ADHD Symptoms in Adult Women
Women who aren't diagnosed with ADHD can face difficulties at workplace or in relationships. It is essential to recognize the symptoms of ADHD and seek a treatment that works for you.
Symptoms of ADHD in adults are more likely to be the inattentive type than hyperactivity/impulsive. A proper diagnosis can improve your life, by addressing your symptoms and paying attention to what is important.
1. Difficulty paying attention
Women may struggle to pay attention to details, remembering appointments and deadlines or underestimating the time it takes to complete the task. They might also find it difficult to keep track of their responsibilities in their relationships or at work and are easily distracted and aren't able to keep promises. They may also have issues with an impulsive nature, trouble controlling their emotions and the tendency to mutter things without thinking it through first.
The difficulty of paying attention to the needs of ADHD symptoms in adult women can cause problems with friendships and relationships, which is why it's important to recognize the symptoms and seek treatment. Women may have difficulty to establish new friendships or struggle with their relationships due to recurring arguments, missed opportunities for fun and being ignored. Women also may find it difficult to balance the demands of work, home and childcare.
It's not easy for health care providers and therapists alike to diagnose ADHD in a lot of people. But that doesn't mean it's not true or that the person has to try harder to keep on track. A diagnosis is based on how the symptoms affect daily functioning across multiple areas of life.
It is more common for women to experience inattention - as opposed to hyperactive or impulsive symptoms - and that could help explain why this group of people often go undiagnosed. Many women who suffer from ADHD are also embarrassed of their symptoms because they don't fit the stereotypes of ADHD. This can make it more difficult for women who suffer from ADHD to seek help or seek treatment.
Certain women with ADHD are not diagnosed for a prolonged period of time, because they try to hide their symptoms and deal with. what is ADHD symptoms in adults are more likely to have other comorbidities, including depression or anxiety that can cover up the symptoms of ADHD. They are also more likely to experience hormonal fluctuations that can cause their symptoms to flare up or disappear, like during menstrual cycles, pregnancy and perimenopause.
2. Organizational Issues
Disorganization, forgetfulness, impulsivity, and emotional dysregulation are typical ADHD symptoms for women. These symptoms can make it difficult for them to handle their everyday tasks, keep up with their responsibilities, and maintain relationships. They may also have low self-esteem or anxiety. Women who have not been diagnosed with ADHD may feel that they're not achieving society's expectations. They may also struggle with anxiety and low self-esteem.
ADHD in women may manifest as procrastination, hyperfocus or forgetfulness. These problems can lead to women not attending appointments, not paying bills on time, and feeling overwhelmed. Hyperfocus can result in an inability to focus on other things that are important and a poor sense of time, which could make it difficult to shift from one task to another. Procrastination can cause stress, anxiety and a constant feeling of being in a lag.
Communication issues both non-verbal and verbal are a common manifestation of ADHD. This can include excessive talking and interrupting other people or uttering inappropriate phrases. It can also include the inability to wait for her turn or trouble understanding social boundaries. It is important to remember that these behaviors don't necessarily indicate a lack in ability or intelligence.
Many women suffering from ADHD develop strategies to disguise their symptoms. This can have positive and negative consequences. Some of these coping mechanisms may be healthy. For instance, using a daily calendar or setting reminders for important events. Some of these strategies for coping may be healthy, for instance, setting reminders for events or using alcohol and other drugs to disguise symptoms. Therefore, it is essential that women who suspect they be suffering from ADHD seek out professional help.
Women suffering from ADHD are able to benefit from medication and lifestyle modifications, therapy and a myriad of other treatment options. Some of these include cognitive therapy to address underlying negative beliefs and thoughts mindfulness and relaxation techniques as well as exercise, a balanced diet, and adequate sleep. A health professional might also suggest accommodations to make working or school simpler.
3. Disruptive Behaviors
Women suffering from ADHD may struggle with emotional dysregulation. They become frustrated and discouraged when their problems aren't easily solved. This can make it difficult to maintain relationships with friends, romantic partners as well as coworkers. For example, forgetfulness and insanity can increase the frustration or confusion in relationships with loved ones and cause feelings of loneliness, loss or depression. In addition the desire to find excitement on a whim can be misinterpreted as disinterest or apathy by others.
For these reasons, ADHD symptoms are often missed or not recognized for girls and women. They may be unable to recognizing that their struggles are related to the disorder due to stereotypes and social norms that define the behavior of women and men.
Women and girls with ADHD tend to conceal their symptoms in order to avoid embarrassment. This may result in them being referred for diagnosis less often than boys and men who have the same symptoms. This could be due to gender bias in the research that determines diagnostic criteria. In a recent study, Hartung and Widiger discovered that women and girls are more likely to be under-identified and undiagnosed than men and boys with the same ADHD symptoms. This could be due to the fact that doctors are conditioned by their training to think of hyperactive and impulsive ADHD as being more common for both genders. This can make them easier to detect and to refer to a specialist for evaluation.
Adult ADHD symptoms can manifest as anxiety and a struggle to settle down. These are typical symptoms of ADHD however, as we age, they can have a significant impact on the quality of life and well-being. People suffering from ADHD may feel agitated and find it difficult to sit still, especially when they're feeling anxious or stressed. They also tend to fidgeting and tend to be very talkative, often interrupting or completing sentences of others without thinking they're being rude.
If you suspect that you may have ADHD or other disorders, you may be directed to an ophthalmologist by your physician or psychologist. You can also self-refer. This content was reviewed by Madeline Dykes (clinical psychologist) and other members of the Thriving Madly network in Christchurch in October 2024, and updated in November 2022.
4. Social Skills Problems
Women suffering from ADHD may have difficulties managing their emotions or communicating effectively at work. This can cause problems that interfere with personal relationships and professional goals. They may have difficulty recognizing and responding properly to feedback. This can lead to disappointment or anger. Additionally, they might struggle to maintain healthy sleeping and eating habits, which could cause anxiety. In some instances, women with ADHD develop unhealthy coping mechanisms in order to deal with these problems. They may resort to substance abuse, eating disorder, and non-suicidal harming of oneself (NSSI) such as cutting, burning or scratching.
Women with ADHD might find it more difficult to receive treatment as adults than men, because they often hide their symptoms. In an effort to make themselves acceptable to society and to meet the expectations of society, they often create coping mechanisms. This can make it harder for others recognize their ADHD symptoms. These coping mechanisms can be as simple and straightforward as setting reminders or making lists, or they can be more complex such as finding ways to control their emotions or developing mindfulness strategies.
However, these strategies could backfire and make symptoms worse. These coping methods can also cause problems in getting the rest you need which is essential to managing ADHD symptoms. Additionally, women who suffer from ADHD often find themselves overwhelmed by their daily demands and this can increase stress and further exacerbate their ADHD symptoms.
It's true that boys are more frequently diagnosed with ADHD than girls. However the gap is narrowing as they get older. This is because it's common for women to experience a variety of symptoms throughout their lives, and this can result in a diagnosis at different instances.
Changes in hormone levels could also affect ADHD symptoms among women. If they have a higher estrogen level during pregnancy, for example their symptoms could get better. This is because higher levels of estrogen can aid in the regulation of brain chemicals that influence attention. If their estrogen levels drop due to perimenopausal or aging, ADHD symptoms may worsen.
It is possible for adults with ADHD to receive a precise diagnosis and get effective treatment. These include cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), neurocognitive psychology, and other treatments that can help people with ADHD improve their everyday functioning. They can also attend meetings of support groups for ADHD in order to share their experience with others who are on the same journey and gain valuable information from their colleagues.