ADHD Symptoms in Adult Females
While ADHD affects both genders equally in adulthood, the condition typically is not recognized in females. This is likely due to gender stereotypes and the capacity of women to hide their symptoms.
Many healthcare professionals do not have the knowledge or experience to detect ADHD among women. Many women are misdiagnosed and fail to receive the treatment they require.
1. Disorganization
Women and girls with ADHD often struggle with disorganization, which can be a challenge to manage. Your desk, for example, may be a mess of papers, 17 different chapsticks and a ticket from the Kings of Leon show you attended in 2008. As you purchase products that claim to aid in your organization, your home and office may still be chaotic and messy.
Inability to keep track of your responsibilities could result in missing deadlines and appointments. You might also be struggling with "time blindness," where you don't know or remember the time it takes to complete an assignment. This could make you feel frustrated and believe that you're not doing a good enough job in your career or in your personal life.
You may also have difficulty managing your emotions, which could cause you to overreact in stressful situations. Your high-speed verbal communication can result in miscommunications and misunderstandings with your loved ones and colleagues, and you could make statements that hurt the feelings of others without a thought. You might also have difficulty stopping yourself from speaking before thinking things through, as it is common for people with ADHD.
If you suffer from ADHD, it's likely that some of your symptoms are rooted in gender stereotypes and ideas about the ways boys, men, and women should act. This makes it difficult to diagnose and treat ADHD.
In addition to a diagnosis you may also benefit from behavioral therapy to deal with the root cause of your condition. It might take time to determine the most effective coping strategies, but implementing them will allow you to feel more in control of your own life and improve your relationships with family, colleagues, and friends.
2. Impulsivity
People with ADHD are often overwhelmed by intense emotions however their brains do not have a method to evaluate or filter them. This means they may be overwhelmed by one setback or have difficulty being able to assess the emotional state of others. It can also make it easier for them to get distracted by minor inconveniences like books that are out of stock or an acquaintance who's late for spin class.
Many women suffering from ADHD compensate for their attention problems by hiding symptoms and developing coping strategies. They may be highly conscientious or an obsessive at work or school and have trouble keeping track of appointments, bills, or important dates. They may also have issues with self-control and verbal control. They may also talk excessively, interrupt others often, or dump information 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 a sudden desire to stop, start or change activities or activities; not being able to wait your turn in conversation; and having trouble reading social cues (like facial expressions or body language).
While gender-based stereotypes can play a role in the development of ADHD but it's often difficult to recognize when women are suffering from these problems. The scales of rating used to detect ADHD symptoms are still biased towards male behavior. Some healthcare professionals may miss the mark on a woman's ADHD symptoms.
Many women suffering from ADHD say that their symptoms worsen when hormonal changes occur like menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and perimenopause. This can cause emotions such as anger or irritability as well as depression. They may also feel an ongoing sense of dissatisfaction with their lives or relationships. This could cause depression, substance abuse or unhealthy coping strategies. It is important for women to realize that these symptoms don't show their worth or value as human beings. The positive side is that with a solid treatment plan these symptoms can be alleviated or even eliminated.
3. Attention
While everyone struggles with paying attention and focusing at times with ADHD, these symptoms occur in such a way that they can interfere with your daily routine. You might make mistakes at work or school and forget appointments, or spend many hours putting off work. More hints are unable to wait your turn and interrupt other people in conversations.
Adults who are not attentive may also rush into projects before fully planning them and researching them. This leads to incomplete results or subpar ones. You might also get side-tracked easily and tend to leave projects unfinishedfrom the garden that got planted, but never watered, to the new organizational system that got assembled and then left to gather dust on your nightstand.
People with inattention ADHD also struggle with an ongoing sense of disorganization in their workplaces and at home. You may have difficulty finding important documents keys, bills or keys and frequently lose things. You may also lose your track of time and end up running 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. People who suffer from these conditions might make decisions or conduct actions without thinking about the consequences. For example, they might speak over others or make a lot of nonsensical noises when alone. They may have trouble sitting still, and fidget in their seats or at a fast pace. They can have trouble keeping their job and could be in frequent conflict with colleagues and managers.
In certain instances, mood swings or emotional stress caused by ADHD may lead to frustration in relationships and miscommunications. This is especially true in relationships with partners as well as at work. People who suffer from ADHD also are more likely being afflicted with comorbid conditions, such as anxiety, depression, or bipolar disorder.
Women and girls who suffer from ADHD are often faced with a range of challenges when seeking diagnosis and treatment, including gender bias and a tendency to cover up their symptoms or undervalue the severity of their symptoms. Famous women like Em Rusciano and Mia Freedman who have spoken out about their struggles with ADHD have helped to raise awareness. However, a lot of young women and girls do not know they have it.
4. Anxiety
An anxiety disorder is characterized by persistently excessive anxiety. While everyone is anxious or nervous at times Anxiety disorders are defined by persistently high levels of anxiety. You may experience an uncontrollable feeling of anxiety or fear, a rapid heartbeat, difficulty staying at peace and having difficulty focusing. There is also the sense of danger even in situations that you know aren't risky. The most commonly encountered forms of anxiety are general anxiety disorder, phobias and agoraphobia and separation anxiety, panic disorders and selective Mutism.
Anxiety is more prevalent in women with ADHD than men, and it tends to worsen during certain periods of a woman's life, such as around her menstrual cycle and pregnancy or perimenopausal. This makes it more difficult to manage daily tasks and social interactions and can cause feelings of low self-esteem and general discontent with your life.
You are extremely sensitive to rejection, and you have a difficult time accepting criticism. You are prone to misinterpret feedback, or even anticipated rejection, and you can get angry over minor things that others wouldn't see as to be a problem.
Mood swings may also be an indication of adhd in women. It is possible that you are prone to having unpredictable moods or find it difficult to manage these. You may also be prone non-suicidal acts of self-injury like burning, scrubbing or hitting yourself.
It is crucial to seek out a diagnosis if you are experiencing any of the symptoms mentioned above. It can help you know your issues and offer you strategies for improving your quality of living. You can take an online ADHD test, or go to your doctor for a professional assessment. In certain cases doctors may prescribe medication to help alleviate your symptoms. In some cases, your doctor may recommend the combination of lifestyle changes and cognitive behavior therapy. In any case, it's important to make positive changes as soon as possible. This can help you regain control of your life and feel more confident and capable.