ADHD Symptoms For Women
Women with ADHD often report symptoms of emotional volatility and sensitive to rejection. They might also experience insomnia and low quality sleep, which could cause the symptoms to become worse.
Girls and women often hide their ADHD symptoms better than males and employ strategies to cope with social expectations and norms. This can lead to misdiagnosis or delay in treatment.
1. Trouble focusing
Focusing is the biggest challenge for many women with ADHD. Symptoms of this neurodevelopmental disorder could make it hard to concentrate at school, at meetings at work, or when reading and listening to others talk. It can be challenging to complete everyday tasks such as remembering appointments or taking 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 condition may have trouble organizing their house or desks and may struggle to prioritize tasks according to CHADD. These difficulties can lead to being late for appointments, turning up at the wrong time or place or not completing their tasks. They can cause them to feel bad about themselves and blame themselves for their shortcomings and think they're lazy or forgetful.
Attention-deficit ADHD can lead to poor performance at work or in school and can lead to debt accumulation. They are often triggered by stress or other mental health issues such as anxiety and depression, which often co-occur with ADHD in women, as per CHADD.
Certain women and girls who suffer from inattentive ADHD are not diagnosed or recognized because of the biases teachers and parents might be prone to towards males and females. 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. They can be more noticeable during menstruation or perimenopause, the run-up to the menopausal phase of a woman, when estrogen levels drop and cause emotional problems such as mood swings and irritation.
Stimulant medication can enhance concentration in adults suffering from ADHD however it doesn't cure the condition. Other strategies like mindfulness training, lifestyle changes and cognitive behavioral therapies (CBT) can also help in focusing and organization. Some schools and workplaces offer accommodations to help with these issues.
2. Forgetting Things
It can be difficult to keep track of daily tasks or to manage your the responsibilities. You may have difficulty remembering important information about people or events particularly when they occur in a crowded or noisy environment. You may also find yourself having trouble remembering appointments or getting late to school or work. Inability to pay bills or respond to emails is common in women suffering from ADHD, which can create financial stress and leave you feeling rushed. You might have trouble working in a noisy or busy office, and may get lost in conversations. This could make the other person feel ignored or misunderstood.
Many girls and women with ADHD also have trouble maintaining friendships and are at risk of being pressured into unwanted sexual activity or being victims of intimate partner violence. This is because they have a harder time regulating their emotions and are more likely to become overwhelmed. They may also have a problem with self-esteem, and they might view their issues as something that is a "personal flaw" rather than realizing that their behavior is related to their ADHD symptoms.
Girl and women who suffer from ADHD are also not diagnosed because of gender bias because their symptoms are less noticeable than those of males and females. They are more likely to disguise their symptoms with mood disorders or anxiety which could lead to being misdiagnosed or incorrectly treated.
The symptoms of ADHD vary with hormone fluctuations, especially during puberty when estrogen drops and progesterone rises. This can lead to a greater variance in symptoms throughout the day, which can make it harder to identify and treat ADHD properly.
Finding a doctor and getting treatment can help you learn the life skills needed to manage your ADHD symptoms. You can also make lifestyle changes, for example, eating a balanced diet and avoiding caffeine, sugar and other stimulants that may cause symptoms to get worse. You can also practice meditation and mindfulness techniques to relax your mind, decrease the impulsiveness and anxiety and improve your emotional regulation. Talking with a mental health professional could also be helpful, as they can talk about possible accommodations at work or school to aid in managing your ADHD symptoms better.
3. Disruptive Behavior
In the majority of cases, women who suffer from ADHD are more likely to experience inattention than those with hyperactive or impulsive symptoms. This could be because girls and women have different brains than boys and men. It could also be due to the volume of brain activity areas that regulate impulsive behavior.
This means it can be difficult for a doctor to identify and diagnose ADHD in women. Many women develop coping mechanisms to hide their symptoms. Some of these are healthy, but others aren't sustainable and may cause health issues of other kinds. For instance women may turn to excessive alcohol or drugs to deal with their symptoms. They might also develop depression or have other mental health problems like anxiety. women and adhd coping strategies can make it more difficult for someone to notice that they have a problem and delay a proper diagnosis.
Disruptive behavior is a common adhd symptom for women that can affect school or work performance and relationships. These include being unable to stay focused on a specific task, ignoring important tasks or events, and easily getting distracted by the environment or their thoughts. They may fidget or tap their feet or hands or squirm in their seats. They may also yell or speak loudly, and they may interrupt.
Women with the predominantly inattentive type of adhd might struggle to concentrate on conversations or lectures and juggling writing, reading or schoolwork; adhering to instructions at the workplace or in class and managing daily tasks. They are often disorganized, messy, and forgetful and find it difficult to follow through on commitments or tasks. They are more vulnerable to misplacing or losing things such as 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 type of adhd can cause problems at home, at work and in school, and can cause feelings of restlessness and boredom. It can also cause frustration. They can't wait for their turn whether at school, at work, or at home. They also interrupt others frequently. They are prone to act recklessly and are not able to manage their behavior.
4. Anxiety
Girls and women who suffer from ADHD are more likely to have a difficult to manage their symptoms than males and females. This is due in part to the expectations of society that require women and mothers to be the primary caregivers for their children and household. If a woman is struggling to fulfill her obligations, it can lead to anxiety and low self-esteem. This could make it difficult to seek out treatment for her ADHD.
Women with ADHD are often not diagnosed 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. In addition, they are more likely to develop strategies for coping to disguise their ADHD symptoms, like excessive fidgeting and forgetfulness, which could be misinterpreted as symptoms of anxiety disorders.
The symptoms of ADHD may also change over the course of the woman's life. For example, during periods of hormonal changes, like menstruation or pregnancy, women may notice her ADHD symptoms to become more intense. This can cause her to be misunderstood or thought of as a woman who is excessively emotional.
This article is based on research into how ADHD affects different individuals based on their gender. Verywell Health recognizes that sex is a matter of biology: chromosomal makeup hormones, hormones and anatomical structure. gender is an internal perception of the person you are as a male, a woman, or if nonbinary, or a person. This distinction is important because it allows for a better understanding of the ways and the ways that ADHD manifests can differ between genders. For this reason, throughout this article we refer to men and people assigned to male at birth (AMAB) as boys and men as well as women and those assigned to female at birth (AFAB) as women and girls. This is consistent with how many research studies use this term. For more information, read the guide to sex & gender by Verywell Health.