like menstrual cycles and pregnancy. This could result in her being misunderstood or dismissed as an overly emotional woman and can cause a 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, hormonal makeup, chromosomal makeup and anatomy; while gender is a subjective sense of being a male, female, or nonbinary person. This distinction is important as it helps us comprehend how and why ADHD can manifest differently in men and women. In this article, we refer to males and those assigned to male at birth (AMAB) as males and boys as well as women and those assigned to female at birth (AFAB) as women and girls. This terminology is utilized in many research studies. For more information, read the guide to sex & gender by Verywell Health.