ADHD Adult Female Symptoms
ADHD can affect women and men, however it's more difficult for women to recognize it. It's because women rarely show the same hyperactivity and the same impulsivity as men, which means they could be overlooked or misdiagnosed.
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, but there are other options.
1. Trouble focusing
While everyone gets distracted at times, women who suffer from ADHD have trouble putting their focus on their work and conversations especially when they're experiencing emotional or sensory overload. These difficulties can be made worse during menstrual periods.
Women with inattentive ADHD also have issues with their working memory, which makes it difficult to remember basic things like appointments or upcoming events. They often forget where they kept their car keys, the name of the woman who drove them to home from spin class or even important deadlines and dates.
Procrastination and the inability to follow through with plans are also symptoms of ADHD among females of adulthood. They are more likely to get distracted by shiny objects or social networks which makes it difficult to complete their projects and assignments. This can cause a sense of being overwhelmed and underperforming at school or work.
Due to the societal perceptions of gender, a lot of women suffering from ADHD are not diagnosed. They feel shame and mistakenly classify their problems as "bad behavior" or "character defects". They often feel as if they are a fraud. A diagnosis can be a moment of clarity, providing them with a clear external explanation for their challenges and allowing them to accept themselves more fully.
Girls and women who suffer from untreated ADHD are susceptible to a wide range of negative consequences that can include academic issues, behavioral issues, poor relationships and family problems, and co-occurring mental health conditions. A proper diagnosis and treatment plan can make a difference to the lives of people with ADHD at any stage in their life. Treatment options include stimulant therapy and medication. *
2. Difficulty Finishing Projects
Women with ADHD are unable to complete tasks or duties. They may lose important information, have trouble shifting between tasks and responsibilities and find it difficult to meet deadlines. They may also be more susceptible to make erroneous mistakes or having difficulty managing their time well, and overestimate how long it takes to finish their work.
Women suffering from ADHD are likely to experience emotional symptoms of ADHD such as irritability or mood swings, particularly frustrating. Symptoms can be exacerbated by hormonal changes, including those that occur during the menstrual cycle, pregnancy and menopause. Women who have not been diagnosed with ADHD may feel frustrated and unhappy about their performance at work and in their relationships.
Women with ADHD have a hard time with daily routines such as chores and grocery shopping extremely challenging. They may overlook the need to empty the garbage or shut off the stove, and easily get distracted. They may also struggle with repetitive tasks, like folding the dishes or washing the laundry. Simple tasks that are boring or repetitive can become overwhelming which can lead to impulsive behaviours such as excessive talk or sharing. Women who suffer from ADHD can also make erratic choices and use unhealthy coping strategies, like alcohol or drugs.
If you're having trouble finishing tasks, memory issues that cause chronic procrastination or relationship challenges, you should take a look at a professional evaluation for ADHD. Getting a proper diagnosis can improve the overall quality of life and help you achieve success in your personal and professional lives. It can help you manage your ADHD symptoms, and help you develop strategies to manage the symptoms. To avoid lapses of attention and focus, you can try to keep a consistent schedule using an app for planning or reminders to take notes during meetings, and practice good sleeping habits (avoid screens for an hour prior to bedtime). Exercise can also help increase focus by boosting the production of brain neurotransmitters.
3. Difficulty Remembering Names
It is possible that difficulty remembering names may be accompanied by other ADHD symptoms, such as difficulty following directions or completing projects. The root cause of these difficulties is an inability to prioritize and organize tasks which affects efficient information retrieval. This issue can worsen during times of fatigue, stress, or hormonal changes, such as prior to, during, or after menopausal change.
Forgetting names can feel even more frustrating when it's accompanied by a sense of forgetfulness over bigger items, such as appointments or events or personal reminders. These forgetfulness lapses could be caused by depression and anxiety, which are common co-occurring conditions with ADHD among 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. They are, therefore, under-diagnosed and under-referred to doctors for treatment and diagnosis.
Additionally, gender-based bias exists because ADHD is typically seen as a male condition and boys with hyperactivity being the ones who are most admitted to clinics for evaluation and treatment. In addition to internalized stigma, the symptoms of women are often different from men's. Many doctors do not diagnose or treat ADHD for females.
It's becoming more common for women to receive an ADHD diagnosis in adulthood. A diagnosis can enhance your relationships, help you achieve success at work and in school, and give you the help you require. Contact an Salience Health provider if you're interested in being diagnosed. We'll evaluate your symptoms using tools such as Creyos cognitive testing and Brainview Advanced, and connect you with a therapist who's suitable for you.
4. Difficulty Appearing Aloof
Women with ADHD typically have inattention symptoms and their issues can seem subtle to others. They may miss appointments, fail to finish chores around the house, or have trouble taking notes at work. They may also be struggling with impulsivity, or struggle to understand the boundaries of social interaction. ADHD adult symptoms can lead them to misinterpret and misunderstandings between family and friends, and can also cause feelings of isolation and loneliness.
In addition, women with untreated ADHD frequently have difficulty meeting societal expectations for them as women. This can cause a feeling of inadequacy and ADHD symptoms when they are faced with the burden of caring for children and household chores. Many women with untreated ADHD suffer from low self-esteem, and they resort to unhealthy coping strategies such as binge eating and marathons on TV.
The challenges of ADHD for women can be added to by gender bias in the way that women and girls are treated, and how clinicians evaluate their symptoms. Some research suggests that women and girls tend to conceal their ADHD symptoms or attempt to cover up for them, and are less likely than males and females to get referred for treatment and diagnosis.
Another issue is that women suffering from ADHD might have difficulty recognizing their own symptoms, and they might confuse them with depression or anxiety. This could lead to incorrect diagnosis and delayed treatment.
Symptoms of ADHD are influenced by hormone fluctuations, and they may be especially evident during the ovulation cycle, pregnancy, menstruation or menopausal. These changes can cause women to be more frustrated with her ADHD symptoms and increase the likelihood of being misunderstood or viewed as moody or emotional.
5. Impulsivity
Women are also susceptible to the impulsivity that is a symptom of ADHD. They can also experience trouble controlling their emotions and could be prone to having "foot-in-mouth" moments. These behavior patterns that are impulsive can have big impact on relationships and professional life.
Prefrontal cortex is the part of the brain that controls the process of reasoning and decision-making. This area is able to prevent people from making bad decisions because it acts as a check. People who suffer from ADHD have a less functional prefrontal cortex, and this can make it difficult for them to resist urges or avoid engaging in reckless or harmful behavior. It can also lead to an absence of self-esteem. Women's impulsiveness is often manifested as a lack of social boundaries and self-control during conversations (interrupting other people, not finishing their sentences, or talking too often).
Women also have issues with control of impulses when hormones are fluctuating. Estrogen is naturally fluctuates at various times throughout the menstrual cycle, and also during pregnancy, childbirth, and menopause. Contraceptives and hormone therapy used during menopausal or perimenopausal periods can affect estrogen levels as well as other hormones, which can affect the woman's ADHD.
The method by which ADHD symptoms are expressed for women and girls may vary from those of boys and men this is one of the reasons they are frequently not diagnosed. Due to this, many adults who have ADHD are unaware that they suffer from it. The good news is, the diagnosis and treatment of ADHD at any age can improve the quality of life the person. If you're not sure whether or not you are suffering from ADHD consult your doctor and find out how they can help. Treatment options include medications and cognitive behavioral therapy and couples counseling.