ADHD Adult Female Symptoms
ADHD can affect females and males, but it's more difficult for women to be diagnosed. It's because women don't often exhibit the same levels of hyperactivity or impulsivity that men do, and therefore are often misdiagnosed or not recognized.
The first step in addressing your symptoms is to obtain an accurate diagnosis. Stimulant medication is a common treatment for adults suffering from ADHD however there are also other options.
1. Trouble focusing
Although everyone is distracted occasionally, women with ADHD struggle to keep their attention on their work and conversations especially when they're dealing with emotional or sensory overload. These difficulties can be made worse during menstrual cycle.
Women with inattentive ADHD also have trouble with their working memory, making it hard to remember simple things like appointments or future events. They may often forget where they kept their car keys or the name of the woman who gave them a ride home from spin class, or even important deadlines and dates.
Other signs of ADHD in adult females include procrastination and difficulty in following through on plans. They are more likely to be distracted by shiny objects or social networks, making it difficult to finish their projects and assignments. This can cause them to feel overwhelmed and underperforming in school or at work.
Many women suffering from ADHD are not diagnosed due to gender stereotypes. As a result, they are embarrassed and mislabel their struggles as "bad behaviors" or "character imperfections." They also often report feeling like an impostor. A diagnosis can be a lightbulb moment giving them a clear external explanation of their struggles and giving them the opportunity to accept themselves more fully.
Women and girls with untreated ADHD can suffer from a broad range of negative consequences such as academic issues, behavioral issues, poor relationships with family members, and co-occurring mental health conditions. A proper diagnosis and treatment plan can enhance the lives of those with ADHD at any stage in their life. Treatment options include therapy and stimulant medications. *
2. Difficulty Finishing Projects
Women suffering from ADHD often struggle to complete tasks and responsibilities. They may forget important information, have trouble switching between tasks and responsibilities or have difficulty to meet deadlines. They could also be more susceptible to make mistakes that aren't their fault or have difficulty organizing and managing their time well and underestimate the amount of time it takes to complete tasks.
The emotional manifestations of ADHD in adults, such as irritability and mood swings, can be a major source of frustration for women who suffer from the condition. Hormonal changes can trigger symptoms, including those that occur in pregnancy, menopause, and during menstruation. Women with undiagnosed ADHD might feel angry and unhappy in their work performance and in their relationships.
Women who suffer from ADHD have a hard time with daily routines such as chores and grocery shopping difficult. They may have a hard finding the time to remember to empty the trash or to switch off the stove, and they can be easily distracted by small objects around them. They might also struggle with routine tasks like folding the laundry or washing dishes. Simple chores or boring ones can become exhausting, resulting in impulsive behaviors like excessive talking or sharing. The impulsivity of ADHD can also cause women to make impulsive choices and use unhealthy coping methods such as alcohol or drugs.
If you're having trouble working through tasks, suffer from memory issues, are constantly procrastinating or have relationship problems, it is important to seek professional help for ADHD. A proper diagnosis can improve the quality of your life and help you achieve success in both your personal and professional life. It can help you manage your ADHD symptoms, and help you develop strategies to manage the symptoms. To avoid lapses of attention and focus it is recommended to stick to a regular schedule, use planners or reminder apps to take notes during meetings, and maintain good sleep hygiene (avoid screens for an hour prior to going to bed). Exercise can also help improve concentration because it boosts the neurotransmitter levels in your brain.
3. It is difficult to remember names.
It is possible that trouble remembering names might be coupled with other ADHD symptoms, like difficulties following directions or not finishing projects. This is due to an inability to organize and prioritize tasks, which hinders information retrieval. This symptom tends to worsen when there are periods of stress, fatigue or hormonal changes.
Forgetting names can feel even more frustrating when it's accompanied by a feeling of forgetfulness over bigger items like appointments and events or personal reminders. These forgetfulness lapses could be caused by depression and anxiety, which are frequent co-occurring disorders with ADHD for women.
Due to gender perceptions and internalized symptoms ADHD is often misdiagnosed among women. Inattentive ADHD symptoms are more subtle than hyperactive/impulsive symptoms, making them harder to detect and identify. In the end, they are not recognized and referred to for diagnosis and treatment.
Additionally, there is gender-based discrimination due to the fact that ADHD tends to be viewed as a condition that affects boys. Hyperactive boys are the ones most often being referred to clinics and analyzed for treatment. Combined with internalized stigma and the fact that women's symptoms tend to differ from those of men as well, a lot of professionals fail to recognize 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 give you the help you require. If you're looking to get an assessment, speak with an experienced Salience Health provider. We can assess your symptoms with tools like Creyos Cognitive Testing and Brainview Advanced and connect you to a therapist who is the right fit for you.
4. Ailoofs that appear difficult to see
Women suffering from ADHD might exhibit subtle signs of inattention. They may not remember to do chores at home, skip appointments, or have trouble taking notes. They might also struggle with impulsivity or have difficulty understanding social boundaries. This could cause to misinterpretations and confusions with friends and family, and can also lead to feelings of loneliness and isolation.
Women who suffer from untreated ADHD might also have difficulty being able to meet the expectations set by society for them as women. They may struggle with the responsibility of caring for their children and household chores, and this societal pressure can exacerbate their ADHD symptoms and feelings of inadequacy. Many women suffering from untreated ADHD suffer from low self-esteem and turn to unhealthy coping strategies like binge eating and marathons on TV.
The difficulties of ADHD for women can be amplified by gender bias, both in how girls and women are perceived and assessed by clinicians. There is adult ADHD symptoms in men that suggests that girls and women tend to cover up or disguise their ADHD symptoms, and can be less likely to be referred for treatment and diagnosis than boys and men.
Another challenge is that women suffering from ADHD may be unable to recognize their own symptoms. They might confuse them with depression or anxiety. This could lead to false diagnoses and improper or delayed treatment.
The symptoms of ADHD can be influenced by hormone changes, and they can be particularly noticeable during the ovulation cycle and during menstrual cycles, pregnancy or menopausal. These changes can make women more unhappy with her ADHD symptoms and increase the chance of being misunderstood, or viewed as moody or too emotional.
5. Impulsivity
Women also experience the impulsivity that is a sign of ADHD. They can also experience trouble controlling their emotions and may be prone to experiencing "foot-in-mouth" moments. These actions that are impulsive can have a huge impact on relationships as well as professional life.
Prefrontal cortex is the part of the brain that is responsible for controlling reasoning and decision-making. This brain area can help people avoid making a mistake by acting as a check on their behavior. ADHD patients have a less-functional prefrontal cortex. This makes it harder to resist impulses and prevent themselves from engaging in reckless behavior. It can also cause an absence of self-esteem. Women's impulsiveness can be seen as the lack of social boundaries and self-control during conversation (interrupting other people, not finishing their sentences, or talking too much).
Women can also have trouble with impulse control during the various hormonal fluctuations throughout their lives. Estrogen fluctuates at different times during the menstrual cycle and pregnancy, as well as childbirth and menopausal cycle. Oral contraception and hormone therapy used during menopausal perimenopausal cycles can further alter estrogen levels and other hormones, which can affect a woman's ADHD.
The way ADHD symptoms manifest for women and girls may differ from the symptoms of males and females, which is one of the reasons why they are frequently not diagnosed. Due to this, many adults with ADHD are unaware that they have it. The good news is that the diagnosis and treatment of ADHD at any age can improve the quality of life of an individual. If you are unsure whether or not you are suffering from ADHD discuss it with your doctor and find out how they can assist. Treatment options include medications and cognitive behavioral therapy and couples counseling.
