ADHD Symptoms in Adult Females
While ADHD affects both genders equally throughout adulthood, the condition often goes undiagnosed in females. This is likely due to gender stereotypes and the capacity of women to conceal their symptoms.
Many healthcare professionals lack the knowledge and experience to detect ADHD in women. In the end, many females are misdiagnosed before receiving the treatment they require.
1. Disorganization
Girls and women with ADHD have trouble coordinating. This disorder can be difficult to manage. For example your desk might be a mess of unruly papers, 17 different chapsticks, or a ticket to the Kings of Leon concert you went to in the year 2008. As you purchase products that claim to help you stay organized your office and home are likely to remain chaotic and messy.
Inability to stay on top of your tasks can result in missed deadlines and missed appointments. In addition, you could struggle with a concept called "time blindness," which means you can't remember or understand the amount of time it takes to complete an assignment. This could leave you feeling in a state of discontent and feeling as if you're not doing a good job in your work or in your personal life, particularly when you feel that other people don't appreciate your efforts.
You may also have difficulty controlling your emotions. This could cause you to react too quickly when confronted with stressful situations. Your rapid verbal communication may cause confusion and miscommunications with your family and coworkers, and you may make comments that hurt feelings of others without a thought. And since impulsivity is common for those with ADHD and ADD, you may have trouble stopping yourself from making statements without taking a second to think them through.
If you suffer from ADHD it's possible that a portion of your symptoms are rooted in gender stereotypes or cultural ideas regarding how women, men and boys should behave. This can make it harder for you to identify and treat your ADHD.
You may also benefit from a treatment for behavioral issues to address the root cause of your disorder. And although it may take a while to discover the right coping mechanisms, implementing these strategies can make you feel more in control of your life as well as improve relationships with family and friends as well as coworkers.
2. undiagnosed adhd in women with ADHD experience intense emotions. However, their brains are not capable of filtering them or assess them. This means they can get overwhelmed by a single incident or find it hard to discern the emotional state of other people. It can also make it easier for them to become distracted by small issues like books that are out of stock or an acquaintance who's late for take a spin class.
Many women suffering from ADHD cover up their symptoms and develop strategies to cope with their attention issues. They could be perfectionists, or highly conscientious at school or at work but struggle to keep on top of important dates, deadlines and appointments. They might also struggle with verbal self-restraint and frequently interrupt others, talk too much, frequently, or info dump during conversations.
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 an abrupt urge to begin or stop activities. They also include being unable wait for your turn in a conversation, and having difficulty reading social signals.
While gender stereotypes can impact on the development of ADHD in women, it is not always easy to spot these issues. The scales for rating used to determine ADHD symptoms still favor male behavior. Some healthcare professionals may not be aware of the woman's ADHD symptoms.
adhd in women treatment with ADHD also say that their symptoms get more severe during periods of hormonal changes, for example during the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, or perimenopause (the menopausal transition). This can exacerbate emotional symptoms and lead to frequent feelings of anger, frustration or depression. They may also feel a persistent sense of dissatisfaction with their relationships or life. This could cause depression, substance abuse or unbalanced ways of coping. This is why it's crucial for women to understand that these signs aren't a reflection of their value or worth as a person. If you follow a proper treatment program, you can reduce or even eliminate these symptoms.
3. Attention
ADHD is often characterized by a higher frequency of these symptoms. While everyone struggles to concentrate and pay attention at certain times, they are so frequent that they can impede your daily life. You might make mistakes at school or work or forget appointments or you may spend a lot of time procrastinating. You can't stand in line and interrupt others in conversations.
Adults who are inattentive can be prone to get caught up in projects before thoroughly planning them and researching them. This can lead to poor results or poor ones. You may also get distracted easily and tend to leave projects unfinishedfor example, from the vegetable garden that got planted but never watered to the new organizational system that was put together and put aside to dust on your nightstand.
People with inattentive ADHD also have an ongoing feeling of disorganization, both in their home and workplaces. You may have difficulty finding important documents, bills or keys and lose things frequently. You might also keep losing the track of time and end up late for meetings, work 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 with these symptoms might perform actions or words without considering the impact such as yelling at others or making a nonsensical sound when they are alone. They may have trouble sitting still and adjusting their seats or at a fast pace. They might have trouble keeping a job, and have frequent conflicts with their coworkers and manager.
In some cases, the mood swings and emotional turmoil caused by ADHD can cause frustration and miscommunication in relationships. This is especially the case when it comes to romantic relationships and at work. People who suffer from ADHD also are more likely to having co-occurring conditions like depression, anxiety or bipolar disorder.
Women and girls with ADHD may face many difficulties when seeking treatment. These include gender discrimination, a tendency to hide symptoms or minimize their severity, and gender bias. Famous women like Em Rusciano and Mia Freedman who have publicly discussed their struggles with ADHD have helped to raise awareness. But, many young women and girls don't know they have it.
4. Anxiety
An anxiety disorder is characterized by constant anxiety. While everyone is anxious or nervous at times Anxiety disorders are defined by constant high levels of anxiety. You might feel a constant feeling of unease or anxiety, a fast heartbeat, trouble staying at peace and having difficulty focusing. You might also feel a sense of danger in situations that you know aren't risky. The most frequent forms of anxiety include general anxiety disorder, phobias, agoraphobia as well as panic disorders, separation anxiety and selective mutism.
Anxiety is more prevalent in women suffering from ADHD than in men, and it is more likely to become worse at certain times in a woman's life for instance, during the time of her menstrual cycle or pregnancy, or perimenopausal. This can make it difficult to handle everyday tasks and social interaction and may lead to feelings of self-esteem loss or dissatisfaction.
You're highly sensitive to rejection and have a hard time accepting criticism. You can easily misinterpret feedback or even anticipating rejection and you might get angry over minor things that others don't find an issue with.
Mood swings are another of the symptoms of adhd for women in adulthood, and you might discover that your mood is unpredictable or difficult to manage. You could also be susceptible to self-injury that isn't suicidal like scratching, burning or hitting yourself.
It is crucial to seek a diagnosis if you're experiencing any of the symptoms listed above. It will help you understand your challenges and give you strategies for improving your quality of living. You can take an online ADHD test, or go to your doctor for a thorough evaluation. In some instances, your doctor might prescribe medication to alleviate your symptoms. In some instances your doctor might suggest a combination between lifestyle changes and cognitive behavior therapy. In any scenario, it's essential to start making some positive changes to your life as soon as you can. This will allow you to take control of your life and make you feel more confident, productive and capable.