ADHD Symptoms For Women
Women suffering from ADHD frequently experience symptoms of emotional instability and an sensitivity to rejection. They might also experience insomnia and poor quality sleep, which can exacerbate symptoms.
Women and girls tend to hide their ADHD symptoms better than males by employing coping strategies to meet social expectations and norms. This can lead to misdiagnosis and delay in treatment.
1. Problems with Focusing
For many women suffering from ADHD concentration is the most challenging thing. The symptoms of this neurodevelopmental disorder may make it hard to remain focused at school, during work meetings, or even when reading or listening to other people's conversations. It can also be challenging to complete everyday tasks, such as 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 who suffer from the inattentive form of the disorder might have difficulty organizing their home and their desk. They might also find it hard to prioritize tasks. These problems can result in being late for appointments, turning up at the wrong time or at the wrong place or not completing their tasks. These issues can cause them to feel bad about themselves, and they may blame themselves for their problems.
Inattention ADHD symptoms can make it difficult to stay on top of responsibilities, leading to poor school or work performance as well as the accumulation of debt. According to CHADD the symptoms are often triggered by stress or other mental conditions like anxiety and depression.
Women and girls with inattentional ADHD aren't diagnosed or treated because of biases that teachers and parents may have toward boys and men. 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 can be worsened by hormonal changes. They can be more evident during menstrual cycles or perimenopausal periods, the run-up to a woman's menopause as estrogen levels drop and can cause emotional issues like mood swings and irritation.
Adults suffering from ADHD can benefit from stimulant medications to improve their focus, but it will not cure the condition. Other strategies, such as lifestyle changes, mindfulness training and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can help with focus and organization. Some schools and workplaces offer facilities that can help with these issues.
2. Forgetting Things
Inattention can make managing your daily tasks and responsibilities difficult. You may find it difficult to keep track of important details, especially if they occur in a noisy environment. You may also find yourself not remembering appointments or being late to school or work. Inability to pay bills or reply to emails is a common occurrence for women suffering from ADHD, which can create financial stress and leave you feeling overwhelmed. You may experience difficulties working in a crowded or noisy office. You may also lose focus during conversations, causing the other person feeling ignored or misunderstood.
Many girls and women with ADHD also have difficulty maintaining friendships and are at risk of being pushed into unintentional sexual activity or becoming victims of violence from intimate partners. This is because they have a difficult managing their emotions and are more likely to be overwhelmed. They may also struggle with their self-esteem and may be more likely to view their issues as "personal flaws" rather than recognizing the fact that their behavior is correlated to their ADHD symptoms.
Due to gender bias, women and girls with ADHD are often overlooked because their symptoms are less obvious than those of males and boys. They may be more likely to conceal their symptoms by claiming anxiety or mood problems which could lead to being misdiagnosed or incorrectly treated.
Symptoms of ADHD vary with hormone fluctuations, especially during puberty when estrogen drops and progesterone increases. This can cause greater variation in symptoms from day to day which makes it difficult to recognize and treat ADHD effectively.
Finding a doctor and getting treatment can help you develop life skills to manage your ADHD symptoms. You can also try lifestyle changes, for example, eating a balanced diet and limiting caffeine, sugar and other stimulants that could cause symptoms to become worse. You can also try mindfulness and meditation techniques to help calm your mind, decrease impulsiveness and restlessness, and improve emotional regulation. A mental health professional may be able to assist by discussing possible accommodations that can assist you in managing ADHD symptoms at school or at work.
3. Disruptive Behavior
Women who suffer from ADHD tend to experience less attentive than those with hyperactive or impulsive symptoms. This could be due to the fact that the brains of women and girls differ from the brains of boys and men, or it could have to do with how much activity is occurring in the areas of the brain responsible for managing impulsive and disruptive behavior.
It can be challenging for doctors to recognize 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 issues. For instance some women resort to excessive alcohol or drugs to deal with their symptoms. They may also be depressed or suffer from other mental health problems such as anxiety. These unhealthy coping methods can make it difficult for people to recognize that they have an issue with their mental health and delay a proper diagnosis.
Disruptive behavior is one of the most common symptom of adhd for women. It can impact their work or school performance, or even their relationships. These include being in a state of disorientation and not being able to focus on a specific task, or forgetting important events or tasks, and easily getting distracted by the surroundings or their thoughts. They may fidget, tap their hands or feet, or make a squirming sound. They can also talk out loudly or yell, and they could be disruptive.
Women who suffer from the primarily inattentive type of adhd might have trouble concentrating on their lectures or conversations as well as keeping up with reading, writing or schoolwork; following instructions at the workplace or in class and juggling their daily chores. add symptoms in women can be disorganized, messy, and forgetful and have a difficult time adhere to commitments or tasks. They are more likely to lose or lose items such as glasses, wallets, keys and even wallets.
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 home, work or at school. It can also trigger feelings of irritability, boredom and frustration. They can't wait for their turn, whether at school, work, or home. They often interrupt others. They aren't able to control their behavior and are likely to behave in a reckless manner.
4. Anxiety
Women and girls with ADHD can have a harder to manage their symptoms than men and boys. This is due to social expectations that demand that women and mothers are the primary caregivers of their children and household. If a woman suffering from ADHD struggles to manage her obligations, she may be afflicted with anxiety and stress that lead to low self-esteem. This in turn makes it more difficult to seek out treatment for her ADHD.
Women with ADHD are not often diagnosed as readily as boys or men 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 mechanisms that mask their ADHD symptoms. For instance the excessive fidgeting or forgetfulness can be mistaken as signs of anxiety disorders.
Symptoms of ADHD for women can differ at different times during the woman's life. For instance, during periods of hormonal changes, like menstruation or pregnancy, women may find her ADHD symptoms to be exacerbated. This could result in being dismissed or misinterpreted as a terribly emotional woman, which adds to her feelings of frustration.
This article is based upon research on how ADHD affects different individuals based on their gender. Verywell Health acknowledges that sex is a reference to biology, including chromosomal makeup, hormones, and anatomy; while gender refers to the internal feeling of being a man, woman or a nonbinary. This distinction is crucial as it allows for better understanding of how and the ways in which ADHD manifests can differ between genders. In this article, we are referring to males as well as people who were assigned male at birth as boys and males. We also refer to females and people who were assigned females at conception as females and girls. This terminology is utilized in many research studies. For more details, refer to the guide to sex & gender by Verywell Health.