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ADHD Symptoms For Women
Women with ADHD report emotional volatility and sensitivity to rejection. They may also experience insomnia and low quality sleep, which may cause symptoms to get worse.
Women and girls are often more adept at hiding their ADHD symptoms and coping mechanisms to conform to social expectations and norms. This can lead to misdiagnosis and delay in treatment.
1. Problems with 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 in meetings at work as well as when reading or listening to others' conversations. It can be difficult to accomplish 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 women who suffer from the inattentive type of the disorder may have difficulty organizing their home and their desk. They may also have difficulty deciding how to prioritize their tasks. These issues could cause them to skip appointments, show up in the wrong place at the correct time, or fail to keep up on their work duties. They may also cause them to feel ashamed of themselves and blame themselves for their problems, thinking they are incompetent or forgetful.
Attention-deficit ADHD can also lead to poor performance at school or at work and can lead to the accumulation of debt. They can be caused by stress or other mental health conditions, including depression and anxiety that often co-occur with ADHD in women, according to CHADD.
Certain women and girls who suffer from inattentional ADHD aren't diagnosed or treated because of biases that teachers and parents might 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 exacerbate symptoms in adult women with ADHD. They can be more evident during menstruation or perimenopause, the run-up to the menopausal phase of a woman as estrogen levels drop and can cause emotional issues like mood swings and irritation.
The use of stimulants can help improve concentration for adults with ADHD however it doesn't cure the condition. Other strategies such as mindfulness training, lifestyle changes and cognitive behavioral therapies (CBT) can also assist with organization and focus. Some schools and workplaces offer facilities that can help with these issues.
2. Forgetting Things
It can be difficult to keep track of daily tasks or to manage your obligations. It can be difficult to remember important details about events or people particularly when they occur in a noisy or busy environment. You might also find that you often forget appointments or get late for school or work. Women with ADHD are prone to forgetting to pay bills or respond to emails, which can cause financial stress and an impression of urgency. You might have trouble working in a noisy or crowded office, and you may be unable to concentrate during conversations. This could make the other person feel unimportant or misunderstood.
Many women and girls with ADHD also have trouble maintaining friendships and are at risk of being forced into unwanted sexual activity or being victims of intimate partner violence. They are more likely than others to feel overwhelmed because they have difficulty regulating their emotions. They may also be struggling with their self-esteem, and they might view their issues as an "personal flaw" instead of recognizing that their behavior is linked to their ADHD symptoms.
Females and females who suffer from ADHD are also underdiagnosed because of gender bias because their symptoms are less evident than those of boys and men. They are more likely to conceal their symptoms as anxiety or mood problems and this can lead to being misdiagnosed or incorrectly treated.
Symptoms of ADHD differ with the fluctuation of hormones particularly during puberty, when progesterone drops and estrogen increases. This can result in a wider variety of symptoms, making it more difficult to diagnose and manage ADHD.
Finding a doctor and getting treatment can help you learn how to manage your ADHD symptoms. You can also make lifestyle changes such as eating healthy and balanced meals and avoiding stimulants like caffeine, sugar and sugary drinks that can worsen symptoms. You can also practice mindfulness techniques and meditation to calm your mind, decrease the impulsiveness and anxiety and improve your emotional control. A mental health professional may be able to help you by discussing possible accommodations that may help you manage ADHD symptoms at work or in school.
3. Disruptive Behavior
Women with ADHD tend to be more sluggish than hyperactive or impulsive symptoms. This could be due to the fact that girls and women have different brains than boys and men. Or it could be due to the amount of brain activity areas that control impulsive behavior.
As a result, it is often difficult for a doctor to identify and diagnose ADHD in women. Many women develop strategies for coping to hide their symptoms. Some are healthy, while others are not sustainable and could cause other health problems. Women, for instance, turn to excessive alcohol and other drugs to deal with their problems. They might also develop depression or other mental health conditions like anxiety. These unhealthy coping strategies can make it more difficult for someone to notice that they are suffering from a disorder and can delay an accurate diagnosis.
Disruptive behavior is a common symptom of adhd for women. It can impact their work or school performance, and even their relationships. These include being in a state of disorientation and not being able to focus on a particular task, forgetting important events or tasks, and being easily distracted by the surrounding environment or their thoughts. They may fidget, tap their feet or hands or shake their hands. They may also speak out loudly or yell, and they may be disruptive.
Women who are inattentive are prone to having difficulty staying focused during lectures or conversations or completing schoolwork writing, reading, or reading assignments, following directions in classes or at work, and managing daily tasks. They might be unorganized, forgetful, and messy. It is often difficult for them to follow through with commitments or tasks. They are more prone to misplacing or losing things, 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 disorder can cause trouble at home, at work and in school, and it can lead to feelings of agitation or boredom. They have a difficult time waiting for their turn at school, at home or at work and are often disruptive to others. They are prone to act recklessly and are not able to control their behavior.
4. Anxiety
Girls and women with ADHD can have a harder to manage their symptoms than males and females. This is due to the social expectations that demand women and mothers to be the primary caregivers for their children and household. When a woman with ADHD is unable to manage her responsibilities, she can be afflicted with anxiety and stress that lead to low self-esteem. This makes it more difficult for her to seek help.
adhd in women treatment with ADHD are often not diagnosed as easily as boys or men because their symptoms don't appear as obvious. 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 example excessive fidgeting and forgetfulness can be misinterpreted as symptoms of anxiety disorders.
The symptoms of ADHD for women can vary at different times throughout the woman's lifetime. For example, during periods of hormonal changes, like menstruation or pregnancy, a woman may discover her ADHD symptoms to become more severe. This can cause her to be misunderstood, or considered being overly emotional.
This article is based upon research on how ADHD affects different people based on their gender. Verywell Health recognizes that sex is a biological phenomenon: chromosomal makeup, hormones, and anatomical structures, whereas gender is a subjective sense of the person you are as a man, woman, or if non-binary, you're a person. This distinction is crucial because it enables a better understanding of the ways and the ways in which ADHD manifests can differ between genders. For this reason, throughout this article, we refer to males and those assigned male at birth (AMAB) as men and boys and women and those assigned female at birth (AFAB) as women and girls. This is consistent with how numerous research studies employ this term. For more information, check out the guide to sex and gender by Verywell Health.