ADHD Symptoms in Adult Females
The condition is often misdiagnosed by women, even though it is a problem that affects men and women equally as adults. This is likely due to gender stereotypes and the ability of women to conceal their symptoms.
Many healthcare professionals lack the expertise and experience to recognize ADHD in women. As a result, many women are misdiagnosed prior to receiving the treatment they need.
1. Disorganization
Girls and women with ADHD are often plagued by disordered thinking, which can be a challenge to manage. Your desk, for example could be a jumble of papers, 17 different chapsticks, and tickets from the Kings of Leon show you attended in 2008. While you purchase products that claim to aid in your organization, your home and office are likely to remain chaotic and messy.
Your inability to stay on top of your responsibilities can lead to missed deadlines and missed appointments. In addition, you could be struggling with a concept known as "time blindness," which means you aren't able to remember or comprehend the amount of time it takes to complete an assignment. This could make you feel frustrated and believe that you aren't doing a good enough job at your job or in your personal life.
You may also be having trouble controlling your emotions, which could cause you to react too quickly in stressful situations. Your high-speed verbal communication can cause confusion and miscommunications with your family and coworkers, and you might say things that hurt others' feelings without meaning to. You may also have trouble stopping yourself from speaking before thinking things through, since it is common for people with ADHD.
If you have ADHD it's possible that a portion of your symptoms stem from gender stereotypes or beliefs about how men, women and boys should behave. This can make it harder to recognize and treat your ADHD.
In addition to having a diagnosis it is possible that you will require a behavioral therapy program to deal with the root cause of your condition. It could take some time to determine the most effective strategies to cope, but using them will allow you to feel more in control of your own life and improve your relationships with family members, coworkers, and friends.
2. Impulsivity
People with ADHD often experience intense emotions however their brains do not have a good way to assess or filter them. This means they may be overwhelmed by a single setback or find it hard to discern the mood of their peers. It also makes it easier for them to be distracted by minor inconveniences like a book that's out of stock or a friend who's late to the spin class.
Many women with ADHD mask their symptoms and develop coping strategies to compensate for their attention problems. They could be perfectionists or highly conscientious at work or in school but struggle to keep the track of important dates, deadlines, and appointments. They may also have issues with self-control and verbal control. They may also speak too much, 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 an abrupt urge to start, stop or change activities or activities; not being able to wait your turn in conversation; and difficulty in interpreting social cues (like facial expressions or body language).
While gender-based stereotypes may influence the development of ADHD, it's sometimes difficult to recognize when a woman has these issues. The rating scales that are used to detect ADHD symptoms still favor male behavior. Some healthcare professionals may miss the mark on a woman's ADHD symptoms.
Many women with ADHD say that their symptoms are more severe when hormonal changes occur, such as during menstruation or pregnancy, as well as perimenopausal. This can intensify emotional symptoms and lead to frequent feelings of anger, frustration or depression. women and adhd may also feel an ongoing feeling of unsatisfaction with their relationships or life. undiagnosed adhd in women can result in self-esteem issues, substance abuse, or unhealthy ways of coping. This is why it's important for women to recognize that these symptoms are not a reflection of their value or worth as an individual. If you follow a proper treatment plan, you can improve or even eliminate these signs.
3. Attention!
ADHD is characterized by a high frequency of these symptoms. While everyone struggles to concentrate and pay attention at times and in a variety of ways, they are so frequent that they can impede your everyday life. You might make mistakes 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 an inclination to dive into projects without thoroughly planning and researching the subject, which results in poor or insufficient results. You may also get distracted quickly and tend to leave projects unfinished -for example, from the vegetable garden that got planted but never watered to the new system of organization that was put together and left to rot on your nightstand.
People with inattention ADHD are also plagued by a chronic sense of disorganization in their workplaces and at home. You might have trouble finding important documents, bills or keys and lose things frequently. You might also keep losing track of the time and end up running over time 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 with these signs may perform actions or words without thinking about the consequences, like talking over other people or making strange sounds when they're alone. They might be unable to sit still, and fidget in their seat or pace. They can have trouble keeping their job and could be in frequent conflict with colleagues and managers.
In certain cases, the mood swings and emotional stress caused by ADHD can cause frustration and misunderstandings in relationships. This is especially the case in relationships with partners as well as at work. People who suffer from ADHD are also more likely to suffer from other comorbidities, like depression, anxiety, or bipolar disorder.
Girls and women with ADHD are often faced with a range of challenges when seeking treatment and diagnosis that include gender bias and a tendency to hide their symptoms or minimize the severity of them. High-profile women such as Em Rusciano and Mia Freedman who have spoken out about their struggles with ADHD have helped to raise awareness. However, a lot of girls and young woman still do not know they have it.
4. Anxiety
An anxiety disorder is defined by persistently excessive anxiety. While everyone feels anxious or nervous at times anxiety disorders are defined by persistently high levels of anxiety. You may feel an uneasy feeling, fear, or anxiety, as well as rapid pulse, difficulty maintaining calm, and having trouble thinking clearly. You might also have an increased sense of danger, even in situations that aren't likely to be risky for you. The most frequent types of anxiety include general anxiety disorder, phobias and agoraphobia and separation anxiety, panic disorders and selective Mutism.
Anxiety is more prevalent in women with ADHD compared to men. It can be worsened by certain life events like menstruation or pregnancy, as well as perimenopausal. This can make it difficult for women to deal with everyday tasks and social interactions and can trigger feelings of low self-esteem or unsatisfaction.
You are extremely sensitive to rejection and you have a hard to accept criticism. You are prone to misinterpret feedback, or even anticipate rejection. You might be upset over small issues that others don't see an issue with.
Mood swings are also one of the symptoms of adhd for women in adulthood and you could discover that your mood is unpredictable or difficult to manage. You might also be prone to self-injury that is not suicidal like striking, burning or scratching yourself.
If you're struggling with any of the above symptoms, it's essential to establish a clear diagnosis. It will help you understand the challenges you're facing and provide you strategies to improve your quality of life. You can take an ADHD test online, or talk to your doctor to get an assessment from a professional. In certain instances your doctor may prescribe medication to help alleviate your symptoms. In certain instances, your doctor may recommend an amalgamation of lifestyle changes and cognitive behavior therapy. In any case, it's important to start making some positive changes to your life as soon as you can. This will allow you to take control of your life and feel more productive, confident and competent.