ADHD Adult Female Symptoms
ADHD can affect people of all genders and ages, but it is more difficult for women to be diagnosed. This is because women don't exhibit the same level of hyperactivity or impulsivity as men, so they could be overlooked or incorrectly diagnosed.
The first step to manage your symptoms is to get an accurate diagnosis. Adults with ADHD are often treated with stimulant medications but there are other alternatives.
1. Difficulty Focusing
While everyone gets distracted at times women with ADHD struggle to keep their attention on tasks and conversations, especially when they're suffering from sensory or emotional overload. These problems can be made worse when menstrual cycles are in full swing.
Women with inattention ADHD also have issues with their working memory, which makes it hard to remember simple things like appointments or forthcoming events. They might forget where they kept their car keys or the name of the lady who gave them a ride home from spin class, or even important dates and deadlines.
Procrastination, and the inability to stick with plans are other signs of ADHD in females who are adults. They are more likely to be distracted by shiny objects or social media, which makes it difficult to finish their assignments and projects. This can lead to a sense of being overwhelmed and underperforming at work or school.
Many women with ADHD aren't diagnosed due to gender stereotypes. They feel shame and mistakenly label their problems as "bad behaviours" or "character issues". They often feel like they're an imposter. A diagnosis could be a moment of clarity, giving them a clear external explanation for their challenges and allowing them to accept their own uniqueness.
Untreated ADHD in women and girls can cause a range of negative consequences, including problems with academics, behavioral issues as well as family and relationship issues as well as coexisting mental health issues. A well-constructed diagnosis and treatment plan can make a difference to the lives of people with ADHD at any stage in their lives. Treatment options include stimulant therapy and medication. *
2. Difficulty Finishing Projects
Women suffering from ADHD have difficulty completing tasks or obligations. They may forget important information, have trouble shifting between tasks and responsibilities, or find it hard to meet deadlines. They may also be more susceptible to make mistakes that aren't their fault, have trouble organizing and managing their time well and underestimate the time it takes to complete tasks.
The emotional manifestations of ADHD in adults, such as irritability and mood swings, can be a major source of frustration for women who suffer from the condition. Symptoms can be exacerbated by hormonal changes, such as those that occur during the menstrual cycle or during pregnancy, as well as menopausal. Women with undiagnosed ADHD can be frustrated and disappointed by their performance at work or in their relationships.
Some women with ADHD have a hard time with daily routines such as chores and grocery shopping challenging. They may have a hard finding the time to remember to empty the trash or turn off the stove and they are easily distracted by little things in their environment. They might also struggle with repetitive tasks, such as folding laundry or washing the dishes. Boring or mundane chores can become unbearable and cause impulsive behavior like excessive talking or sharing. Women with ADHD might also make unruly choices and use unhealthy coping strategies, like alcohol or drugs.
If you are having difficulty getting things done, have memory issues, have a tendency to procrastinate for a long time or are experiencing relationship issues, it is important to seek out professional help for ADHD. A proper diagnosis can improve the quality of your life and help you achieve success in your professional and personal life. It can help you better manage your ADHD symptoms and develop strategies to manage them effectively. To minimize lapses in concentration and attention you should adhere to a regular schedule using a planner or reminder apps to take notes during meetings, and practice good sleep hygiene (avoid screens for an hour prior to going to bed). Exercise can also improve focus because it increases the neurotransmitter levels in your brain.
3. Trouble remembering names
It is possible that difficulty in remembering names could be coupled with other ADHD symptoms, like difficulties following directions or not finishing projects. The root cause of these difficulties is an inability to prioritize and organize tasks that affects the efficiency of information retrieval. This problem is more likely to occur during times of fatigue, stress or hormonal changes.
If a person is unable to remember names, it can be even more frustrating if they also forget important things like appointments, events or personal reminders. These lapses can also be exacerbated by anxiety or depression that are often associated with ADHD in women.
ADHD is often misdiagnosed in women because of gender bias and internalized symptoms. Inattentive ADHD symptoms are more subtle than hyperactive/impulsive symptoms, making them harder to detect and identify. This means that they are often not identified and not referred for treatment and diagnosis.
Additionally, gender-based bias exists because ADHD is typically perceived as a problem for males and boys with hyperactivity being the ones most recommended to clinics for evaluation and treatment. In addition to internalized stigma and the fact that women's symptoms tend to look different than men's and that many professionals are unable to recognize or treat ADHD in women.
It's becoming more common for women to be diagnosed with ADHD in their adulthood. A diagnosis can improve your relationships and prepare you for success at school and at work and offer the help you need to thrive in your daily life. If you are seeking a diagnosis, talk to an experienced Salience Health provider. We can evaluate your symptoms using tools such as Creyos Cognitive Testing and Brainview Advanced and connect you to a therapist that is the right fit for you.
4. Difficulty Appearing Aloof
Women with ADHD might exhibit subtle signs of inattention. They may forget to do chores at home, miss appointments or have difficulty taking notes. They might also be struggling with impulsivity and trouble understanding social boundaries. This could cause them to misinterpret and misunderstandings with family and friends and may cause feelings of isolation and loneliness.
In inattentive ADHD in adults symptoms , women with untreated ADHD often have difficulty meeting social expectations for them as women. They may struggle with the burden of caring for their children and household chores, and this social pressure can intensify their ADHD symptoms and feelings of inadequacy. Many women with untreated ADHD suffer from low self-esteem, and they resort to unhealthy strategies for coping such as binge eating and marathons on TV.
The challenges of ADHD for women can be amplified by gender bias, both in the way that girls and women are perceived and assessed by healthcare professionals. Some research suggests that girls and women tend to hide or compensate for their ADHD symptoms, and may be less likely to receive treatment and diagnosis than men and boys.
Women suffering from ADHD may also have difficulties understanding their symptoms and could confuse them with mood disorders or anxiety disorders. This could lead to a false diagnosis and delay or ineffective treatment.
These changes can increase a woman's frustration with her ADHD symptoms. They may also make it more likely that she will be misunderstood or dismissed as moody or overly emotional. These changes can make a woman more frustrated with her ADHD symptoms and increase the chances of being viewed as a naive, or dismissed as a moody or emotional.
5. Impulsivity
Women are also susceptible to the impulsivity that is associated with ADHD. They may also have difficulty controlling their emotions and are prone to "foot in the mouth" moments. These impulsive behaviors can have a huge impact on relationships as well as professional life.
The brain part that regulates the process of decision-making and reasoning is known as the prefrontal cortex. This area can assist people avoid making bad decisions by providing a nudge on behavior. ADHD sufferers have less functional prefrontal cortex. This makes it more difficult to resist the urges and stop themselves from doing something reckless. It can also lead to an inability to respect themselves. In women, impulsiveness usually manifests as difficulties with social boundaries and self-control in conversation (interrupting the conversation, not finishing other's sentences, and talking excessively).
Women can also experience problems with control of impulses when hormones are fluctuating. Estrogen fluctuates at different times during the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, childbirth and menopausal cycles. Oral contraception and hormone therapy that is used during perimenopause or menopause may affect estrogen levels and other hormones, which can affect women's ADHD.
The manner in which ADHD symptoms are expressed for women and girls may differ from that of males and females this is one of the reasons why they are frequently not diagnosed. Many adults with ADHD are unaware of their condition. The good news is, diagnosing and treating ADHD at any age can improve the quality of life the person. If you're unsure if or not you suffer from ADHD discuss it with your doctor and find out how they can help. Treatment options include medication, cognitive behavioral therapy and couples counseling.