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ADHD Symptoms For Women
Women with ADHD often report symptoms of emotional volatility and sensitive to rejection. They might also experience insomnia and poor quality of sleep which can make symptoms worse.
Women and girls are often better at concealing their ADHD symptoms by using coping strategies to conform to social expectations and norms. This can lead to misdiagnosis and delay in treatment.
1. Trouble focusing
Concentration is the biggest issue for many women with ADHD. Symptoms of this neurodevelopmental disorder may make it difficult to concentrate at school, in meetings at work, or even when listening to other people's conversations. It can also be challenging to get through everyday tasks, such as keeping track of appointments or making sure to take 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. Women with the inattentive form of the condition may have trouble organizing their house or desk and find it difficult to prioritize tasks according to CHADD. These issues can result in them not attending appointments, showing up at the wrong time or place or not completing their work duties. These problems can make them feel bad about themselves, and they may blame themselves for their problems.
Inattentional ADHD can lead to poor performance at school or at work and can lead to the accumulation of debt. They can be triggered by stress or other mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression that often co-occur with ADHD in women, according to CHADD.
Teachers and parents might be biased towards males and females, which can cause women and girls to be underdiagnosed. 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 increase symptoms in adult women with ADHD. For instance, they may be more evident during menstrual cycles, or during perimenopause--the run-up to menopause--when estrogen levels dip and can cause emotional issues, including mood swings and irritability.
Adults suffering from ADHD can benefit from stimulant medication to improve their focus, but it will not treat the condition. Other strategies like mindfulness training, lifestyle changes and cognitive behavioral therapies (CBT) can help with focus and organization. Some workplaces and schools offer accommodations to help with these issues, as well.
2. Forgetting Things
Inattention can make managing daily tasks and responsibilities challenging. It may be difficult to keep track of important details, especially if they occur in a noisy setting. You might also find that you often forget appointments or get late for school or work. Women with ADHD tend to forget to pay bills or responding to emails, which can result in financial stress and an impression of urgency. You may experience difficulties working in a noisy or loud office and often lose focus during conversations, causing the other person feeling unimportant or misunderstood.
treatment for adhd in women and girls suffering from ADHD are also having a difficult time maintaining friendships and are at risk of being forced into sexual activities that are not desired or becoming victims of intimate partner violence. They are more likely than other people to be overwhelmed because they have difficulty regulating their emotions. They may also have issues with their self-esteem and may be more inclined to see their problems as "personal imperfections" rather than recognizing that their behavior is related to their ADHD symptoms.
Women and girls who suffer from ADHD are also underdiagnosed due to gender bias, since their symptoms are more evident than the symptoms of men and boys. They may be more likely to camouflage their symptoms by claiming mood disorders or anxiety and this can lead to being misdiagnosed and incorrectly treated.
The symptoms of ADHD vary with hormone fluctuations and, particularly during puberty when estrogen drops and progesterone increases. This can result in greater variation in symptoms from day to day, which makes it difficult to diagnose and treat ADHD correctly.
Diagnosed and treated, you will learn to manage ADHD symptoms. You can also alter your lifestyle by eating a balanced diet and limiting stimulants like caffeine, sugar and drinks with sugar that could worsen symptoms. Meditation and mindfulness techniques can help calm your mind and reduce the impulsiveness and restlessness. They can also help improve the regulation of emotions. A mental health professional might be able to help you by discussing possible accommodations that may aid you in managing ADHD symptoms at school or at work.
3. Disruptive Behavior
Women with ADHD tend to be more inattentive than hyperactive or hyperactive symptoms. That may be because the brains of girls and women differ from those of boys and men or it could have to do with how much activity is occurring in the regions of the brain responsible for managing disruptive and impulsive behavior.
This means it can be difficult for a physician to identify and diagnose ADHD in women. Many women develop coping strategies to disguise their symptoms. Some of these are healthy, but others are not sustainable and could result in other health issues. Some women, for example use excessive alcohol and drugs to cope. They may also be depressed or have other mental health conditions like anxiety. These unhealthy coping strategies may make it difficult for people to recognize they are suffering from a disorder and can delay an accurate diagnosis.
Disruptive behavior is a common symptom of adhd in women. It can impact their work or school performance, as well as their relationships. They can be a problem when they are incapable of staying focused on a particular task, forgetting important tasks or events, and easily getting distracted by the environment or their thoughts. They may fidget, tap their feet or hands, or squirm. They may also yell or speak loudly and they may interrupt.
Women with the predominantly inattentive type of adhd may struggle with concentrating on lectures or conversations as well as keeping up with writing, reading or schoolwork; following instructions at work or in class; and managing daily tasks. They can be disorganized, messy, and forgetful and have a difficult time keep track of commitments or tasks. They are more likely to lose or misplace things like 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 subtype can cause problems at home, work or in school. It can also trigger feelings of irritability, boredom and frustration. They have a hard time waiting for their turn at school, at home or in the workplace and often interrupt other people. They have a tendency to be reckless and aren't able to control their behavior.
4. Anxiety
Girls and women who suffer from ADHD are more likely to have a difficult time coping with their symptoms than men and boys. This is due to societal expectations that demand women and mothers to be the primary caregivers for their children and household. If a woman is struggling to meet her responsibilities this can cause anxiety and low self-esteem. This makes it more difficult for her to seek treatment.
Women with ADHD are not often diagnosed as easily as boys or men because their symptoms do not 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. In addition they are more likely to develop coping strategies to disguise their ADHD symptoms, including excessive fidgeting and forgetfulness that could be mistaken for symptoms of anxiety disorders.
The signs of ADHD for women can vary at different times throughout the woman's life. Women can suffer ADHD symptoms in the course of hormonal changes, like menstrual cycle and pregnancy. This can result in being viewed as a terribly 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, hormones, chromosomal makeup and anatomy; while gender refers to the internal feeling of being a woman, man, or nonbinary person. This distinction is crucial as it allows for a better understanding of how and why the ways that ADHD manifests can differ between genders. In this article, we refer to males and those who were assigned males at birth as males and boys. We also refer to females and those who were assigned females at conception as females and girls. This terminology is utilized in many research studies. For more information, read Verywell Health's guide to gender and sexuality.