ADHD Symptoms For Women
Women suffering from ADHD frequently experience symptoms of emotional volatility and sensitivity to rejection. They may also suffer from insomnia and poor quality of sleep which can cause more symptoms.
Women and girls are often better at concealing their ADHD symptoms and coping mechanisms to meet societal expectations and norms. This could lead to misdiagnosis and delay in treatment.
1. Trouble focusing
Concentration is the most difficult issue for many women suffering from ADHD. This neurodevelopmental disorder makes it difficult to concentrate at school in meetings at work as well as when reading or listening to others' conversations. It can be difficult to complete daily tasks like remembering appointments or taking 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 the women who suffer from the inattentive type of the disorder may struggle to organize their home and their desks. They might be unable to prioritize tasks. These issues can result in them missing appointments, showing up at the wrong time or at the wrong place or failing to finish their work tasks. They may also cause them to feel bad about themselves and blame themselves for their troubles and think they are incompetent or forgetful.
Attention-deficit ADHD can also result in poor performance at school or at work and can lead to the accumulation of debt. According to CHADD they can be triggered either by stress or other mental illnesses like anxiety and depression.
Some girls and women with inattentive ADHD are underdiagnosed or overlooked because of biases that parents and teachers may have towards men and boys. 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. high functioning adhd in women can be more evident during perimenopausal or menstrual cycle that is the time leading up to a woman's menopause, when estrogen levels drop and can cause emotional issues like mood swings or irritation.
Adults with ADHD may benefit from stimulant medication to improve their focus but it won't cure the condition. Other strategies like mindfulness training, lifestyle changes, and cognitive behavioral therapies (CBT) can help with focus and organization. Certain schools and workplaces have facilities that can help with these issues.
2. Forgetting Things
Inattention can make managing daily tasks and responsibilities challenging. You may have difficulty remembering important details about events or people particularly when they occur in a noisy or busy environment. You may also end up having trouble remembering appointments or getting late to work or school. Inability to pay bills or reply to emails is common among women suffering from ADHD that can lead to financial stress and make you feel overwhelmed. You may experience difficulties working in a crowded or noisy workplace and frequently get lost in conversations, leaving the other person feeling unimportant or misunderstood.
Many girls and women who suffer from ADHD also struggle to keep friendships. They are also at risk of being forced into unwanted sexual behavior or becoming intimate partner violence victims. This is because they have a difficult to manage their emotions and are more likely to be overwhelmed. They may also have issues with self-esteem, and may be more likely to interpret their issues as "personal flaws" instead of acknowledging that their behavior is related to their ADHD symptoms.
Because of gender bias, women and girls with ADHD are often overlooked because their symptoms are more subtle than those of males and boys. They could disguise symptoms of anxiety and mood disorders, which can lead to a misdiagnosis and inappropriate treatment.
ADHD symptoms can differ based on fluctuations in hormones. This is especially the case during puberty when hormone levels decrease and progesterone levels increase. This can cause more frequent change in symptoms from day to day, which makes it difficult to diagnose and treat ADHD correctly.
Finding a doctor and getting treatment can help you gain 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 drinks with sugar that can worsen symptoms. You can also practice meditation and mindfulness techniques to calm your mind, decrease impulsiveness and restlessness and improve your emotional regulation. A mental health professional may be able to help you by discussing possible accommodations that may aid you in managing ADHD symptoms at work or in school.
3. Disruptive Behavior
Women with ADHD tend to be more inattentive than hyperactive or hyperactive symptoms. This could be because women and girls have different brains than boys and men. It could also be due to the amount 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 strategies for coping to disguise their symptoms. Some are healthy, but others aren't sustainable and could cause other health problems. Some women, for example use excessive alcohol and other drugs to deal with their problems. They might also develop depression or suffer from other mental health issues such as anxiety. These unhealthy coping strategies can make it more difficult for someone to recognize that they have a problem and can delay an accurate diagnosis.
Disruptive behavior is a common symptom of adhd for women. It can affect their school or work performance, as well as their relationships. They often include not staying focused on a task, ignoring important dates or events, and becoming easily distracted by other things in their environment or in their thoughts. They may fidget, tap their hands or feet, or make a squirming sound. They may also speak out loud or yell. they could be disruptive.
Women who are inattentive are prone to having difficulty concentrating during lectures or conversations and juggling schoolwork, reading, or writing assignments, following instructions in classes or at work, and juggling daily tasks. They might be unorganized and forgetful. They can also be messy. It can be difficult to keep up with commitments or tasks. They are more likely to lose or misplace items like 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 type of disorder can cause issues at home, at work, as well as at schools, and can lead to feelings of agitation and boredom. It can also cause frustration. They have a tough waiting to be called upon at school, at home or at work and are often disruptive to other people. They tend to act recklessly and aren't able to manage their behavior.
4. Anxiety
Women and girls who have ADHD might find it difficult to manage their symptoms. This is due to societal expectations that demand women and mothers to be the primary caregivers for their children and household. If a woman suffering from ADHD is unable to manage her obligations, she may experience heightened feelings of anxiety which can lead to low self-esteem. This, in turn, could make it difficult to seek out treatment for her ADHD.
Women who suffer from ADHD are often not recognized as easily as males or females 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. In addition they are more likely to develop strategies for coping to disguise their ADHD symptoms, such as frequent fidgeting and forgetfulness that could be mistaken for symptoms of anxiety disorders.
Symptoms of ADHD in women can differ at different times during the woman's life. For example, during periods of hormonal changes, such as menstrual or pregnancy, a woman may discover her ADHD symptoms to be exacerbated. This could result in being viewed as a woman who is emotionally overly sensitive and can cause a feeling of anger.
This article is based upon research into how ADHD affects different people based on their gender. Verywell Health acknowledges that sex is a reference to biology, including chromosomal makeup, hormones, and anatomy; while gender refers to an internal sense of being a woman, man or a nonbinary. This distinction is important as it allows us to better comprehend how and why ADHD can manifest differently in men and women. For this reason, throughout this article we refer to both men and those assigned to male at birth (AMAB) as boys and men and women and those assigned to female at birth (AFAB) as girls and women. This terminology is used in many research studies. To find out more, check out the Verywell Health guide to sex and gender.