ADHD Symptoms For Women
Women with ADHD often report symptoms of emotional volatility and an sensitivity to rejection. They may also experience insomnia and poor quality sleep, which can cause symptoms to get worse.
Girls and women are generally more adept at hiding their ADHD symptoms, using coping mechanisms to meet societal expectations and norms. This can lead to a misdiagnosis or delays in treatment.
1. Trouble focusing
For a lot of women suffering from ADHD focus is the most difficult thing to do. The symptoms of this neurodevelopmental disorder may make it hard to remain focused at school, in meetings at work, or even when reading or listening to other people's conversations. It can be difficult to complete daily tasks, such as 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, women with the inattentive form of the condition can struggle to organize their home and their desks. They might also find it hard to prioritize their tasks. These problems can lead them to miss appointments, show up at the wrong place at the right time, or fail to follow through on their job responsibilities. These problems can make them feel embarrassed about themselves and they might blame themselves for their problems.
Inattentional ADHD can also result in 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 issues such as anxiety and depression, which often co-occur with ADHD in women, according to CHADD.
Teachers and parents might be biased towards males and girls, leading to some 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.
Hormonal changes can also exacerbate symptoms for women who suffer from ADHD. For instance, they could be more apparent during menstrual cycles, or during perimenopausal transition, the period leading up to menopause--when estrogen levels dip and can cause emotional issues, including mood swings and irritability.
Adults suffering from ADHD may benefit from stimulant medication to improve their focus but it won't treat the condition. Other strategies such as mindfulness training, lifestyle changes and cognitive behavioral therapies (CBT) can also assist with focus and organization. Certain schools and workplaces have accommodations to help with these issues.
2. Forgetting Things
Forgetfulness can make managing daily tasks and responsibilities challenging. You may struggle to remember important details about people or events particularly when they take place in a noisy or crowded environment. You may also end up forgetting appointments or running late to work or school. Inability to pay bills or reply to emails is common among women with ADHD that can lead to financial stress and leave you feeling rushed. You may experience difficulties working in a busy or noisy office, and you may zone out during conversations. This could cause the other person to feel ignored or misunderstood.
Many women and girls suffering from 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 harder managing their emotions and are more likely to feel overwhelmed. They may also struggle with self-esteem, and may be more inclined to see their problems as "personal flaws" rather than recognizing that their behavior is related to their ADHD symptoms.
Females and females who suffer from ADHD are also underdiagnosed due to gender bias, because their symptoms are less evident than those of boys and men. They are more likely to camouflage their symptoms by claiming mood disorders or anxiety which could lead to being misdiagnosed and improperly treated.
ADHD symptoms can be different based on fluctuations in hormones. This is especially true during puberty, when hormone levels drop and progesterone levels rise. This can cause a greater variety of symptoms, making it more difficult to diagnose and treat ADHD.
When diagnosed and treated, you will learn to manage ADHD symptoms. You can also change your lifestyle, such as eating an appropriate diet and avoiding stimulants like caffeine, sugar, and sugary drinks that could worsen symptoms. Meditation and mindfulness techniques can calm your mind and reduce anxiety and impulsiveness. They can also improve the regulation of emotions. A mental health professional might be able to help you by discussing possible accommodations that may assist you in managing ADHD symptoms at school or at work.
3. Disruptive Behavior
Women who suffer from ADHD tend to be more sluggish than hyperactive or hyperactive symptoms. This could be due to the fact that women and girls have different brains than males and females. Or it could be due to the amount of activity in the brain areas that control impulsive behavior.
It can be a challenge for doctors to identify ADHD in women. Many women develop strategies for coping to hide their symptoms. Some are healthy, while others aren't long-lasting and could lead to other health issues. For instance, some women are prone to drinking excessively and other drugs to deal with their problems. They might also develop depression or have other mental health issues like anxiety. These unhealthy coping strategies may make it more difficult for someone to notice that they have a problem and delay a proper diagnosis.
Disruptive behaviors are a common adhd symptom in women that can affect work or school performance and relationships. They typically involve not being focused on a task, forgetting important events or tasks and becoming easily distracted by other things in their surroundings or in their thoughts. They might fidget, tap their hands or feet, or make a squirming sound. They may also speak out loud or yell, and they could be disruptive.
Women who are inattentive can have difficulty staying focused during lectures or conversations, keeping up with schoolwork, reading, or writing assignments, following instructions in the classroom or at work, and juggling daily tasks. They can be disorganized, messy, and forgetful and find it difficult to adhere to commitments or tasks. They are more susceptible to misplacing or losing items like 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 subtype can lead to issues at work, at home, as well as at school, and it can cause feelings of restlessness, boredom, and frustration. They can't wait for their turn in school, at work, or home. They often interrupt others. They are prone to act recklessly and are not able to control their behavior.
4. Anxiety
Girls and women who suffer from ADHD may have a harder time to cope with their symptoms. This is due to the expectations of society that require women and mothers be the primary caregivers for their children and household. If a woman with ADHD is unable to keep up with her responsibilities, she could feel anxious and stressed which can lead to low self-esteem. This makes it more difficult for her to seek treatment.
Women with ADHD are often not recognized as easily as boys or men because their symptoms don't appear as prominent. 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 cover up their ADHD symptoms. For example the excessive fidgeting or forgetfulness can be mistaken as signs of anxiety disorders.
Symptoms of ADHD in women can vary at different times throughout the woman's life. For instance, during periods of hormonal changes, like menstruation or pregnancy, a woman could discover her ADHD symptoms to become more severe. This could result in being dismissed or misinterpreted as a woman who is emotionally overly sensitive and can cause a feeling of anger.
This article is based on research into how ADHD affects different individuals based on their gender. Verywell Health acknowledges that sex refers to biology: hormones, chromosomal makeup and anatomy. While gender refers to an internal sense of being a woman, man, or nonbinary person. This distinction is crucial as it allows for a better understanding of the ways and the ways in which ADHD manifests can differ between genders. In this article, we refer to males and people who were assigned males at birth as boys and males. adult add in women refer to females and those who were assigned females at conception as females and girls. This terminology is used in a variety of research studies. For more details, refer to the guide to sex and gender by Verywell Health.