ADHD Symptoms For Women

Women suffering from ADHD frequently experience symptoms of emotional instability and an sensitivity to rejection. They might also experience insomnia and poor sleep quality, which can exacerbate symptoms.

Girls and women often hide their ADHD symptoms more effectively than men, using strategies to cope with social expectations and norms. This can lead both to a misdiagnosis or delays in treatment.

1. Problems with Focusing

For a lot of women suffering from ADHD concentration is the most difficult thing to do. This neurodevelopmental disorder makes it difficult to concentrate at school in meetings at work as well as when reading or listening to others' conversations. It can also be difficult to get through everyday tasks like keeping track of appointments or making sure to take 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 in adult women symptoms. According to CHADD the women who suffer from the inattentive form of the condition can have difficulty organizing their home and their desk. They may be unable to prioritize tasks. These problems can result in them not attending appointments, showing up at the wrong time or place or not completing their tasks. These issues can cause them to feel embarrassed about themselves and they could blame themselves for their troubles.

Attention-deficit ADHD symptoms can also make it hard to keep track of the demands of life, resulting in poor work or school performance and an accumulation of debt. They can be triggered by stress or other mental health conditions like anxiety and depression that are often associated with ADHD in women, as per CHADD.

Teachers and parents may be biased towards boys and men, causing women and girls to be underdiagnosed. 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.

For adult women who suffer from ADHD symptoms, they may be caused by hormonal changes. They can be more noticeable during menstruation or perimenopause 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 improve their focus but it won't solve the problem. Other strategies, including lifestyle changes, mindfulness training and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), can also aid in organizing and focus. Some workplaces and schools offer accommodations to help for women with adhd with these issues, as well.

2. Forgetting Things

The habit of forgetting can make managing your daily chores and responsibilities difficult. It can be difficult to remember important details about events or people particularly when they take place in a noisy or busy environment. You may also find that you frequently forget appointments or get late for work and school. Inability to pay bills or reply to emails is a common occurrence for women suffering from ADHD that can lead to financial stress and leave you feeling stressed. You may experience difficulties working in a busy or noisy workplace and frequently zone out during conversations, leaving the other person to feel ignored or misunderstood.

Many girls and women with ADHD also have difficulty maintaining friendships and are at risk of being pushed into unwanted sexual activity or being victims of violence from intimate partners. This is due to the fact that they have a harder time regulating their emotions and are more likely to feel overwhelmed. They could also be struggling with their self-esteem, and they might view their problems as an "personal flaw" instead of realizing that their behavior may be linked to their ADHD symptoms.

Females and females who suffer from ADHD are also underdiagnosed due to gender bias since their symptoms are more noticeable than those of boys and men. They are more likely to conceal their symptoms by claiming mood disorders or anxiety, which can result in being misdiagnosed or incorrectly treated.

ADHD symptoms can be different based on hormone fluctuations. This is particularly the case during puberty when hormone levels decrease and progesterone levels rise. This can result in more frequent change in symptoms throughout the day, which can make it harder to diagnose and manage ADHD correctly.

Diagnosed and treated, you can learn how to manage ADHD symptoms. You can also consider lifestyle changes, such as eating a well-balanced diet and limiting caffeine, sugar and other stimulants that may cause symptoms to get worse. You can also practice mindfulness and meditation techniques to help calm your mind, decrease the impulsiveness and anxiety, and improve emotional regulation. Talking with a mental health professional could be beneficial, as they can talk about possible accommodations at work or at school that might aid in managing your ADHD symptoms better.

3. Disruptive Behavior

Women with ADHD are more inattentive than hyperactive or impulsive symptoms. This could be because women and girls have different brains than boys and men. Or it could be due to the level of activity in the brain areas that regulate impulsive behavior.

It can be a challenge for doctors to recognize adhd in adults women in women. Many women develop coping mechanisms to disguise their symptoms. Some of these are healthy, however others are unsustainable and can result in other health issues. For instance some women resort to excessive alcohol or drugs to cope with their symptoms. They might also develop depression or other mental health issues such as anxiety. These unhealthy ways of coping can make it difficult for someone to recognize mental health issues and delay an accurate diagnosis.

Disruptive behavior is among the most common symptom of adhd in middle aged women for women. It can impact their school or work performance, as well as their relationships. They often include not staying focused on a particular task, not remembering important events or tasks, and becoming easily distracted by other things in their environment or in their minds. They may fidget, tap their feet or hands, or squirm. They may also speak out loud or yell, and they may be disruptive.

Women who have the inattentive subtype can have difficulty concentrating during lectures or conversations and juggling schoolwork, reading, or writing assignments, following instructions in the classroom or at work, and managing daily tasks. They may be disorganized and forgetful. They can also be messy. It can be challenging to keep up with commitments or tasks. They are more likely to lose or lose items such as eyeglasses, wallets, and keys.

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 trouble at home, at work, as well as at schools, and can cause feelings of restlessness, boredom, and frustration. They have a hard waiting for their turn at school, home, or in the workplace and they frequently interrupt others. They aren't able to control their behavior and tend to be reckless.

4. Anxiety

Girls and women with ADHD might find it difficult to cope with their symptoms. This is partly due to the expectations of society, which demand that mothers and wives be the primary caregivers for their children and their household. When a woman struggles to meet her responsibilities, it can lead to anxiety and low self-esteem. This in turn can make it harder to seek treatment for her ADHD.

Additionally, women who suffer from ADHD often have difficulty getting diagnosed because their symptoms aren't as pronounced as those of boys and men. 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 coping strategies that mask their ADHD symptoms, like excessive fidgeting and forgetfulness, that could be mistaken for symptoms of anxiety disorders.

The symptoms of ADHD can change over the course of the woman's life. For instance, during periods of hormonal changes, like menstruation or pregnancy, women may notice her ADHD symptoms to become more intense. This can cause her to be misunderstood, or thought of as a woman who is emotionally overly sensitive.

The information in this article is based on research about how ADHD affects people based on their sex. Verywell Health recognizes that sex is a biological phenomenon: chromosomal makeup hormones, hormones and anatomical structure. gender is a subjective sense of what you're like as a man, woman, or, if non-binary, you're a person. This distinction is important because it allows us to better comprehend the ways and reasons ADHD can manifest differently in women and men. For this reason, throughout this article we refer to men and people assigned to male at birth (AMAB) as men and boys, and to women and people assigned to female at birth (AFAB) as women and girls. This is consistent with how many research studies employ this term. For more information, read Verywell Health's guide on gender and sexuality.