ADHD Symptoms in Adult Females
While ADHD affects men and women equally throughout adulthood, it often isn't recognized by females. This is probably due to gender stereotyping and the capacity of females to conceal their symptoms.
Many healthcare professionals do not have the knowledge or experience to detect ADHD in women. In the end, many women are misdiagnosed prior to receiving the proper treatment they require.
1. Disorganization
Women and girls with ADHD can struggle with disorganization. This disorder is challenging to manage. Your desk, for example could be a jumble of papers, 17 chapsticks, and even a ticket to the Kings of Leon show you attended in 2008. Even though you may have spent money on products to help you organize, your office or home is probably still messy and chaotic.
Inability to stay on top of your responsibilities could result in missed deadlines and missed appointments. You may also experience "time blindness," where you don't recall or know how long it takes to finish a task. This can make you feel frustrated and believe that you're not doing a great enough job at your job, or even your personal life.
You might also have trouble managing your emotions, which can cause you to overreact in stressful situations. Your rapid verbal communication may result in miscommunications and misunderstandings with your family and coworkers, and you could make statements that hurt feelings of others without a thought. You may also have trouble stopping yourself from speaking before thinking things through, as impulsivity can be common among those with ADHD.
If you suffer from ADHD, it's likely that some of your symptoms stem from gender stereotypes and beliefs regarding how men, boys, and women should act. This makes it difficult to recognize and treat ADHD.
In addition to a diagnosis, you might benefit from behavioral therapy to address the root causes of your condition. adhd in women adult could take some time to determine the most effective strategies for dealing with stress, but implementing them will allow you to feel more in control of your life and improve your relationships with family, coworkers, and other friends.
2. Impulsivity
People with ADHD are often overwhelmed by intense emotions however their brains do not have a method to filter or assess them. They may be overwhelmed by a small setback, or have difficulty assessing the emotional state of others. This also makes them more prone to being distracted by minor inconveniences like an out of stock book or a shaky friend.
Many women with ADHD manage their attention issues by hiding symptoms and developing coping strategies. They could be highly organized or a perfectionist at school or at work, and struggle to keep on top of appointments or bills, as well as important dates. They may also have trouble with self-control in speech and speak too much, interrupt others often, or ramble 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 signals (like facial expressions or body language).
While gender-based stereotypes can contribute to the development of ADHD however, it's often difficult to recognize when women are suffering from these problems. The rating scales that are used to identify ADHD symptoms still favor male behavior. Some healthcare professionals may not be aware of the woman's ADHD symptoms.
Many women suffering from ADHD have reported that their symptoms are more severe when hormonal changes occur, such as during menstruation, pregnancy, and perimenopause. This can cause emotional issues and trigger a lot of feelings of anger, frustration, or depression. They may also have a persistent feeling of dissatisfaction in their lives or relationships. This can contribute to substance abuse, low self-esteem and unhealthy coping strategies. It is crucial for women to understand that these signs do not show their worth or value as human beings. The good news is that, with a proper treatment strategy, 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 so frequently that they interfere with your daily routine. You could make a few blunders at work or school and forget appointments, or spend a lot of time procrastinating. You're not able to wait your turn and interrupt other people in conversations.
Inattentive symptoms in adults can also include a tendency to jump into projects without fully planning and researching the subject, which results in poor or insufficient results. You might also get side-tracked easily and have a tendency to leave projects unfinished -- from the vegetable 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 struggle with chronic disorganization at home and at work. You may have difficulty finding important documents keys, bills or keys and frequently lose things. You may also lose track of time and be late for work, school or even meetings.
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 might say or do things without considering the consequences. For instance, they might be rude to others or make a lot of nonsensical noises when they are alone. They have difficulty sitting still and can fidget or pace in their seats. They may have difficulty maintaining the job they have, and are in frequent conflicts with their coworkers and their manager.
In some cases the mood swings or emotional distress caused by ADHD may lead to frustration in relationships and miscommunications. This is especially true in romantic relationships as well as at work. People with ADHD are also more likely to have comorbid conditions, such as depression, anxiety or bipolar disorder.
Girls and women who suffer from ADHD are likely to face many challenges when seeking treatment. These include gender discrimination and a tendency to conceal symptoms or underestimate their severity, as well as gender bias. High-profile women such as Em Rusciano and Mia Freedman who have publicly discussed their struggles with ADHD have helped raise awareness. But, many young women and girls don't know they have it.
4. Anxiety
An anxiety disorder is characterised by persistently excessive anxiety. While everyone feels anxious or nervous occasionally, anxiety disorders are characterized by constant high levels of anxiety. You may experience an uncontrollable feeling of anxiety or fear, a rapid heartbeat, trouble staying at peace and having difficulty focusing. You might also have an increased sense of danger, even in situations that aren't likely be dangerous to you. The most common types of anxiety include general anxiety disorder, phobias and agoraphobia, separation anxiety, panic disorders and selective mutism.
Anxiety is more prevalent among women with ADHD as compared to men. It can be worsened by certain life events like menstrual cycles or pregnancy, as well as perimenopausal. adhd in women adult makes it more difficult to handle everyday activities and social interactions and can cause feelings of self-doubt and general dissatisfaction with your life.
You are extremely sensitive to rejection and you have a difficult time accepting criticism. You easily misinterpret feedback or even anticipating rejection and you may get angry over small things that others don't find an issue with.
Mood swings are also a symptom of adult adhd in women. It is possible that you are prone to having unpredictable emotions or are unable to control them. You may also be prone self-injury that is not suicidal, such as scrubbing, burning or hitting yourself.
It is crucial to seek a diagnosis when you are experiencing any of the symptoms listed above. It will help you understand your challenges and give you strategies for improving your living quality. You can take an ADHD test online, or talk to your doctor to get a professional assessment. In some cases, your doctor might prescribe medication to ease your symptoms. In other instances they may recommend an amalgamation of lifestyle changes and cognitive behavior therapy. In any scenario, it's essential to begin making positive changes to your lifestyle as soon as you can. This will allow you to get back in control of your life and make you feel more productive, confident and competent.