ADHD Symptoms in Adult Females
While ADHD affects men and women equally throughout adulthood, the condition typically goes undiagnosed in females. This could be due to gender stereotypes and the capability females to hide their symptoms.
Many healthcare professionals do not have the expertise or experience needed to detect ADHD in women. As a result, many females are misdiagnosed before receiving the proper treatment they need.
1. Disorganization
Girls and women who suffer from ADHD have trouble coordinating. This condition is difficult to manage. Your desk, for example, may be a mess of papers, 17 different chapsticks, and tickets from the Kings of Leon show you attended in 2008. Although you may have invested money in products to help you organize, your office or home is likely to remain chaotic and messy.
Your inability to keep track of your responsibilities could result in missed appointments and forgotten deadlines. You might also struggle with "time blindness," where you don't know or remember how long it takes to complete the task. This could make you feel frustrated and like you're not doing a great enough job in your profession, or even your personal life.
You may also have difficulty managing your emotions. This can lead you to overreact when confronted with stressful situations. You may also say things that are not intended to hurt the feelings of someone else. In addition, since impulsivity is common for people with ADHD it is possible that you will be unable to stop yourself from making statements without thinking them through.
If you suffer from ADHD It's likely some of your symptoms stem from gender stereotypes and beliefs regarding how men, boys and women should behave. This could make it difficult to recognize and treat your ADHD.
In addition to being diagnosed you may also benefit from behavioral therapy to deal with the root cause of your condition. It could take some time to determine the most effective coping strategies, but implementing them will allow you to feel in control of your life and improve your relationships with family members, coworkers, and other friends.
2. add women with ADHD experience intense emotions. However their brains aren't capable of filtering them or assess them. They may be overwhelmed by a tiny incident, or have trouble in assessing the mood of other people. It also makes it easier for them to get distracted by minor issues such as a book that's out of stock or a friend who's running late to take a spin class.
Many women with ADHD cover up their symptoms and develop coping strategies to compensate for their attention issues. They might be extremely meticulous or an obsessive at school or at work, and have difficulty keeping the track of appointments and bills or important dates. 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 start, stop or change activities or activities; not being able to wait your turn in a conversation; and difficulty in interpreting social cues (like facial expressions or body language).
While gender stereotypes can impact on the development of ADHD for women, it is not always easy to identify these issues. Rating scales that are used to determine ADHD symptoms are still skewed toward male behavior and some health professionals may misunderstand or misunderstand the symptoms of women.
Many women suffering from ADHD also note that their symptoms tend to become more severe during times of hormonal changes, like during menstrual cycles, pregnancy, or perimenopause (the menopausal transition). This can intensify emotional symptoms and trigger a lot of feelings of frustration, irritability or depression. They may also experience an unrelenting feeling of discontent in their relationships or their lives. This can cause substance abuse, low-self-esteem or unbalanced coping strategies. It's important that women understand that these symptoms do not show their worth or value as human beings. With a good treatment strategy, you can lessen or even eliminate these signs.
3. Inattention
ADHD is often characterized by a higher frequency of these symptoms. While everyone struggles to concentrate and pay attention at times, they are so frequent that they can interfere with your daily life. You might make mistakes at school or work, forget appointments or spend many hours putting off work. You have a hard time waiting for your turn in conversations and often interrupt others.
Adults who aren't attentive can also have a tendency to rush into projects before having a complete plan and research them. This can lead to poor results or even subpar ones. You may also get distracted quickly and tend to leave projects unfinished -from the garden that got planted, but never watered, to the new organizational system which was erected and put aside to dust on your nightstand.
People with inattentive ADHD suffer from chronic disorganization at home and in the workplace. You might have difficulty finding important documents keys, bills or keys and frequently lose things. You may also lose your 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 may make decisions or conduct actions without considering the consequences. For example they may speak over other people or make unintentional noises when they are alone. They might have difficulty sitting still and adjusting their chair or move. They might have issues maintaining a job and might have frequent disagreements with coworkers and managers.
In some cases, the mood swings and emotional stress caused by ADHD can lead to frustration and miscommunication in relationships. This is especially true in relationships with partners as well as at work. People who suffer from ADHD also are more likely to having co-occurring conditions like bipolar disorder, depression or anxiety disorder.
Women and girls who suffer from ADHD can face a variety of obstacles when seeking diagnosis and treatment, including gender bias and a tendency to cover up their symptoms or underestimate the severity of them. The rise of well-known women such as Mia Freedman and Em Rusciano who have spoken out about their struggles with ADHD has helped raise awareness, yet many young women and girls aren't aware of the disorder.
4. Anxiety
An anxiety disorder is defined by persistently excessive anxiety. Although everyone feels anxious or nervous occasionally Anxiety disorders are defined by a constant high level of anxiety. You may experience an uneasy feeling, fear, or anxiety and also rapid pulse, difficulty staying calm, and difficulty thinking clearly. There is also an underlying sense of danger in situations that you know aren't risky. The most common types of anxiety are general anxiety disorder, agoraphobia and separation anxiety, as well as panic disorders.
Anxiety is more common among women suffering from ADHD than men, and tends to get worse during certain times of the woman's life for instance, during her menstrual cycle or pregnancy, or perimenopausal. This can make it difficult to handle everyday tasks and social interactions and may lead to feelings of self-esteem loss or discontent.
You're highly sensitive to rejection and have a hard time accepting criticism. You are prone to misinterpret feedback, or even anticipating rejection and you might get angry over minor things that others don't find a problem with.
Mood swings may also be an indication of adhd in women. It is possible that you experience erratic emotions or find it difficult to control them. You may also be prone non-suicidal acts of self-injury such as scrubbing, burning, or hitting yourself.
It's important to seek a diagnosis when you are experiencing any of the symptoms mentioned above. It can help you know your issues and offer you strategies for improving your living quality. You can take an online ADHD test, or visit your doctor for a thorough evaluation. In certain cases a doctor might prescribe medication to ease your symptoms. In some instances your doctor might suggest an amalgamation of lifestyle changes and cognitive behavior therapy. In any scenario, it's essential to begin making positive changes in your life as soon as you can. This can help you regain control of your life and make you feel more confident and capable.