15 Shocking Facts About ADHD Symptoms For Women That You Never Knew

ADHD Symptoms For Women Women suffering from ADHD experience emotional instability and sensitivity towards rejection. They can also experience insomnia and poor quality sleep, which may cause the symptoms to become worse. Girls and women are generally more adept at hiding their ADHD symptoms, using coping mechanisms to conform to social expectations and norms. This can lead to misdiagnosis or delay in treatment. 1. Difficulty Focusing Focusing is the biggest challenge for many women with ADHD. This neurodevelopmental disorder makes it difficult to concentrate at school or during work meetings or while reading or listening to others' conversations. It can be difficult to accomplish everyday tasks such as keeping track of appointments or taking medications. Difficulty focusing is one of the most common adhd symptoms for girls and women, regardless of their gender identity or whether they have hyperactive/impulsive or inattentive ADHD. Women who suffer from the inattentive version of the condition may be struggling to organize their house or desks and may have difficulty focusing on tasks according to CHADD. These issues could cause them to skip appointments, arrive in the wrong place at the correct time, or fail to follow through on their tasks. These issues can cause them to feel bad about themselves, and they might blame themselves for their own problems. Inattention ADHD symptoms can make it hard to keep track of responsibilities, leading to poor school or work performance and the accumulation of debt. According to CHADD, they can be triggered either by stress or other mental disorders like anxiety and depression. Certain women and girls who suffer from inattentional ADHD are underdiagnosed or overlooked because of biases that teachers and parents may have toward boys and men. They may not be able to express their ADHD symptoms as well, especially the hyperactive/impulsive ones, and may have difficulty finding treatment that works for them. Hormonal changes can also cause symptoms in women who suffer from ADHD. They can be more noticeable during menstrual cycles or perimenopausal periods which is the period leading up to the menopausal phase of a woman which is when estrogen levels decrease and can cause emotional issues like mood swings and irritation. Adults with ADHD may benefit from stimulant medication to boost their concentration but it won't solve the problem. Other strategies, such as lifestyle modifications, mindfulness-based training, and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), can also aid in focusing and organization. Certain schools and workplaces offer accommodations to help with these issues as well. 2. Forgetting Things Forgetfulness can make it difficult to keep track of daily tasks or to manage your obligations. You may find it difficult to remember important details particularly when they happen in a noisy area. You might also notice that you often forget appointments or get late for school or work. Forgetting to pay bills or respond to emails is common in women with ADHD, which can create financial stress and make you feel stressed. You may experience difficulties working in a busy or loud office and often lose focus during conversations, causing the other person feeling unimportant or misunderstood. Many girls and women with ADHD are also having a difficult time maintaining friendships and are at risk of being pressured into unwanted sexual activity or being victims of violence from intimate partners. They are more likely than others to feel overwhelmed due to the fact that they struggle to control their emotions. They may also struggle with self-esteem and could be more likely to interpret their issues as “personal flaws” instead of recognizing that their behavior is related to their ADHD symptoms. Females and females with ADHD are also not diagnosed because of gender bias since their symptoms are more obvious than those of boys and men. They could disguise symptoms of anxiety and mood disorders, which can cause a misdiagnosis and incorrect treatment. ADHD symptoms can be different based on fluctuations in hormones. This is particularly the case during puberty when estrogen levels drop and progesterone levels rise. This can lead to a greater variation in symptoms throughout the day, which makes it difficult to recognize and treat ADHD correctly. Getting diagnosed and receiving treatment can help you develop the life skills needed to manage your ADHD symptoms. You can also change your lifestyle, such as eating healthy and balanced meals and avoiding stimulants like sugar, caffeine and sugary drinks that can worsen symptoms. Meditation and mindfulness techniques can relax your mind and reduce restlessness and impulsiveness. They can also improve the regulation of emotions. Talking to a mental health professional can be beneficial, as they can suggest possible adjustments at work or at school that can aid in managing your ADHD symptoms better. 3. Disruptive Behavior In most cases, females who suffer from ADHD experience more inattentive symptoms than those who are hyperactive or impulsive. It could be because the brains of women and girls differ from the brains of boys and men or it could be to do with the amount of activity is happening in the areas of the brain that control impulsive and disruptive behavior. In the end, it can be harder for a physician to identify and diagnose ADHD in women. Many women develop coping strategies to disguise their symptoms. Some are healthy, but others are not long-lasting and could lead to other health issues. For instance, some women turn to excessive alcohol or drugs to cope with their symptoms. They may also develop depression or other mental health issues such as anxiety. These unhealthy ways of coping can make it difficult for people to recognize a mental health problem and delay the diagnosis. Disruptive behavior is a common adhd symptoms for women. It can affect their academic or work performance, and even their relationships. They typically involve not being focused on a task, forgetting important events or tasks, and being easily distracted by other things in the surroundings or in their thoughts. They may fidget or tap their feet or hands or squirm in their seats. They may also talk loud or yell. they may be disruptive. conversational tone with the predominantly inattentive subtype of adhd can struggle to concentrate on lectures or conversations; keeping up with reading, writing, or schoolwork; following instructions at work or in class; and juggling daily tasks. They may be disorganized, forgetful, and messy. It can be challenging for them to stick with commitments or tasks. They are more susceptible to losing or misplacing items, including keys, wallets and eyeglasses. Having the predominantly hyperactive/impulsive type of adhd can disrupt work or school, cause social problems, and create relationship challenges. This type of disorder can cause issues at work, at home, as well as at school, and it can cause feelings of restlessness and boredom. It can also cause frustration. They can't wait for their turn in school, at work, or home. They are also known to interrupt others frequently. They tend to act recklessly and are not able to control their behavior. 4. Anxiety Girls and women who suffer from ADHD may have a harder dealing with their issues than men and boys. This is largely due to the expectations of society that demand that women and mothers are the primary caregivers of their children and household. If a woman with ADHD is unable to keep up with her obligations, she may feel anxious and stressed that can cause low self-esteem. This makes it harder for her to seek treatment. Women with ADHD are often not recognized as easily as boys or men because their symptoms do not appear as obvious. They may present with primarily inattentive symptoms, which do not have the same outward appearance as hyperactive/impulsive ADHD symptoms, making them less likely to receive a referral for treatment from teachers and parents. In addition, they are more likely to develop strategies for coping that mask their ADHD symptoms, like frequent fidgeting and forgetfulness which could be misinterpreted as symptoms of anxiety disorders. Symptoms of ADHD in women can vary at different times throughout the woman's lifetime. For instance, during times of hormonal changes, such as menstruation or pregnancy, women may find her ADHD symptoms to become more intense. This can lead her to be viewed as a victim of prejudice or dismissed as being emotionally overly sensitive. The information in this article is based on research into how ADHD affects people based on their sex. Verywell Health recognizes that sex is a matter of biology: chromosomal makeup hormones, hormones and anatomical structure, while gender is an internal perception of the person you are as a man, woman, or if you're non-binary, or a person. This distinction is important because it helps us to better understand the ways and reasons ADHD can manifest differently in women and men. This is why throughout this article, we refer to both men and those assigned male at birth (AMAB) as men and boys as well as women and people assigned female at birth (AFAB) as girls and women. This terminology is utilized in many research studies. For more information, check out the guide to sex & gender by Verywell Health.