ADHD Adult Female Symptoms
ADHD can affect people of all ages and genders, but it can be more difficult for women to be diagnosed. It's because women do not typically exhibit the same hyperactivity or impulsivity that men do, so they are often misdiagnosed or not recognized.
The first step in managing your symptoms is to receive an accurate diagnosis. Stimulant medication is a common treatment for adults suffering from ADHD, but there are also other options.
1. Trouble focusing
Although everyone is distracted from time to time women who suffer from ADHD have trouble putting their attention on conversations and tasks especially when they're suffering from sensory or emotional overload. These difficulties can be exacerbated when menstrual cycles are in full swing.
Women with inattentive ADHD have issues with their working memory. This causes them to be unable to remember everyday things, such as the dates of appointments or events that are coming up. They might forget where they put their car keys or the name of the lady who offered them a ride home from the spin class. They may also forget important dates and deadlines.
Procrastination, and the inability to follow through with plans are also signs of ADHD in females who are adults. They tend to be distracted by shiny objects or social media, making it difficult to complete their projects and assignments. This can result in a sense of being overwhelmed and underperforming at school or at work.
Due to the societal perceptions of gender, many women with ADHD aren't diagnosed. In turn, they feel shame and mistakenly classify their problems as "bad behaviours" or "character imperfections". They often feel as if they are a fraud. A diagnosis could be a moment of clarity, providing them with a clear external explanation of their struggles and allowing them to accept their own uniqueness.
Girls and women with untreated ADHD can suffer from a broad variety of negative effects that can include academic issues and behavioral issues, bad relationships with family members, and co-occurring mental health issues. However, a correct diagnosis and treatment plan can dramatically improve the quality of life for those suffering from this condition at any stage of life. Treatment options may include stimulant medication and therapy. *
2. Difficulty Finishing Projects
Women suffering from ADHD are unable to complete tasks or duties. They may be unable to remember important details, have trouble switching between tasks or responsibilities, and are unable to meet deadlines. They might also be more prone to making careless mistakes, have trouble organizing and managing their time well, and overestimate how long it takes to complete tasks.
Women with ADHD are likely to experience emotional symptoms of ADHD like mood swings or irritability particularly difficult. Hormonal changes can exacerbate symptoms, such as those that are experienced during menopausal cycles, pregnancy and during menstrual cycle. Women who have not been diagnosed with ADHD can be frustrated and disappointed by their performance at workplace or in their relationships.
Some women with ADHD find daily routines like chores and grocery shopping extremely challenging. They might have a difficult time remembering to take out the trash or to turn off the stove, and they can be easily distracted by the smallest objects around them. They can also struggle with monotonous tasks like folding laundry or washing dishes. Boring or mundane tasks can become unbearable which can lead to impulsive behaviours like excessive conversation or oversharing. The impulsivity that is associated with ADHD can also lead women to make impulsive choices and rely on unhealthy coping mechanisms such as alcohol or drugs.
If you have difficulty finishing tasks, memory problems that cause chronic procrastination or relationships, you should consider a professional assessment for ADHD. Finding the right diagnosis can improve your living quality and set you up for success in both your professional and personal lives. It can help you manage your ADHD symptoms, and develop strategies to deal with them. To minimize lapses in focus and attention, you can try to stick to a regular schedule using planners or reminder apps, take notes at meetings, and practice good sleep hygiene (avoid screens for an hour prior to the time you go to bed). Exercise can also improve concentration because it boosts the neurotransmitter levels in your brain.
3. Trouble remembering names
Difficulty remembering names can go hand-in-hand with other ADHD symptoms like difficulty following directions and trouble finishing projects. This is due to the difficulty to organize and prioritize tasks, which can hinder information retrieval. adult symptoms of ADHD can get worse during times of fatigue, stress or hormonal changes, such as before, during, and after menopause.
The feeling of forgetting names can be more frustrating when it's accompanied by a feeling of forgetfulness over bigger items like appointments or events or personal reminders. These forgetfulness lapses could be caused by depression and anxiety which are common co-occurring conditions with ADHD among women.
Due to gender biases and internalized symptoms, ADHD is often misdiagnosed by women. Inattentive ADHD symptoms are more subtle than hyperactive/impulsive symptoms, making them harder to detect and identify. They are therefore under-diagnosed and under-referred to doctors to receive treatment and diagnosis.
Furthermore, there is a bias based on gender because the disorder is largely considered to be a male-specific condition with hyperactive boys being the ones who are the most admitted to clinics for evaluation and treatment. In addition to internalized stigma and the fact that women's symptoms often look different than men's as well, a lot of professionals fail to detect or treat ADHD in women.
It's becoming more frequent for women to be diagnosed with ADHD as they reach adulthood. A diagnosis can improve your relationships, aid you to achieve your goals at work and school, and offer you the support you need. If you are seeking a diagnosis, talk to an experienced Salience Health provider. We'll be able to assess your symptoms using tools like Creyos cognitive testing and Brainview Advanced, and connect you with a therapist who's suitable for you.
4. Difficulty Appearing Aloof
Women suffering from ADHD might exhibit subtle signs of inattention. They may miss appointments, neglect to complete chores around the home, or have trouble taking notes at work. They may also have issues with impulsivity or difficulty understanding social boundaries. adult symptoms of ADHD could lead to confusion and misinterpretation in relationships with friends and family and can result in feelings of loneliness and disconnection.
In addition, women who suffer from untreated ADHD often struggle to meet societal expectations for them as women. This can result in feeling inadequate and ADHD symptoms when they are faced with the responsibility of caring for children and household chores. Many women suffering from untreated ADHD suffer from low self-esteem and turn to unhealthy coping strategies such as binge eating or TV marathons.
The challenges of ADHD for women can be added to by gender biases in how girls and women are viewed and how doctors evaluate their symptoms. Some research suggests that girls and women tend to conceal their ADHD symptoms or compensate for them, and are less likely than boys and men to get referred for treatment and diagnosis.
Another challenge is that women suffering from ADHD may have trouble recognizing their own symptoms. They might confuse them with mood disorders or anxiety. This could lead to a false diagnosis as well as delay or ineffective treatment.
These changes can make women more frustrated with her ADHD symptoms. They may also make it more likely that she will be misunderstood or dismissed as moody or overly emotional. These changes can make women more unhappy with her ADHD symptoms and increase the chance of being misunderstood, or viewed as moody or emotional.
5. Impulsivity
The impulsivity of ADHD affects both men and boys differently, women are affected similarly. They may also have difficulty controlling their emotions, and may be susceptible to "foot in the mouth" moments. These behaviors that are impulsive can have a major impact on your personal and professional life.
The part of the brain that regulates the ability to make decisions and reason is known as the prefrontal cortex. This brain area can help people avoid making bad decisions by providing a nudge on behavior. The people with ADHD have less functioning prefrontal cortex, which makes it difficult for them to resist urges or avoid engaging in reckless or harmful behavior. It can also result in an inability to respect themselves. Women's impulsiveness often manifests as a lack of social boundaries and self-restraint in conversation (interrupting others, not finishing their sentences, and talking too much).
Women also may have issues with impulse control during the different hormone fluctuations throughout their lives. Estrogen changes naturally at different periods during the menstrual cycle, and also during childbirth, pregnancy, and menopause. The use of oral contraception and hormone therapy during perimenopausal and menopause can further alter the levels of estrogen as well as other hormones that impact a woman's ADHD symptoms.
ADHD symptoms in women and girls can differ from those of men and boys, which is why they are often misdiagnosed. Due to this, many adults with ADHD are unaware of the fact that they suffer from it. The good news is that diagnosing and treating ADHD can make a difference in the quality of life of a person regardless of age. Speak to your doctor if you're unsure if you have ADHD. They can offer you suggestions. Treatment options include medication, cognitive behavior therapy, and couples counseling.