Challenges of ADHD in Women and Girls
Untreated ADHD symptoms can lead to many issues for girls and women. They may feel incompetent at work, have difficulty with peer relationships or suffer from depression and anxiety.
They also have a better chance of developing coping mechanisms to mask their ADHD symptoms. This makes it more difficult to diagnose and treat them.
Symptoms
Although research has proven that ADHD affects men and boys at a higher rate than women and girls however, the gap between the genders shrinks as people age. It's important that adults with ADHD symptoms don't feel abandoned or forgotten.
As girls and women mature into adulthood and become adults, they struggle with ADHD symptoms. They may have trouble managing finances, keeping their homes clean or maintaining healthy relationships. Years of untreated ADHD can also take a toll on their confidence in themselves and mental health, since they blame themselves for their issues.
In contrast to other mental disorders, ADHD is a condition that lasts for a lifetime. Women and girls are prone to cover up their symptoms using strategies to cope, but these often backfire. Additionally, adhd in women uk throughout the menstrual cycle, menopausal cycle, and pregnancy can make it harder to manage their ADHD symptoms.
Attention-deficit ADHD can be characterized by inattention or forgetfulness and having difficulty paying attention at work or in classes, and having trouble in daily routines such as food planning, scheduling or doing laundry. Hyperactive-impulsive ADHD symptoms can include rushing through tasks, jumping from one task to another or making rash decisions. It is crucial that healthcare professionals are aware of the many ways women and girls can present with ADHD and think about whether depression or anxiety can be a contributing factor to these issues.
It is crucial that those with ADHD are evaluated by a qualified healthcare professional. They can evaluate their symptoms, medical history and rule out other illnesses. For example, some individuals with ADHD suffer from additional mental health issues, such as depression or anxiety, low self-esteem and trouble with relationships and social interactions. Adults with ADHD are also more likely to experience physical health problems such as tics or chronic stress.
Many girls and women suffering from ADHD aren't diagnosed because they're not considered serious by teachers, family or friends. They may not believe that their symptoms are serious enough to need help. Or they may think that their ADHD symptoms are the result of poor parenting or low self-esteem. In some instances, girls and women with ADHD are diagnosed only after their children are diagnosed with ADHD or do not receive a diagnosis until they're in their 40s or 50s and are having significant difficulty with day-to-day living activities.
Diagnosis
Women often do not get diagnosed with ADHD until they reach adulthood and may have issues when it does happen. For one thing, girls may not have the same hyperactive/impulsive symptoms as boys -- and this can make them less likely to be recognised by teachers and parents, who are more accustomed to seeing those signs in male children. Girls also have strategies to cope with their symptoms, which can result in them not being noticed as much. It is possible that girls' issues with organization, concentration and impulsivity could go unnoticed over a period of years.
Women are also more likely to be diagnosed with high-functioning ADHD, which makes their symptoms more difficult to detect. Additionally, they may have co-occurring conditions that impact their ability to manage their life including depression and anxiety. They may find it difficult to manage their emotions. This can be exacerbated by hormonal changes that occur during menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and menopause.
Many of these conditions can cause a loss of self-esteem and problems with relationships. As a result, it can be difficult for them to speak up about their struggles and seek assistance. adhd in young women could lead to delay in the diagnosis and treatment.
It's also common for people with ADHD not to be able to establish friendships or interact with other people. They might miss social engagements or fail to show to appointments, and are unable to discern body language or recognize the non-verbal signals of others. They may even be inclined to go off on tangents while talking, making it harder for others to keep up.
For these reasons, it's important to get a proper diagnosis and get it immediately. For women, this could be an "lightbulb moment" that can give them an external explanation of their problems and allow them to accept their own uniqueness. It can also assist women focus on their strengths and to adopt steps to improve their life management abilities. This can positively impact their work, family and personal lives. The article is medically reviewed by Huma Sheikh, MD.
Treatment
As women and girls develop into adults, untreated ADHD can have a negative impact on their professional and personal lives. The symptoms can affect relationships and work performance. They can lead to feelings of anxiety and frustration. They may also make it harder to cope with the demands of adult life, such as managing finances, keeping your home tidy and maintaining healthy relationships.
Women and girls are less likely to receive a diagnosis of ADHD than boys and men, partly because hyperactive/impulsive symptoms tend to be more commonly associated with males. This, in turn, can lead to gender-based stereotypes regarding the disorder, which can result in women and girls suppressing or denying their own symptoms to avoid being stigmatized by society.
There are a variety of effective treatment options for ADHD both in girls and women. A licensed healthcare professional is able to prescribe medication to regulate brain activity and reduce symptoms. The most effective medications are stimulants. option, however non-stimulants may also be effective for certain people. Your doctor may suggest a combination treatment to treat related conditions like depression or anxiety disorders.
Lifestyle adjustments, in addition to medication management, can help control ADHD symptoms. Regular exercise releases neurotransmitters that improve concentration and focus, as well as reduce anxiety, stress and other mood disorders that are common in people with ADHD. Group activities, like team sports or group fitness classes, are particularly beneficial.
Therapy is also a crucial element of treatment. Cognitive behavioral therapy can help people identify and change negative thinking patterns that cause their ADHD symptoms. Couples counseling can be beneficial for improving communication and resolving conflict in relationships.
We use the words "girls", "women", and "womens" to refer to the gender that was assigned at birth, and not to the person's gender identity. To make our content more uniform and clear and to avoid confusion among our readers we employ this term. This article applies to all people who were assigned males at birth, which includes transgender and nonbinary people. We acknowledge that gender and sexuality are not mutually exclusive, and we welcome all of our readers.
Support
Women and people assigned female at birth (AFAB) with ADHD are more likely to be undiagnosed or get a misdiagnosis than men. It's because women and girls tend to hide their symptoms which makes it difficult for doctors to determine. They may also have signs that aren't apparent to others, such as inattention or disorganization rather than hyperactivity or impulsivity.
This is crucial for women who frequently develop strategies for coping to feel normal and meet social expectations. These coping strategies could include healthy things like setting phone reminders or keeping a schedule for the day. They can also be harmful such as binge-eating or substance abuse. Women with untreated ADHD may feel anxious or depressed, and overwhelmed and suffer from relationship issues and chronic stress.
Women and girls who suffer from ADHD may experience low self-esteem and other symptoms like depression, anxiety or abdominal pain. These feelings can lead to avoidance of school and work, or social activities. They may also become dependent on their parents to help them with their daily tasks. This can create an unhealthy cycle of dependence and reliance that is difficult to break.
As they grow older, girls and women with ADHD are at a higher risk for sexual activity with non-consensual partners. This can be due to the impulsiveness of their lives, insufficient planning, or an inability to use contraception. They are more likely to be pushed into unwanted sexual activities, and can be at greater risk of being victims of domestic violence and abuse.
As adults, women suffering from ADHD can often benefit from coping strategies and medications to manage their symptoms. They can also seek out therapy in a couple or on their own with partners. They can learn to understand themselves and develop a positive internal dialogue. It can aid them in improving their relationships.
Support services can include programs specifically designed for mothers and pregnant women with ADHD, as well as coaching to help them develop parenting skills. These programs can help women with ADHD to work and manage their home responsibilities and take care of children.