ADHD Symptoms For Women
Women suffering from ADHD often report symptoms of emotional instability and an sensitivity to rejection. They may also suffer from insomnia and poor sleep quality which can cause more symptoms.
Women and girls tend to hide their ADHD symptoms more effectively than men and employ strategies to cope with the social expectations and norms. This can lead both to a misdiagnosis and delays in treatment.
1. Difficulty Focusing
Concentration is the most difficult issue for many women with ADHD. add symptoms in adult women of this neurodevelopmental disorder could make it hard to concentrate at school, during meetings at work, or when reading and listening to others ' conversations. It can also be difficult to get through everyday tasks like keeping track of appointments or remembering to take your 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 who suffer from the inattentive form of the disorder might struggle to organize their home and desk. They might be unable to prioritize their tasks. These problems can cause them to miss appointments, arrive in the wrong place at the correct time or fail to keep up on their work duties. These difficulties can make them feel bad about themselves, and they may blame themselves for their problems.
Inattentive ADHD can also result in poor performance at school or at work and can lead to 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, as per CHADD.
Teachers and parents could be biased towards males and females, which can cause some 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.
Hormonal changes can also cause symptoms for women who suffer from ADHD. For instance, they may be more apparent during the menstrual cycle or during perimenopause, which is the time before menopause--when estrogen levels dip and cause emotional problems, including mood swings and irritation.
Adults with ADHD can benefit from stimulant medications to boost their concentration however, it cannot cure the condition. Other strategies like mindfulness training, lifestyle changes, and cognitive behavioral therapies (CBT) can also help in focusing and organization. Certain schools and workplaces have accommodations to help with these issues.
2. Forgetting Things
The habit of forgetting can make managing your daily tasks and responsibilities difficult. It can be difficult to remember important details about events or people particularly when they occur in a crowded or noisy environment. You might also notice that you often forget appointments or get late to work or school. Women who suffer from ADHD are prone to forgetting to pay bills or respond to emails, which can lead to financial stress and an impression of urgency. You may experience difficulties working in a busy or noisy office, and you might get lost in conversations. This can cause the other person to feel unimportant or confused.
Many girls and women with ADHD are also having a difficult time maintaining friendships and are at risk of being pressured into unwanted sexual activity or becoming victims of intimate partner violence. This is due to the fact that they have a difficult to manage their emotions and are more likely to be overwhelmed. They might also have a problem with their self-esteem, and they might view their problems as an "personal flaw" rather than realizing that their behavior is linked to their ADHD symptoms.
Due to gender bias Due to gender bias, girls and women suffering from ADHD are often overlooked because their symptoms are more subtle than those of men and boys. They may camouflage symptoms with anxiety and mood disorders, which could result in a misdiagnosis or incorrect treatment.
Symptoms of ADHD differ with the fluctuation of hormones, especially during puberty when estrogen drops and progesterone increases. This can cause more frequent change in symptoms throughout the day, which makes it difficult to recognize and treat ADHD effectively.
Diagnosed and treated, you will learn how to manage 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 become worse. It is also possible to practice meditation and mindfulness techniques to relax your mind, decrease restlessness and impulsiveness, and improve emotional regulation. A mental health professional might be able to assist you by discussing possible accommodations that may aid you in managing ADHD symptoms at school or at work.
3. Disruptive Behavior
Women who suffer from ADHD tend to experience more inattentive than hyperactive or the symptoms of impulsivity. That may be because the brains of women and girls differ from those of males and females or it could have to do with how much activity is happening in the parts of the brain responsible for managing impulsive and disruptive behavior.
It can be difficult for doctors to diagnose ADHD in women. Many women develop coping strategies to disguise their symptoms. Some of these are healthy, however others are unsustainable and can result in other health issues. For example women may turn to drinking or using drugs to deal with their symptoms. They could also develop depression or other mental health conditions like anxiety. These unhealthy coping methods can make it difficult for people to recognize they have a mental health problem and delay the diagnosis.
Disruptive behavior is a common adhd symptom for women that can impact school or work performance and relationships. These include being incapable of staying focused on a specific task, or forgetting important events or tasks, and being easily distracted by the environment or their thoughts. They might fumble or tap their feet or hands or squirm in their seats. They may also shout or speak loudly, and they may interrupt.
Women who have the most inattentional type of adhd might have trouble concentrating on conversations or lectures; keeping up with writing, reading or schoolwork; adhering to instructions at the workplace or in class and juggling daily tasks. They are often disorganized and messy and find it difficult to keep track of 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 type of adhd can cause problems at work, at home, and at schools, and can trigger feelings of anxiety, boredom, and frustration. They have a hard waiting for their turn at school, at home, or in the workplace and often interrupt others. They aren't able to control their behavior and are likely to be reckless.
4. Anxiety
Girls and women who suffer from ADHD can have a harder dealing with their issues than men and boys. This is due to societal expectations that demand women and mothers to be the primary caregivers for their children and household. If a woman with ADHD struggles to keep up with her responsibilities, she can experience heightened feelings of anxiety that can cause low self-esteem. This can make it more difficult to seek treatment.
In addition, women with ADHD often have difficulty getting diagnosed since their symptoms are not as evident as the 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. They are also more likely to develop coping mechanisms which mask their ADHD symptoms. For instance, excessive fidgeting or forgetfulness can be mistaken as symptoms of anxiety disorders.
The signs of ADHD in women can also vary at different times throughout the woman's lifetime. Women may experience ADHD symptoms in the course of hormonal changes, like menstrual cycle and pregnancy. This could cause her to be misunderstood or dismissed as an overly emotional.
The information in this article is based on research about how ADHD affects people based on their sex. Verywell Health recognizes that sex is a matter of biology: chromosomal makeup, hormones, and anatomical structure. gender is a subjective sense of the person you are as a man, a woman, or if non-binary, an individual. This distinction is crucial because it allows for better understanding of the ways and the ways that ADHD manifests may differ between genders. For this reason, throughout this article we will refer to both men and those assigned male at birth (AMAB) as boys and men 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 details, refer to the guide to sex and gender by Verywell Health.