ADHD Symptoms For Women
Women with ADHD have reported emotional instability and sensitivity towards rejection. They might also experience insomnia and poor quality sleep which can make symptoms worse.
Women and girls are often better at masking their ADHD symptoms and coping mechanisms to conform to social expectations and norms. This could lead to misdiagnosis and delay in treatment.
1. Difficulty Focusing
For many women with ADHD concentration is the most difficult thing to do. This neurodevelopmental disorder makes it difficult to concentrate at school or during work meetings, or when reading and listening to others' conversations. It can also be challenging to get through everyday 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 suffering from the inattentive type of the disorder might be struggling to organize their house or work desk and struggle to prioritize tasks, according to CHADD. These problems could cause them to skip appointments, show up in the wrong place at the right time or fail to follow through on their tasks. They may cause them to feel bad about themselves and blame themselves for their problems, thinking they are lazy or forgetful.
Attention-deficit ADHD can lead to poor performance at school or at work and can also lead to the accumulation of debt. They can be triggered by stress or other mental health issues like anxiety and depression that often co-occur with ADHD in women, according to CHADD.
Teachers and parents may be biased towards males and girls, leading to some women and girls to be overlooked. 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 for women who suffer from ADHD. They can be more evident during perimenopausal or menstrual cycle which is the period leading up to the menopausal phase of a woman as estrogen levels drop and cause emotional problems like mood swings or irritation.
Stimulant medication can increase the concentration of adults suffering from ADHD, but it won't solve the problem. Other strategies, like lifestyle changes, mindfulness training, and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can aid in organizing and focus. Certain schools and workplaces have accommodations to help with these issues.
2. Forgetting Things
Inattention can make it difficult to keep track of your daily tasks or to manage your obligations. It can be difficult to remember important information about events or people, especially when they happen in a noisy or busy environment. You may also find yourself having trouble remembering appointments or getting late to work or school. Forgetting to pay bills or respond to emails is a common occurrence for women with ADHD and can cause financial stress and leave you feeling rushed. You may experience difficulties working in a noisy or busy office, and you may be unable to concentrate during conversations. This could make the other person feel unimportant or confused.
Many girls and women who suffer from ADHD also struggle to keep friendships. They also run the risk of being forced into sexually inappropriate behavior or becoming victims of violence from intimate partners. This is because they have a difficult managing their emotions and are more likely to be overwhelmed. They might also have trouble with their self-esteem and may be more inclined to see their difficulties as "personal imperfections" rather than recognizing that their behavior is related to their ADHD symptoms.
Due to gender biases Due to gender bias, girls and women suffering from ADHD are often overlooked because their symptoms are less obvious than those of males and boys. They may camouflage symptoms with anxiety and mood disorders, which can lead to a misdiagnosis and incorrect treatment.
ADHD symptoms can vary depending on fluctuations in hormones. This is especially the case during puberty when hormone levels decrease and progesterone levels increase. This can result in greater variation in symptoms throughout the day, which can make it more difficult to identify and manage ADHD correctly.
Getting diagnosed and receiving treatment can help you develop the life skills needed to manage your ADHD symptoms. You can also make lifestyle changes, like eating a well-balanced diet and limiting caffeine, sugar and other stimulants that might cause symptoms to become worse. Meditation and mindfulness techniques can help to calm your mind and decrease anxiety and impulsiveness. adhd traits in women can also improve emotional regulation. Talking with a mental health professional could be beneficial, since they can suggest possible adjustments at school or at work that might help you manage your ADHD symptoms better.
3. Disruptive Behavior
In most cases, females with ADHD have more irritable symptoms than those with hyperactive or impulsive symptoms. This could be because women and girls have different brains than boys and men. It could also be due to the volume of activity in the brain areas that control impulsive behavior.
This means it is often difficult for a physician to identify and diagnose ADHD in women. Many women develop coping strategies to disguise their symptoms. Some are healthy, while others aren't sustainable and can lead to other health issues. For example some women resort to excessive alcohol or drugs to manage their symptoms. They might also develop depression or other mental health issues such as anxiety. These unhealthy coping strategies may make it harder for someone to notice that they have a problem and may delay a correct diagnosis.
Disruptive behavior is a common adhd symptom for women that can affect school or work performance and relationships. They often include not staying focused on a particular task, not remembering important events or tasks, and being easily distracted by other aspects of the surroundings or in their thoughts. They might fidget or tap their hands or feet or squirm in their seat. They can also talk out loud or yell. they may be disruptive.
Women who have the most inattentional type of adhd might struggle with concentrating on lectures or conversations as well as keeping up with writing, reading or schoolwork; following instructions at school or at work; and juggling their daily chores. 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 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 cause problems at work, at home or in school. It can also cause feelings of boredom, restlessness and anger. They have a tough waiting for their turn at home, school, or in the workplace and are often disruptive to others. They tend to act recklessly and are unable manage their behavior.
4. Anxiety
Girls and women with ADHD are more likely to have a difficult to manage their symptoms than boys and men. This is due in part to the social expectations that demand women and mothers to be the primary caregivers for their children and household. If a woman with ADHD is unable to fulfill her obligations, she may be afflicted with anxiety and stress that lead to low self-esteem. This makes it harder to seek treatment.
Women who suffer from ADHD are often not recognized 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. They are also more likely to develop coping strategies that cover up their ADHD symptoms. For example the excessive fidgeting or forgetfulness could be interpreted as symptoms of anxiety disorders.
The symptoms of ADHD can change over the life of a woman. Women can be afflicted with ADHD symptoms when hormonal changes occur, such as menstrual cycles and pregnancy. This could result in her being misunderstood or dismissed as a woman who is emotionally overly sensitive and can cause a feeling of anger.
The information in this article is based on research about how ADHD affects people based on their sexual. Verywell Health acknowledges that sex refers to biology, chromosomal makeup, hormones, and anatomy; while gender refers to an internal sense of being a male, female, or nonbinary person. This distinction is important as it helps us know the ways and reasons ADHD manifests differently in men and women. In this article, we refer to males and people who were assigned male at birth as boys and men. 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 the Verywell Health guide to sex and gender.