ADHD Symptoms in Adult Females
While ADHD affects both genders equally throughout adulthood, the condition typically goes undiagnosed in females. This is likely due to gender stereotyping and the capacity of females to mask their symptoms.
Many healthcare professionals lack the knowledge or experience to recognize ADHD among women. Many females are misdiagnosed and do not receive the treatment they require.
1. Disorganization
Women and girls with ADHD are often plagued by disorganization, a condition that can be a challenge to manage. Your desk, for example, may be a mess of papers, 17 chapsticks, and tickets from the Kings of Leon show you attended in 2008. Even though you may have spent money on products to help you manage your clutter, your home or office is likely to remain messy and messy.
Inability to keep the track of your tasks can lead to missed deadlines and appointments. You might also struggle with "time blindness," where you don't recall or know how long it takes to finish the task. This could leave you feeling in a state of discontent and feeling as if you're not doing a good job in your career or personal life, particularly when it seems like others don't appreciate your efforts.
You may also have difficulty controlling your emotions, which can cause you to react too quickly in stressful situations. Your high-speed verbal communication can create misunderstandings and miscommunications with your loved ones as well as your coworkers. You may make comments that hurt others' feelings without meaning to. You may also be having trouble stopping yourself from speaking before thinking things through, as it is common for people suffering from ADHD.
If you have ADHD it's possible that some of your symptoms are rooted in gender stereotypes or ideas regarding how women, men and boys should behave. This can make it difficult to recognize and treat ADHD.
You may also benefit from a treatment for behavioral issues to address the underlying causes of your disorder. It may take a while to find the best strategies for dealing with stress, but implementing them will allow you to feel more in control of your own life and improve your relationships with family, colleagues, and friends.
2. Impulsivity
People who suffer from ADHD often experience intense emotions, but their brains don't have a way to evaluate or filter them. They may be overwhelmed by a tiny incident, or have trouble assessing the emotional state of other people. It can also make it easier for them to be distracted by minor inconveniences like a book that's out of stock or a friend who's late to take a spin class.
Many women with ADHD cover up their symptoms and come up with coping strategies to compensate for their attention issues. They may be perfectionists or highly conscientious at school or work but struggle to keep on top of important dates, deadlines and appointments. adult add in women might also struggle with self-control in speech and speak too much, interrupt others often, or dump information 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 an abrupt desire to start or stop activities. They also include being unable wait for your turn in a conversation or having difficulty reading social signals.
Although gender-based stereotypes can contribute to the development of ADHD but it's not always easy to recognize when women suffer from these issues. Rating scales used to identify ADHD symptoms are still skewed towards male behavior and some healthcare professionals may misunderstand or underestimate a woman's symptoms.
Many women suffering from ADHD have reported that their symptoms get worse during times of hormonal change like menstrual cycles or pregnancy, as well as perimenopausal. This can intensify emotional symptoms and lead to frequent feelings of frustration, irritability, or depression. They may also experience an unrelenting feeling of discontent in their relationships or lives. This can lead to substance abuse, low-self-esteem or unbalanced ways of coping. This is the reason it's so important for women to realize that these symptoms are not an indication of their worth or worth as an individual. The positive side is that with a solid treatment plan the symptoms can be reduced or even eliminated.
3. Inattention
ADHD is defined by a high frequency of these symptoms. While everyone struggles to focus and pay attention at times, they are so frequent that they can impede your everyday life. You may make careless errors at work or in school, or miss appointments or spend a good deal of time procrastinating. You're not able to stand in line and interrupt others in conversations.
Adults who aren't attentive can also get caught up in projects before thoroughly planning them and researching them. This leads to incomplete results or subpar ones. You could also become easily distracted and leave projects unfinished. This could include the vegetable garden that was planted but not watered, or a brand new system of organization that you built and then left on your nightstand to accumulate dust.
People with inattentive ADHD have trouble focusing at home and at work. You might have trouble finding important documents, bills or keys and misplace things on a regular basis. You may be unable to keep track of time and be late for work, school or for 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. People with these issues might say or do things without thinking about the consequences. For example they may speak over other people or make unintentional noises in solitude. They have difficulty sitting still and may move around or get out of their seats. They may have difficulty keeping their job and could have frequent conflicts with coworkers and managers.
In some cases the mood swings and emotional distress caused by ADHD can cause frustration in relationships and misunderstandings. This is especially true in romantic relationships as well as at work. People who suffer from ADHD also are more likely having co-occurring conditions like depression, anxiety or bipolar disorder.
Women and girls with ADHD may face many difficulties when seeking treatment. These include gender bias and a tendency to conceal symptoms or minimize their severity, as well as gender bias. The rise of well-known women such as Mia Freedman and Em Rusciano who have spoken out about their struggles with ADHD has increased awareness, yet many girls and young women aren't aware of the disorder.
4. Anxiety
An anxiety disorder is defined by constant anxiety. Although everyone feels anxious or nervous from time to time, anxiety disorders are characterized by constant high levels of anxiety. You may feel an incessant feeling of anxiety or fear and also rapid pulse, difficulty maintaining calm, and having trouble thinking clearly. You may also experience an increased fear of danger, even in situations that aren't likely to be dangerous for you. The most common types of anxiety are general anxiety disorder, agoraphobia and phobias, separation anxiety and panic disorders.
Anxiety is more common among women with ADHD than in men and it is more likely to become worse at certain times in women's lives, such as around the time of her menstrual cycle or pregnancy, or perimenopausal. This makes it more difficult to handle everyday activities and social interactions and lead to feelings of self-doubt and general dissatisfaction with your life.
You're very sensitive to rejection and have a hard to accept criticism. You are prone to misinterpret feedback, or even anticipate rejection and you may get angry over minor things that others do not see as to be a problem.
Mood swings are a part of the adult female adhd symptoms, and you might discover that your mood is unpredictable or difficult to manage. You may also be prone non-suicidal acts of self-injury such as scrubbing, burning or hitting yourself.
If you're experiencing any of the above symptoms, it's essential to get a proper diagnosis. It will help you understand the challenges you're facing, and offer you strategies to improve your quality of life. You can take an online ADHD test, or go to your doctor for a professional evaluation. In some instances, your doctor might prescribe medication to ease your symptoms. In other instances they might suggest an amalgamation of lifestyle changes and cognitive behavior therapy. In either case it's crucial to change your lifestyle as quickly as you can. This will allow you to regain control of your life, and make you feel more confident and capable.