blog and Symptoms of ADHD in Women
Women who suffer from ADHD are often pushed to different expectations from society regarding how they can manage their families, careers, and their home lives. This can cause feelings of guilt and anger if your symptoms are getting impeding your progress.
Research shows that girls and women are frequently under-diagnosed for ADHD compared to boys and men. This could be due to the fact that they mask their symptoms or use strategies to manage their symptoms, such as:
1. Inattentiveness
Finding it difficult to focus at school or work is among the most common indicators of adhd. People with adhd tend to forget important meetings or projects or are misled by directions. They may also have trouble concentration in noisy or crowded spaces. Certain people with ADHD might experience "thousand-yard gazes" or a tendency to lose focus during conversations. These symptoms can cause problems at work or with relationships.
Girls and women are at a higher chance of having undiagnosed ADHD as they age. They typically develop coping strategies that mask their symptoms and employ these strategies throughout their adulthood. They may even start to see their symptoms as personal characteristics, which could make them less likely to seek help.
A lot of teachers do not recommend ADHD evaluations as often for girls as they do for males. However, if a girl's inattentive ADHD symptoms are causing a negative impact on her school performance or social interactions, she should talk to a medical professional.
Inattentive ADHD is a common reason for emotional stress. It can be difficult to feel that you aren't being able to meet the standards of your coworkers, friends and family members. It can be a bit upsetting when you feel like you're not able to connect with your siblings or children. Some people with ADHD experience depression and anxiety that can be exacerbated by their impulsivity and inattention. In addition to seeking help there are some things you can do to lessen the impact of these symptoms. Regular exercise can help release neurotransmitters to improve concentration and attention. It also helps reduce mood swings, anxiety and other symptoms that are common to those suffering from ADHD.
2. Impulsivity
The unpredictable symptoms of ADHD can be a challenge to manage. You may blurt out things you shouldn't, buy things on impulse, or be a target for the law because of your behavior. It can be difficult to control your feelings and emotions. This could lead to self-harm, like cutting, burning or scratching yourself. It can also lead to drinking and drug abuse.
People with impulsivity can have issues with their relationships, school or work performance. You can manage your impulsivity using medications prescribed by your physician. The use of amphetamine, dextroamphetamine (Adderall, Ritalin) or methylphenidate (Concerta, Daytrana, Methylin) can improve your ability to control your impulses. Non-stimulant drugs such as clonidine and Guanfacine can also enhance your ability to control yourself.
Women are more likely than men and boys to have a hyperactive/impulsive form of ADHD. But this kind of ADHD is harder to notice and can lead to underdiagnosis. Women may hide symptoms in order to conform to social norms and expectations. This type of masking can be particularly difficult in adolescence and adulthood. Some women even employ unhealthy coping strategies that include drinking excessively and substance use to hide their ADHD challenges.
Women who suffer from high functioning ADHD might cover up their symptoms by achieving the success they desire in certain areas of their lives like at school or at work. This can create a false sense of security and cause you to feel overwhelmed by the demands of everyday life. Ask your healthcare provider about accommodations at school or at work that can help you manage your ADHD symptoms. This is a great chance to inform your colleagues or professors about the issues you are facing.
3. Disorganization
If you suffer from ADHD then you may be unable to attend appointments, arriving late for work, not remembering dates, or avoiding conversations can result in frustration and make others feel ignored or offended. The condition can make it difficult to keep track of tasks and manage your finances and schedules. If you aren't able to remember what you need to get for groceries, you could miss out on meals, or spend excessively on unnecessary items.
Women with ADHD often have a hard time keeping track of everyday chores, homework and even paying bills. The disorder can also lead to disorganized homes, messy workspaces and a tendency to pile up. The "time blindness" that ADHD patients experience makes it difficult to know how long has been passed or how much time they've spent on a particular task. Time management issues can cause feelings of guilt or shame when combined with difficulty staying organized.
While research has shown that women and girls are more likely to suffer from ADHD than boys and men, symptoms can be masked and undiagnosed. A lot of women don't receive an diagnosis until they reach adulthood, when their symptoms are more evident. In addition, social stigmas and stereotypes could make it harder for women to access the help and treatment they need.
Your doctor may prescribe medication to help manage your ADHD symptoms. stimulants such as amphetamine or methylphenidate boost and balance neurotransmitters, the brain chemicals that communicate. Nonstimulant medicines like antidepressants and atomoxetine can also be used to treat ADHD however, they perform slower than stimulants. Your doctor could refer you to a specialist in mental health, who can assist in creating a treatment plan tailored to your requirements.
4. Impulsiveness
Women who suffer from ADHD can have difficulty controlling their emotions, and they might be more sensitive to rejection. This is because the communication pathway between key brain areas that regulate emotional responses and interpret what to do with those emotions is impaired by the chemical imbalance that's caused by ADHD.
Depression and moodiness are common for people with ADHD and the combination of these issues with difficulty keeping track of the demands of life can cause issues with romantic and family relationships. Women with ADHD may also have low self-esteem, and have difficulty in forming relationships and managing social situations. They might go off on tangents or have trouble understanding what others are saying. This could make it difficult for them to find a place in an organization.
Women with ADHD might find it difficult to motivate themselves to complete mundane or boring tasks such as washing dishes, cleaning, and doing laundry. This could lead them to develop unhealthy coping strategies like binge-watching TV shows or abusing substances. These behaviors can be especially risky for girls in their teens and adolescents with ADHD, who are more likely to engage in sexually dangerous actions, such as early initiation of sexual activity, having fewer protected sexual partners and more casual sex than their peers.
As adults, women with ADHD are more likely to go undiagnosed or be misdiagnosed than men because they tend to have inattentive symptoms instead of hyperactivity/impulsivity symptoms. Many women are unable to recognize their ADHD due to the numerous expectations set by society (managing home and family for example). It can be difficult for doctors to identify that there is a problem because the symptoms are easy to recognize in both boys.
5. Hyperactivity
For women with ADHD the daily chores can be overwhelming. They may struggle with organizing their lives, paying bills on time and juggling schedules or school/work requirements. In addition, emotional symptoms such as mood swings and difficulty controlling their emotions, can make it difficult to be a good friend and cause problems in relationships between people.
People with ADHD have difficulty reading social cues or body language. They can go off on a tangent in conversations or have trouble following the thread of conversation, causing issues with school or work performance and tension in relationships. They may also have difficulty making new friends, or balancing work, home and social life.
The symptoms of ADHD are different throughout the day and be affected by hormone levels, such as those during menstrual cycles or pregnancy, or when they progress through perimenopausal (the menopausal phase). This could lead to misdiagnosis or the wrong types of medications being used.
While everyone struggles with different issues when it comes to ADHD, there are some typical symptoms and signs that can help you recognize the condition in yourself or a loved one. Being aware of these symptoms is the first step towards getting the help and treatment you require to effectively manage your symptoms.
It is important to remember that ADHD does not mean you are immune to other mental or physical conditions. Your doctor or therapist will conduct a thorough evaluation. They'll ask questions about your past and present behaviors, review your medical history, and discuss the impact of your symptoms in different settings.