ADHD Symptoms For Women
Women who suffer from ADHD report emotional volatility and sensitivity towards rejection. They might also experience insomnia and poor sleep quality, which can exacerbate symptoms.
Women and girls are often better at masking their ADHD symptoms by using coping strategies to meet societal expectations and norms. This could lead to misdiagnosis and delay in treatment.
1. Trouble focusing
Concentration is the biggest issue for women suffering from ADHD. Symptoms of this neurodevelopmental disorder could make it hard to remain focused at school, at meetings at work, or when listening to other people's conversations. It can also be challenging to complete daily tasks, like keeping track of appointments or remembering to take your 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. Women who suffer from the inattentive version of the condition may be struggling to organize their homes or at their desks and may find it difficult to prioritize tasks, according to CHADD. These issues can result in them missing appointments, showing up at the wrong time or place or failing to finish their work tasks. These issues can cause them to feel embarrassed about themselves and they could blame themselves for their troubles.
Inattentive ADHD can also lead to poor performance at school or at work, and debt accumulation. According to CHADD they are often triggered by stress or other mental conditions such as anxiety and depression.
Certain women and girls who suffer from inattentive ADHD are underdiagnosed or overlooked due to the prejudices 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 cause symptoms in women who suffer from ADHD. They may be more apparent during menstruation or perimenopause that is the time leading up to the menopausal phase of a woman as estrogen levels drop and can cause emotional issues like mood swings and irritation.
Adults suffering from ADHD may benefit from stimulant medication to improve their concentration, but it will not solve the problem. Other strategies, such as mindfulness training, lifestyle changes, and cognitive behavioral therapies (CBT) can also help with focus and organization. Certain schools and workplaces have accommodations that can help with these issues as well.
2. Forgetting Things
Forgetfulness can make it difficult to stay on top of daily tasks or to manage your obligations. You may find it difficult to keep track of important details particularly when they happen in a noisy area. You might also find yourself having trouble remembering appointments or getting late to school or work. Women with ADHD are prone to forgetting to pay bills or responding to emails, which could lead to financial stress and an impression of urgency. You may have difficulty working in a noisy or loud office and often zone out during conversations, leaving others feeling ignored or misunderstood.
Many women and girls who have ADHD also struggle to keep friendships. They also run the risk of being pushed into inappropriate sexual behaviour or becoming victims of violence from intimate partners. They are more likely than others to feel overwhelmed because they struggle to control their emotions. They may also have a problem with their self-esteem, and may see their problems as a "personal flaw" instead of realizing that their behavior is related to their ADHD symptoms.
Females and females with ADHD are also underdiagnosed due to gender bias because their symptoms are less obvious than those of males and females. They may be more likely to camouflage their symptoms with anxiety or mood problems which could lead to being misdiagnosed and incorrectly treated.
Symptoms of ADHD vary with hormone fluctuations particularly during puberty, when progesterone drops and estrogen increases. This can cause a greater range of symptoms, which makes it harder to identify and manage ADHD.
Getting diagnosed and receiving treatment can help you develop how to manage your ADHD symptoms. You can also change your lifestyle, such as eating healthy and balanced meals and avoiding stimulants like sugar, caffeine, and sugary drinks which can aggravate symptoms. It is also possible to practice mindfulness and meditation techniques to relax your mind, reduce restlessness and impulsiveness and improve your emotional control. Talking with an expert in mental health can also be helpful, as they can suggest possible adjustments at school or at work to help you manage your ADHD symptoms better.
3. Disruptive Behavior
Women with ADHD tend to be more sluggish than hyperactive or hyperactive symptoms. This could be due to the fact that girls and women have different brains than boys and men. It could also be due to the level of activity in the brain areas that control impulsive behavior.
In the end, it can be difficult for a doctor to recognize and diagnose ADHD in women. Many women develop strategies for coping to disguise their symptoms. Some of these are healthy, however others are unsustainable and can result in other health issues. For example women may turn to drinking or using drugs to manage their symptoms. They may also develop depression or other mental health conditions such as anxiety. These unhealthy coping strategies can make it more difficult for someone to recognize that they are suffering from a disorder and delay a proper diagnosis.
Disruptive behaviors are a common adhd symptom for women that can impact school or work performance and relationships. They usually involve not staying focused on a particular task, not remembering important events or tasks, and being easily distracted by other things in their surroundings or in their thoughts. They might fidget, tap their feet or hands, or make a squirming sound. They can also yell or speak loudly and they may interrupt.
Women who suffer from the primarily inattentive subtype of adhd can struggle to concentrate on conversations or lectures and juggling writing, reading, or schoolwork; following instructions at work or in class; and juggling daily tasks. They may be disorganized and forgetful. They can also be messy. It can be difficult to keep up with commitments or tasks. They are more likely to lose or misplace items such as eyeglasses, wallets, and keys.
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 work, home or at school. It can also lead to feelings of boredom, restlessness and anger. They can't wait for their turn whether at school, at work, or at home. They also interrupt others frequently. They have a tendency to act recklessly and are not able to manage their behavior.
4. Anxiety
Women and girls who have ADHD may find it harder to manage their symptoms. This is due to societal expectations that demand women and mothers to be the primary caregivers for their children and household. If a woman with ADHD struggles to manage her responsibilities, she could be afflicted with anxiety and stress that can cause low self-esteem. This in turn makes it more difficult to seek treatment for her ADHD.
adhd symptoms in women adults who suffer from ADHD are often not recognized as easily as males or females 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. Furthermore they are more likely to develop strategies for coping that mask their ADHD symptoms, such as excessive fidgeting and forgetfulness, that could be mistaken for symptoms of anxiety disorders.
The signs of ADHD for women can change at different times in the woman's lifetime. For instance, during periods of hormonal changes, like menstruation or pregnancy, women may notice her ADHD symptoms to be exacerbated. This can lead to her being misunderstood or dismissed as an overly emotional woman and can cause a feelings of frustration.
This article is based upon 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 is a subjective sense of being a woman, man or a nonbinary. This distinction is crucial as it allows for better understanding of how and why the ways in which ADHD manifests may differ between genders. In this article, we refer to males as well as people who were assigned males at birth as males and boys. We also refer to females and people who were assigned female at conception as females and girls. This terminology is used in a variety of research studies. To find out more, check out Verywell Health's guide on gender and sexuality.