ADHD Symptoms in Adult Females
The condition is often misdiagnosed among women, despite the fact that it is a problem that affects men and women equally as adults. This is likely due to gender stereotypes and the capability of females to conceal their symptoms.
Many healthcare professionals aren't equipped and experience to recognize ADHD in women. This means that many females are misdiagnosed before receiving the proper treatment they need.
1. Disorganization
Girls and women who suffer from ADHD have trouble coordinating. This disorder can be difficult to manage. For instance, your desk may be a jumble of unruly papers, 17 chapsticks, or a ticket stub from the Kings of Leon concert you went to in 2008. Even though you may have spent money on products to help you manage your clutter, your home or office is probably still messy and messy.
Inability to keep the track of your tasks can result in missed deadlines and appointments. You might also struggle with "time blindness," where you don't know or remember how long it takes to finish an assignment. This can cause you to feel frustrated and feel like you aren't doing a good enough job in your career or in your personal life.
You may also have difficulty managing your emotions, which could cause you to overreact in stressful situations. You may also say things without meaning to hurt someone's feelings. And since impulsivity is common for those with ADHD and ADD, you may have trouble stopping yourself from making comments without considering them.
If you suffer from ADHD, it's likely that some of your symptoms are rooted in gender stereotypes and cultural ideas about the ways men, boys and women should behave. This can make it difficult to diagnose and treat ADHD.
In addition to a diagnosis you may also need a treatment for behavioral issues to address the root causes of your disorder. And although it may take some time to identify the right coping mechanisms, implementing these strategies can help you feel more in control of your life and enhance relationships with family, friends, and coworkers.
2. Impulsivity
People with ADHD experience intense emotions. However their brains aren't able to filter them or analyze them. This means that they could be overwhelmed by a single incident or have difficulty being able to discern the emotional state of others. This makes them more prone to being distracted by small inconveniences such as a book out of stock or an unreliable friend.
Many women suffering from ADHD manage their attention difficulties by masking symptoms and devising strategies for coping. They could be highly organized or an obsessive at work or school and have difficulty keeping on top of appointments, bills, or important dates. They may also have trouble with verbal self-restraint and speak too much, interrupt others frequently, or info dump 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 the sudden urge to begin, stop, or change activities. They can also be characterized by being unable wait for your turn in a conversation and being unable to discern social signals.
While gender-based stereotypes can influence the development of ADHD but it's sometimes difficult to recognize when a woman has these issues. The scales used to measure ADHD symptoms are still skewed toward male behavior and some health professionals may misunderstand or underestimate a woman's symptoms.
Many women with ADHD have reported that their symptoms are more severe during times of hormonal change like menstrual cycle or pregnancy, as well as perimenopausal. This can lead to emotional symptoms such as frustration and irritability, or depression. They may also feel an ongoing feeling of unsatisfaction with their relationships or lives. This can cause self-esteem issues, substance abuse or unbalanced coping strategies. This is why it's important for women to understand that these symptoms aren't an indication of their worth or worth as individuals. With a good treatment strategy, you can lessen or even eliminate these signs.
3. Attention!
While everyone struggles with paying attention and focusing, with ADHD the symptoms can occur often enough that they cause disruption with your daily life. You might make mistakes at school or work, forget appointments or spend a lot of time procrastinating. You're not able to be patient and not interrupt other people in conversations.
Adults who aren't attentive can also have a tendency to get caught up in projects before fully planning them and researching them. This results in a lack of results or even subpar ones. add symptoms in women may also get distracted easily and tend to abandon projects that are not finished -- from the vegetable garden that was planted but never watered to the new organizational system that was put together and left to rot on your nightstand.
People with inattentive ADHD struggle with chronic disorganization at home and at work. It is possible that you have trouble finding important documents keys, bills, or other important documents and lose items on a regular basis. You could also forget to keep the track of time and end up late for work, school or even meetings.
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. Women with these symptoms might say or do things without thinking about the consequences. For example, they might talk over others or make nonsensical noises when alone. They may have trouble sitting still and adjusting their seats or at a fast pace. They can have trouble working and may have frequent conflicts with coworkers and managers.
In some instances, the mood swings or emotional stress caused by ADHD may lead to frustration in relationships and misunderstandings. This is especially true in romantic relationships as well as at work. People with ADHD also have a higher likelihood of having co-occurring conditions like depression, anxiety or bipolar disorder.
Women and girls who suffer from ADHD are often faced with a range of obstacles when seeking treatment and diagnosis, including gender bias and a tendency to hide their symptoms or undervalue the severity of their symptoms. The rise of high-profile women such as Mia Freedman and Em Rusciano who have shared their own struggles with ADHD has helped raise awareness, but many girls and young women aren't aware of the disorder.
4. Anxiety
An anxiety disorder is characterised by a constant, excessive anxiety. Although everyone feels anxious or nervous occasionally anxiety disorders are defined by persistently high levels of anxiety. You may feel an uneasy feeling, fear, or anxiety and also an intense pulse, trouble being calm, and trouble thinking clearly. You might also feel a sense of danger in situations that you know are not dangerous. The most frequent forms of anxiety include general anxiety disorder, phobias and agoraphobia as well as separation anxiety, panic disorders and selective Mutism.
Anxiety is more common among women with ADHD than in men and it is more likely to become worse at certain times in a woman's life, such as around her menstrual cycle or pregnancy, or perimenopausal. This can make it difficult to manage everyday tasks and social interactions, and can lead to feelings of low self-esteem or unsatisfaction.
You're highly sensitive to rejection and have a hard time accepting criticism. You are prone to miss the mark on feedback, or anticipate rejection. You may be annoyed by small things that other people do not see as an issue with.
Mood swings are a part of the symptoms of adhd in women who are older and you may find that your emotions are unpredictable or difficult to control. You may also be susceptible to self-injury that isn't suicidal like striking, burning or scratching yourself.
If you're experiencing any of the above symptoms, it's important to get a proper diagnosis. It can help you understand your challenges and give you strategies to improve your quality of life. You can take an ADHD test online or consult your doctor to get a professional assessment. In certain instances, your doctor might prescribe medication to alleviate your symptoms. In other instances they might suggest the combination of lifestyle changes and cognitive behavior therapy. In any case, it's essential to change your lifestyle as quickly as you can. This will help you gain control over your life and feel more confident, productive and competent.