ADHD Adult Female Symptoms
ADHD can affect people of all genders and ages, but it can be harder for women to diagnose. It's because women do not typically exhibit the same levels of high levels of impulsivity or hyperactivity that men do, and therefore can be missed or misdiagnosed.
Making sure you have a clear diagnosis is the first step to managing your symptoms. The use of stimulant medication is a typical treatment for adults suffering from ADHD however, there are also other options.
1. Difficulty Focusing
Women with ADHD can be distracted by a variety of things, but they're also having a harder time staying focused on tasks and conversations particularly when they are experiencing sensory or emotional overload. These problems can become worse during menstrual cycle.
Women who are inattentional ADHD have problems with their working memory. This causes them to be unable to remember everyday things, such as the dates of appointments or events that are coming up. They may often forget where they put their car keys, the name of the lady who took them home from spin class or even important dates and deadlines.
Procrastination, and the inability to keep up with plans are other signs of ADHD among females of adulthood. They are more likely to be distracted by shiny objects or social networks which can make it difficult for them to complete their projects and assignments. This can result in feeling overwhelmed and a lack of performance at work or school.
Because of societal ideas about gender, a lot of women suffering from ADHD aren't diagnosed. They feel shame and mistakenly classify their problems as "bad behaviors" or "character defects". They often feel like they're an imposter. A diagnosis could be a "lightbulb" moment for them, since it provides them with an external explanation for their issues and allows them to accept themselves more fully.
Girls and women with untreated ADHD can suffer from a broad range of negative outcomes such as academic issues and behavioral issues, as well as relationships with family members and co-occurring mental health conditions. A proper diagnosis and treatment plan will improve the lives of people with ADHD at any stage in their life. Treatment options include stimulant drugs and therapy. *
2. Difficulty Finishing Projects
Women suffering from ADHD have difficulty completing tasks or responsibilities. They may forget important information, have trouble switching between tasks and responsibilities and find it difficult to meet deadlines. They are also more likely to make careless errors, have difficulty organizing and managing their schedule and underestimate the amount of time it takes to complete tasks.
Women suffering from ADHD may find the emotional symptoms of ADHD such as irritability or mood swings, especially frustrating. The symptoms can be made worse by hormonal changes, such as those that occur during the menstrual cycle, pregnancy and menopause. Women who aren't diagnosed with ADHD may feel frustrated and unhappy with their performance at work and in their relationships.
Women with ADHD find daily routines like chores and grocery shopping extremely challenging. They might have a difficult finding the time to remember to empty the garbage or switch off the stove, and they can be easily distracted by the smallest objects around them. They might also struggle with repetitive tasks such as washing dishes or folding laundry. The monotonous or boring tasks can become overwhelming, leading to impulsive behaviors like excessive conversation or oversharing. Women with ADHD might also make unruly decisions and resort to unhealthy strategies to cope, such as alcohol or other drugs.
If you're having difficulty working through tasks, suffer from memory problems, procrastinate chronically or have relationship problems it is essential to seek out professional help for ADHD. A proper diagnosis can enhance your overall quality of life and set you up for success in both your professional and personal lives. It can help you better manage your ADHD symptoms and devise strategies to deal with them effectively. To minimize lapses in attention and focus, you can try to keep a consistent schedule, use planners or reminder apps and take notes during meetings, and practice good sleeping habits (avoid screens for an hour prior to bedtime). Exercise can also increase focus by boosting the production of brain neurotransmitters.
3. Trouble remembering names
Trouble remembering names can be associated with other ADHD symptoms, such as difficulty in following directions and having trouble finishing projects. The root cause of these difficulties is an inability to organize and prioritize tasks which affects the efficiency of information retrieval. This symptom tends to worsen during times of fatigue, stress or hormonal changes.
The feeling of forgetting names can be more frustrating if it's accompanied by a sense of forgetfulness over larger things like appointments and events or personal reminders. These lapses may be exacerbated by depression and anxiety, which are common co-occurring conditions with ADHD in women.
ADHD is often misdiagnosed in women because of gender bias and internalized symptoms. Inattentive ADHD symptoms are more subtle than hyperactive/impulsive symptoms, making them harder to detect and identify. As a result, they are often not identified and not referred for treatment and diagnosis.
In addition, there is a gender-based bias because the disorder is largely perceived as a problem for males with hyperactive boys being the ones most admitted to clinics for assessment and treatment. In addition, due to internalized stigma, female symptoms are often different from men's. Many professionals fail to diagnose or treat ADHD in females.
It's becoming more frequent for women to be diagnosed with ADHD as they reach adulthood. A diagnosis can help improve your relationships, aid you to achieve success at work and in school, and offer you the support you need. Speak to a Salience Health provider if you're interested in being diagnosed. We can evaluate your symptoms using tools such as Creyos cognitive testing and Brainview Advanced, and connect you with a therapist who's right for you.
4. The difficulty appears in the roof
Women suffering from ADHD are often prone to inattention, and their struggles may appear insignificant to others. They may skip appointments, fail to finish chores around the house, or have difficulty making notes at work. They may also struggle with impulsivity and have difficulty understanding the boundaries of social interaction. This could cause to misinterpretations and confusions between family and friends and could cause feelings of loneliness and isolation.
Women who suffer from untreated ADHD might also have difficulty meeting the expectations of society for them as women. They might struggle with the responsibility of caring for children and household chores, and this societal pressure can exacerbate their ADHD symptoms and feelings of inadequateness. Many women suffering from untreated ADHD report low self-esteem and resort to unhealthy coping strategies like binge eating and TV marathons.
The difficulties of ADHD for women could be added to by gender bias in the way that girls and women are viewed as well as how clinicians assess their symptoms. Certain studies suggest that girls and women tend to conceal their ADHD symptoms or attempt to cover up for them, and may be less likely than men and boys to be referred to a specialist for diagnosis and treatment.
Women suffering from ADHD can also have difficulty understanding their symptoms and could confuse them with mood disorders or anxiety disorders. This could lead to false diagnoses and improper or delayed treatment.
These changes can cause women to be more frustrated with her ADHD symptoms. They may also increase the likelihood that she will be viewed or dismissed as moody or excessively emotional. These changes can cause women to be more frustrated with her ADHD symptoms and increase the chances of being misunderstood or viewed as moody or emotional.
5. Impulsivity
While the impulsivity of ADHD affects boys and men differently, women experience it similarly. They might also have trouble controlling their emotions and are prone to "foot in the mouth" moments. These actions that are impulsive can have a big impact on relationships and professional life.
Prefrontal cortex is a part of the brain that is responsible for controlling thinking and making decisions. This area is able to prevent people from making poor decisions since it serves as an alarm. ADHD patients have a less-functional prefrontal cortex. This can make it more difficult to resist the urges and stop themselves from engaging in reckless behavior. It can also lead to an inability to respect themselves. symptoms of ADHD in adults female is often manifested as an inability to maintain social boundaries and self-control during conversations (interrupting others, not finishing their sentences, and talking too often).
Women also may have issues with impulse control due to the various hormonal fluctuations throughout their lives. Estrogen fluctuates naturally at different times throughout the menstrual cycle, as well as during pregnancy, childbirth, and menopause. The use of oral contraception and hormone therapy during perimenopause and menopause can further alter the levels of estrogen and other hormones that affect a woman's ADHD symptoms.
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 often not diagnosed. Many adults suffering from ADHD are not aware of their health issues. The positive side is that identifying and treating ADHD can improve the quality of life of a person at any age. Speak to your doctor if there's a doubt whether you suffer from ADHD. They can offer you advice. Treatment options include medication, cognitive behavioral therapy and couples counseling.