Symptoms of ADHD in Women
Women with ADHD often complain of frustrations or misunderstandings in their relationships. Some people mistake symptoms such as forgetting appointments, arriving late to meetings, or zoning out in conversations as boredom or disinterest.
Women and girls with ADHD have a difficult time being referred for evaluation because of gender discrimination. Clinicians need to rethink their approach to identifying female patients and treating them.
1. Disorganization
If you are struggling with disorganization it can be difficult to keep track of your daily responsibilities at work and school. You could also lose or misplace important things like keys or your phone. It may be difficult to keep a regular schedule, or you may forget important dates or appointments, such as birthdays or anniversaries. You may also have difficulty remembering names. This could make it difficult to establish new friendships or maintain relationships.
There are many sources that can assist you even if you don't know that your disorder is ADHD. Start by speaking to your primary care doctor. They may recommend you to a mental health specialist or a therapist who has experience treating ADHD.
Women and girls with ADHD are often not diagnosed. This is due to the coping strategies they employ to hide their symptoms. They may have low self-esteem and tend to blame their challenges on factors beyond their control, such as relationship issues or their gender.
Stereotypes regarding gender, sex and behavior can make obtaining the support women suffering from ADHD require more difficult. The impulsive and hyperactive behavior of ADHD is often viewed as more appropriate for males and boys. Some women with ADHD hide or suppress their symptoms to fit in to avoid criticism and embarrassment.
While being diagnosed with ADHD can't solve these issues with culture and social, it can help you understand how to manage your symptoms more effectively. You can improve the quality of your life by seeking treatment and making lifestyle changes, like following a routine, practicing mindfulness and eating a healthy diet.
You can also boost your ability to focus and complete tasks by taking ADHD medication. It is important to discuss the medication with your doctor and any possible adverse effects. They could make adjustments to your medication, for instance cutting doses or altering the time you take them. They can also help you find ways to improve your daily functioning, including making accommodations at work or school to compensate for your ADHD symptoms.
2. Inattention
If you're a woman suffering from ADHD or ADD, you might struggle with "time blindness." adult female adhd symptoms means that you're often late to appointments or have trouble keeping the track of deadlines. You may also have difficulty working or beginning, especially with boring or unchallenging tasks. These signs can be a source of frustration to co-workers or family members. You're not being rude or inconsiderate on purpose. You're simply dealing with the difficulties of living with ADHD.
Attention-deficit ADHD is more common in girls and women than impulsive or hyperactive symptoms. These traits can make it more difficult for girls and women to receive treatment because they are less obvious. Women and girls develop strategies to cope that mask the symptoms of ADHD. This leads to a misdiagnosis, or underdiagnosis. Symptoms of depression or anxiety can, for instance, be misinterpreted as inattention symptoms of ADHD and treated as such instead.
It's also possible that women and girls aren't able to be diagnosed with ADHD because they blame themselves. They may be dissatisfied with their absences or failing to meet deadlines, and so do not inform a doctor about the symptoms. If they seek out medical professionals, they will likely be told that the behavior is normal and not the result of their fault. This can further exacerbate their anger and shame.
Although medication is the most effective treatment for ADHD in adults, it's crucial to select the right medication that will work for you and your particular symptoms. The stimulant drugs are usually the first choice, however when you're unable to take stimulants or they don't have an impact on your symptoms your healthcare provider may suggest antidepressants or medications that aren't stimulant-like. You should also consider whether your symptoms are aggravated by certain hormonal changes, like those occurring during the menstrual cycle as well as during menopausal or pregnancy. This is because fluctuations in these hormones may alter the way your body processes medication and alter their effectiveness. It is also crucial to receive a proper diagnosis as soon as possible. Medications can help manage your ADHD symptoms and improve your ability to function in the workplace and at home.
3. Impulsivity
Women who suffer from ADHD often have trouble controlling their emotions. The symptoms can include constant feelings of frustration and anger, anxiety, mood swings that make it difficult to go through the day. These emotions can negatively impact relationships and work performance. Women may also have difficulty maintaining relationships, and their relationship with their partner can be erratic with more frequent romantic connections. They also are at more risk of violence from their intimate partners.
The impulse-control symptoms of adhd in women can be more difficult to notice and identify than the hyperactive/impulsive symptoms seen in boys and men/people AMAB. This is due to the fact that girls and women are more adept at forming coping strategies that cover or disguise their ADHD symptoms in order to meet gendered societal expectations (Quinn & Madhoo 2014). This can lead women with adhd to be misdiagnosed and receive less effective treatment.
For instance females with ADHD struggle to resist temptations or to avoid being emotionally driven and find it hard to control their spending habits. This can lead to financial problems, as they may forget to make payments or pay their bills on time. Women who are easily influenced by their emotions may be more likely to shop to satisfy boredom or a desire for excitement and stimulation, which could cause problems in their relationship with food. This can result in unhealthy and unbalanced eating patterns that can lead to other health issues.
Research on adults with adhd in women has been very limited, however we do know that the symptoms are more common among females than males. It is possible that this is because the initial research on ADHD was focused on males and people who AMAB, making it easier to notice their symptoms and refer them for diagnosis. Also, it's possible that the criteria for diagnosing ADHD isn't as reliable to identify females suffering from the disorder.
Being diagnosed with adhd can be a major change for some women, especially when it occurs late in life. It can help them realize who they are and the reason they behave in the ways they do. It can make people feel like they've had a lightbulb moment providing them with an external explanation of their struggles and helping them accept themselves more fully.
4. Anxiety
Women suffering from ADHD are often afflicted by anxiety and stressful situations. Stress can lead to problems with relationships at work, school and social. It can manifest physically, such as an increased heart rate and breathing, a shallow breath muscles, tension in the neck, or headaches. It can also impact sleep. A lack of quality sleep can worsen anxiety symptoms, making them more difficult to manage. Procrastination can be an endless cycle, where anxiety fuels procrastination as well as fear of not being able to complete tasks in a timely manner.
It's important to be self-aware and be aware of if you suffer from an anxiety disorder. Talk to an expert in mental health or a doctor if you are experiencing symptoms that are affecting with your daily activities. They will examine your situation and apply recognized guidelines to determine if anxiety disorder is present. You might be asked about how long you've been experiencing symptoms, and how severe they are. They might suggest a range of tools and tests to rule out other health conditions that could be causing them.
Women with ADHD might have a harder time to be diagnosed than men, as they are generally better in masked symptoms. These women may develop coping strategies to aid in their functioning. However, these strategies can become non-sustainable over time. Some women with ADHD can control their impulsiveness through planning ahead for meetings or using the phone to remind them. These strategies are, however, not able to solve the root causes of their ADHD. This can lead to problems at home, work and at school.
Getting a proper diagnosis can be challenging because the majority of rating scales for ADHD tend to be biased towards male behaviors and symptoms. Women are also less likely to seek treatment if they don't believe they suffer from ADHD, or if they believe it will negatively affect their career and personal relationships.
It's also crucial to speak up and seek assistance from supervisors, coworkers and teachers if you have ADHD symptoms that interfere with your studies or work. They will likely be willing to accommodate so that you can achieve success in school or at work.