ADHD Symptoms For Women
Women who suffer from ADHD frequently experience symptoms of emotional volatility and sensitivity to rejection. They may also suffer from insomnia and poor sleep quality, which can exacerbate symptoms.
Girls and women often hide their ADHD symptoms more effectively than men by employing strategies to manage their stress and meet the social expectations and norms. This can lead to a misdiagnosis or an inability to treat.
1. Trouble focusing
Concentration is the biggest issue for many women suffering from ADHD. This neurodevelopmental disorder makes it difficult to focus at school in meetings at work, or when reading and listening to others' conversations. It can also be difficult to manage daily tasks, like keeping track of appointments or remembering to take 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 with the inattentive version of the disorder might struggle to organize their home and their desks. They might also have difficulty deciding how to prioritize their tasks. These difficulties could cause them to skip appointments, arrive in the wrong place at the correct time or fail to follow through on their work duties. These issues can cause them to feel embarrassed about themselves and they could blame themselves for their problems.
Inattentive ADHD can also result in poor performance at work or in school, and debt accumulation. They can be 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 could be biased towards males and females, which can cause some women and girls 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 can be more evident during perimenopausal or menstrual cycle, the run-up to menopausal symptoms, when estrogen levels drop and can cause emotional issues like mood swings or irritation.
The use of stimulants can help enhance concentration in adults suffering from ADHD however it doesn't solve the problem. Other strategies like mindfulness training, lifestyle changes, and cognitive behavioral therapies (CBT) can help in focusing and organization. Some schools and workplaces have accommodations that can help with these issues as well.
2. Forgetting Things
Forgetfulness can make juggling daily tasks and responsibilities challenging. It can be difficult to keep track of important details especially when they take place in a noisy area. You may also find yourself forgetting appointments or running late to work or school. Women with ADHD tend to forget to pay bills or reply to emails, which could lead to financial stress and an impression of urgency. You may have difficulty working in a busy or noisy office, and you might zone out during conversations. This can make the other person feel unimportant or confused.
Many women and girls suffering from ADHD are also having a difficult time maintaining friendships and are at risk of being pushed into sexual activities that are not desired or becoming victims of intimate partner violence. They are more likely than others to be overwhelmed because they are unable to manage their emotions. They may also have a problem with self-esteem, and they might view their problems as a "personal flaw" instead of realizing that their behavior is related to their ADHD symptoms.
Women and girls with ADHD are also underdiagnosed because of gender bias because their symptoms are less evident than those of males and females. They can disguise symptoms as anxiety and mood disorders, which could cause a misdiagnosis and improper treatment.
undiagnosed adhd in women of ADHD vary with hormone fluctuations, especially during puberty when estrogen drops and progesterone rises. This can result in greater variance in symptoms throughout the day, which can make it more difficult to identify and manage ADHD properly.
Finding a doctor and getting treatment can help you gain life skills to manage your ADHD symptoms. You can also alter your lifestyle by eating healthy and balanced meals and avoiding stimulants like sugar, caffeine and sugary drinks which can aggravate symptoms. Meditation and mindfulness techniques can relax your mind and reduce restlessness and impulsiveness. They can also improve emotional regulation. Talking to a mental health professional could be beneficial, since they can talk about possible accommodations at work or school that can help you manage your ADHD symptoms better.
3. Disruptive Behavior
Women who suffer from ADHD tend to experience more inattentive than hyperactive or impulsive symptoms. This could be because women and girls have different brains than males and females. It could also be due to the volume of activity in the brain areas that regulate impulsive behavior.
It can be a challenge for doctors to identify ADHD in women. Many women develop coping strategies to hide their symptoms. Some of these are healthy, but others are not sustainable and could result in other health issues. For instance, some women are prone to drinking excessively and drugs to cope. They might also develop depression or other mental health conditions such as anxiety. These unhealthy coping strategies may make it harder for someone to recognize they have a problem and delay a proper diagnosis.
Disruptive behavior is a typical adhd symptom that affects women and can affect work or school performance and relationships. They can be a problem when they are in a state of disorientation and not being able to focus on a specific task, or forgetting important events or tasks, and being easily distracted by the surroundings or their thoughts. They might fumble or tap their hands or feet or squirm their seats. They may also speak out loud or yell. they could be disruptive.
Women who have the most inattentional type of adhd may struggle with concentrating on conversations or lectures as well as keeping up with writing, reading or schoolwork; adhering to instructions at school or at work; and managing daily tasks. They are often disorganized, messy, and forgetful and have a difficult time keep track of commitments or tasks. They are more vulnerable 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, home, or school. It can also trigger feelings of boredom, restlessness, and frustration. They have a hard time waiting for their turn at home, school or in the workplace and often interrupt others. They are not able to control their behavior and are likely to behave recklessly.
4. Anxiety
Girls and women with ADHD may find it harder to manage their symptoms. This is due in part to the social 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 and obligations, it can cause anxiety and low self-esteem. This makes it harder to seek treatment.
Women who suffer from ADHD are often not recognized as easily as males or females because their symptoms don't 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 also more likely to develop coping strategies which mask their ADHD symptoms. For instance the excessive fidgeting or forgetfulness can be misinterpreted as signs of anxiety disorders.
The symptoms of ADHD can also change over the course of the woman's life. For instance, during times of hormonal changes, such as menstrual or pregnancy, a woman may find her ADHD symptoms to become more severe. This can cause her to be misunderstood, or dismissed as an overly emotional.
This article is based upon research into how ADHD affects different individuals based on their gender. Verywell Health recognizes that sex is a matter of biology: chromosomal makeup hormones, hormones, and anatomical structure, while gender is an internal perception of what you're like as a male, a woman, or if you're non-binary, a person. This distinction is important as it helps us know the reasons behind why ADHD manifests differently in men and women. In this article, we refer to men and people assigned to male at birth (AMAB) as men and boys as well as women and people assigned to female at birth (AFAB) as women and girls. This is in line with how many research studies employ this term. For more details, refer to the guide to sex & gender by Verywell Health.