ADHD Symptoms For Women
Women who suffer from ADHD frequently experience symptoms of emotional instability and sensitivity to rejection. They can also experience insomnia or poor quality sleep, which could cause the symptoms to become worse.
Women and girls often mask their ADHD symptoms better than men and employ strategies to cope with social expectations and norms. This can lead to misdiagnosis or delay in treatment.
1. Trouble focusing
For many women suffering from ADHD, focusing is the most difficult thing to do. This neurodevelopmental disorder makes it difficult to concentrate at school, during meetings at work or while reading or listening to others' conversations. It can be difficult to complete daily tasks like 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 the women who suffer from the inattentive version of the disorder may have difficulty organizing their home and desk. They may also have difficulty deciding how to prioritize their tasks. These difficulties can lead to being late for appointments, turning up at the wrong time or place or failing to finish their work duties. These issues can cause them to feel bad about themselves, and they could blame themselves for their own problems.
Inattentive ADHD can also lead to poor performance at work or in school and can also lead to the accumulation of debt. They are often caused by stress or other mental health conditions, including depression and anxiety, which often co-occur with ADHD in women, according to CHADD.
Teachers and parents may be biased against males and girls, leading to 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.
For women of adult age who suffer from ADHD symptoms, they may be exacerbated due to hormonal changes. For instance, they may be more apparent during menstrual cycles, or during perimenopause, which is the time before menopausal changes. This is when estrogen levels drop and can cause emotional issues which include mood swings as well as irritation.
Stimulant medications can help enhance concentration in adults suffering from ADHD However, it can't solve the problem. 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
The habit of forgetting can make managing your daily tasks and responsibilities challenging. You may find it difficult to keep track of important details especially when they take place in a noisy setting. You might also find that you frequently forget appointments or run late for work and school. Women with ADHD are prone to forgetting to pay bills or reply to emails, which can cause financial stress and a sense of urgency. You may have difficulty working in a noisy or loud office and often get lost in conversations, leaving the other person to feel unimportant or misunderstood.
Many women and girls with ADHD also have trouble maintaining friendships and are at risk of being pressured into unwanted sexual activity or becoming victims of violence from intimate partners. This is due to the fact that they have a harder to manage their emotions and are more likely to feel overwhelmed. They could also be struggling with self-esteem, and they might view their problems as a "personal flaw" instead of 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 be more likely to camouflage their symptoms by claiming anxiety or mood problems, which can result in being misdiagnosed and incorrectly treated.
The symptoms of ADHD vary with hormone fluctuations, especially during puberty when progesterone levels drop and estrogen increases. This can cause greater variance in symptoms throughout the day, which makes it difficult to identify and manage ADHD correctly.
If you are diagnosed and treated, you can learn how to manage ADHD symptoms. You can also change your lifestyle, such as eating an appropriate diet and avoiding stimulants like sugar, caffeine and drinks with sugar that can worsen symptoms. You can also try mindfulness techniques and meditation to help calm your mind, decrease restlessness and impulsiveness, and improve emotional regulation. Talking to an expert in mental health can also be helpful, as they can suggest possible adjustments at work or at school that might aid in managing your ADHD symptoms better.
3. Disruptive Behavior
Women who suffer from ADHD tend to be more inattentive than hyperactive or impulsive symptoms. That may be because the brains of girls and women differ from the brains of men and boys or it could have to do with the amount of activity is occurring in the regions of the brain that manage disruptive and 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 aren't sustainable and could cause other health issues. Some women, for example are prone to drinking excessively or drugs to manage. They may also develop depression or other mental health problems such as anxiety. These unhealthy ways of coping can make it difficult for people to recognize they have a mental health problem and delay the diagnosis.
Disruptive behavior is a common symptom of adhd for women. adhd in older women can affect their academic or work performance, and even their relationships. These include being incapable of staying focused on a particular task, ignoring important tasks or events, and easily getting distracted by the surroundings or their thoughts. They may fidget or tap their hands or feet or squirm their seats. They may also shout or speak loudly and may interrupt.
Women who have the most inattentional subtype of adhd can struggle with concentrating on their lectures or conversations as well as keeping up with writing, reading, or schoolwork; following instructions at school or at work; and juggling daily tasks. They can be disorganized, messy, and forgetful and find it difficult to keep track of commitments or tasks. They are more susceptible to losing or misplacing 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 issues at work, at home or at school. It can also lead to feelings of irritability, boredom and anger. They are not able to wait for their turn, whether at school, at work, or at home. They often interrupt others. They tend to be reckless and are not able to manage their behavior.
4. Anxiety
Girls and women with ADHD can have a harder time coping with their symptoms than men and boys. This is due in part to the expectations of society that require women and mothers to be the primary caregivers for their children and household. If a woman is struggling to fulfill her obligations this can cause anxiety and low self-esteem. This can make it more difficult to seek treatment.
In addition, women with ADHD frequently have a difficult time getting diagnosed since their symptoms are not as evident as those of 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 strategies that cover up their ADHD symptoms. For instance, excessive fidgeting or forgetfulness can be mistaken as signs of anxiety disorders.
Symptoms of ADHD in women can differ at different times during the woman's life. Women may suffer ADHD symptoms in the course of hormonal changes, like menstrual cycles and pregnancy. This can result in being dismissed or misinterpreted as an overly emotional woman which can increase her sense of frustration.
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. whereas gender refers to an internal sense of being a male, female, or nonbinary person. This distinction is important because it allows for better understanding of the ways and the ways in which ADHD manifests can vary between genders. For this reason, throughout this article we refer to both men and those assigned male at birth (AMAB) as males and boys and women and those assigned to female at birth (AFAB) as girls and women. This is consistent with how numerous research studies employ this term. For more details, refer to the guide on sex and gender by Verywell Health.