ADHD Symptoms in Adult Females
While ADHD affects men and women equally in adulthood, it often isn't recognized by females. This is likely due to gender stereotypes and the capability of women to mask their symptoms.
Many healthcare professionals aren't equipped and experience to detect ADHD in women. This means that many women are misdiagnosed and not receiving the proper treatment they require.
1. Disorganization
Women and girls with ADHD often struggle with disorganization, which can be very difficult to manage. Your desk, for example could be a jumble of papers, 17 chapsticks and a ticket from the Kings of Leon show you attended in 2008. Even if you've spent money on products to help you manage your clutter, your home or office is likely to remain chaotic and messy.
Inability to stay on top of your work could result in missing deadlines and appointments. In addition, you could be struggling with a concept known as "time blindness," which means you cannot remember or comprehend the time required to complete the task. This can leave you frustrated and feeling like you're not doing a great job in your work or personal life, particularly if it feels like others don't appreciate your efforts.
There is a possibility that you have trouble managing your emotions. treatment for adhd in women could cause you to overreact when confronted by stressful situations. Your rapid verbal communication may result in miscommunications and misunderstandings with your loved ones and colleagues, and you may make comments that hurt others' feelings without even knowing. And since impulsivity is common for people with ADHD and ADD, you may find it difficult to resist making comments without thinking them through.
If you have ADHD, it's likely that some of your symptoms stem from gender stereotypes and beliefs about the ways boys, men and women should behave. This makes it more difficult for you to recognize and treat your ADHD.
You may also benefit from a behavioral therapy to address the root causes of your disorder. It may take a while to find the best strategies for dealing with stress, but implementing them can help you feel more in control of your own life and improve your relationships with family, coworkers, and other friends.
2. Impulsivity
People with ADHD experience intense emotions. However, their brains are not capable of separating them from or assess them. This means they can get overwhelmed by a single incident or have difficulty being able to discern the mood of other people. This also makes them more susceptible to being distracted by minor issues like an out of stock book or a friend who isn't reliable.
Many women suffering from ADHD compensate for their attention issues by hiding symptoms and devising strategies for coping. They could be perfectionists or highly conscientious at work or in school but struggle to keep the track of important dates, deadlines, and appointments. They may struggle with self-talk control and may talk too much or interrupt others frequently.
The hyperactive/impulsive subtype of ADHD tends to be more common in boys and men, but it's not unusual for women to have these symptoms too. These symptoms include a sudden desire to stop, start or alter the course of action; being unable to wait for your turn during a conversation and having trouble reading social cues (like facial expressions or body language).
While gender-based stereotypes may play a role in the development of ADHD, it's sometimes difficult to tell if women suffer from these issues. The rating scales that are used to identify ADHD symptoms are still biased towards male behavior. Some healthcare professionals might misunderstand a woman's ADHD symptoms.
Many women with ADHD also say that their symptoms get worse during times of hormonal changes, for example menstrual cycle, pregnancy, or perimenopause (the menopausal transition). This can trigger emotional symptoms such as frustration or irritability as well as depression. They may also feel an ongoing sense of dissatisfaction with their relationships or life. This could lead to the use of drugs, low self-esteem and unhealthy coping habits. It's important that women understand that these symptoms don't show their worth or value as a human being. The good news is that with a well-planned treatment strategy, these symptoms can be improved or even eliminated.
3. Inattention
While everyone struggles with paying attention and focusing, with ADHD the symptoms can occur often enough that they cause disruption with your life. You may make careless mistakes at work or school, forget appointments or spend long hours delaying. You have a difficult time waiting for your turn in conversations and often interrupt others.
Adults who are inattentive can be prone to jump into projects without thoroughly planning them and researching them. This can lead to poor results or even subpar ones. It is also possible to get lost easily and tend to leave projects unfinished -- from the vegetable garden that got planted but never watered to the new system of organization that got assembled and then left to rot on your nightstand.
People with inattentive ADHD are also plagued by an ongoing sense of disorganization at home and at work. You might have difficulty finding important documents, keys or bills and lose things regularly. You might also keep losing the track of time and end up running late for work, meetings or school.
Women with hyperactive/impulsive ADHD are less likely to experience these inattentive symptoms, but they can still have problems with organization, time management and self-control. Women who suffer from these conditions may make or do actions without considering the impact, like talking over others or making a nonsensical sound when they are on their own. They might be unable to sit still, and fidget in their chair or move. They might be unable to keep a job, and have frequent disputes with their coworkers and manager.
In some instances, the mood swings or emotional distress caused by ADHD can cause frustration in relationships and miscommunications. This is especially true in romantic relationships as well as at work. People who suffer from ADHD are also more likely to suffer from co-occurring conditions, like depression, anxiety, or bipolar disorder.
Women and girls with ADHD might face a variety of challenges when seeking treatment. This includes gender bias, a tendency to hide symptoms or undervalue their severity, as well as gender bias. Women with a high profile, such as Em Rusciano and Mia Freedman who have publicly discussed their struggles with ADHD have helped to raise awareness. However, many girls and young woman still aren't aware of it.
4. Anxiety
Although most people experience anxiety or anxious from time to moment, a constant and overwhelming anxiety is a sign of an anxiety disorder. You might experience an uneasy feeling or fear as well as rapid pulse, difficulty maintaining calm, and having trouble thinking clearly. You may also feel the sense of danger even in situations that you know are not dangerous. The most commonly encountered types of anxiety are general anxiety disorder, agoraphobia and separation anxiety, as well as panic disorders.
Anxiety is more common in women suffering from ADHD than in men and it tends to worsen during certain times of women's lives like her menstrual cycle and pregnancy or perimenopausal. This can make it difficult for women to handle everyday tasks and social interactions, and can lead to feelings of low self-esteem or dissatisfaction.
You are very sensitive to rejection and you have a difficult time accepting criticism. You easily misinterpret feedback or even anticipating rejection and you can get angry over minor things that others do not see as an issue with.
Mood swings can also be an indication of adhd in women. You may find that you have unpredictable moods or find it difficult to manage these. You may also be susceptible to self-injury that isn't suicidal like scratching, burning or hitting yourself.
If you're experiencing any of the above symptoms, it's essential to receive a diagnosis. It will help you know your issues and offer you strategies to improve your quality of life. You can take an online ADHD test, or visit your doctor for a thorough assessment. In certain instances, a doctor may prescribe medication to alleviate your symptoms. In other cases they may recommend a combination of lifestyle changes and cognitive behavioral therapy. In either case it's crucial to make positive changes as soon as you can. This will help you gain control over your life and feel more confident, productive and capable.