ADHD Symptoms in Adult Women
Women with undiagnosed ADHD can face difficulties at workplace or in relationships. It is crucial to identify the signs and seek out 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 help improve your life, by managing your symptoms and paying attention to what is important.
1. Trouble paying attention
Women may be struggling with their inability to pay attention to details or remember deadlines and appointments or underestimate the time it will take to complete a task. They might also have difficulties managing their time at work or in relationships, become distracted easily, and fail to follow through on promises. They may also be afflicted by impulsivity, trouble managing their emotions, and an inclination to talk about things without thinking about them first.
The difficulty of paying attention that is experienced by ADHD symptoms in women who are older can lead to issues with friendships and relationships that's why it's important to recognize the signs and seek treatment. Women may find it difficult to make new friends or struggle in their relationships due in part to repeated arguments and missed opportunities for fun and being ignored. They can also face difficulties managing the demands of work, home and childcare.
Many people who suffer from ADHD don't meet the diagnostic criteria, and it may be difficult for health professionals or therapists to detect the condition. But that doesn't mean that it's not true or that the person needs to work harder to stay on task. Diagnoses are based upon the symptoms and how they affect daily functioning in multiple areas.
Women tend to have more inattentive symptoms as opposed to hyperactive or impulsive ones and this could be the reason why they go undiagnosed. Additionally many women who suffer from ADHD are afflicted with a sense of being embarrassed about their issues because they don't fit the stereotypes of someone with ADHD. This can make it more difficult to seek assistance or seek treatment.
In some instances women with ADHD go undiagnosed for a long time because they are trying to cope and hide their symptoms. They are more likely to be suffering from disorders that are comorbid, like anxiety or depression that can cover up the symptoms of ADHD. They are also more likely to have hormonal fluctuations that could cause their symptoms to flare up or disappear, such as during the menstrual cycle or pregnancy, as well as perimenopausal.
2. Problems with Organization
Women who suffer from ADHD often experience forgetfulness, disorganization and emotional dysregulation. These signs can cause them to be unable to keep up with daily tasks, meet their obligations, or maintain relationships. They may also have a low self-esteem and suffer from anxiety. Women who are not diagnosed with ADHD often feel that they're not meeting societal expectations and have a harder time keeping up with their peers in terms of academic achievement, job performance, and social interactions.
ADHD in women may manifest itself as procrastination, hyperfocus, or forgetfulness. These issues can lead women to miss appointments, not pay bills on time, and feel overwhelmed. Hyperfocus can result in a loss of focus on other crucial tasks and a poor understanding of time. This can make it difficult to switch from one task to another. Procrastination can also result in a buildup of anxiety, stress and an unending feeling of being lagging behind.
Communication problems that are nonverbal as well as verbal are a typical sign of ADHD. This could mean excessive talk, interrupting other people, or using inappropriate words. It could also be an inability to wait for her turn or having difficulty understanding the boundaries of social interaction. It is important to note that these behaviors don't necessarily indicate a lack in intelligence or ability.
Many women suffering from ADHD develop strategies to disguise their symptoms. These strategies can have positive and negative impacts. severe ADHD symptoms adults of these coping strategies can be healthy, for instance, using a daily schedule or setting reminders for events. Others could be harmful like drinking alcohol or using drugs to mask symptoms or ignoring them altogether. It is crucial that women who suspect that they have ADHD seek help from a professional.
Women suffering from ADHD may benefit from medication, lifestyle modifications, therapy, or other treatments. They can avail cognitive behavioral therapy, which addresses negative beliefs and thoughts, mindfulness and relaxation, exercising and a balanced diet and enough rest. A doctor can also recommend accommodations that can help make work or school easier to manage.
3. Disruptive Behaviors
Women who suffer from ADHD may struggle with emotional dysregulation. This is why they can become unhappy and depressed when the challenges of life aren't resolved. It can be challenging to keep relationships going, whether with romantic partners, co-workers or even friends. For example, forgetfulness or impulsivity may create confusion or frustration in romantic relationships and cause feelings of depression or loneliness. Additionally the tendency to seek excitement on a whim can be misinterpreted as disinterest or indifference by others.
For these reasons, ADHD symptoms are often overlooked or not recognized in women and girls. They may also have a hard time recognizing that their struggles are caused by the disorder due to stereotypes and social norms regarding the behavior of women and men.
Women and girls with ADHD can disguise their symptoms to avoid embarrassment. This can lead to them being referred less often for diagnosis than males and females with the same symptoms. This could be due to gender bias in the research that informs diagnostic criteria. Hartung and Widiger discovered in a recent study that girls and women who suffer from ADHD symptoms tend to be more likely to go undiagnosed and under-diagnosed than men and adults. This could be due to the fact that doctors are conditioned by their training to view hyperactive and impulsive ADHD as being more common for both genders. This makes them easier to recognize and recommend to an assessment.
In adults, ADHD symptoms can manifest as restlessness or difficulty relaxing. These are common symptoms of ADHD however, as we age they can have a significant impact on one's life and well-being. People suffering from ADHD may feel restless or find it hard to remain still. This is particularly the case when they're anxious or stressed. They are also susceptible to fidgeting and tend to be extremely talkative, frequently interrupting or completing other people's sentences without thinking they're being rude.
If you think you might have ADHD or other disorders, you may be recommended to an ophthalmologist by your physician or psychologist. Or, you can self-refer. This information was reviewed in the month of October 2024 and updated in November 2022 by Madeline Dykes, clinical psychologist and a member of the Thriving Madly peer support network in Christchurch.
4. Social Skills Problems
Women suffering from ADHD might have trouble managing their emotions or communicating effectively at work. This can cause problems that interfere with personal relationships and professional goals. They may be unable to recognize and responding appropriately to feedback. This could lead to frustration or even disappointment. Additionally, they might have difficulty maintaining healthy eating and sleeping routines, which can cause anxiety. Many women with ADHD employ unhealthy methods of coping to compensate for their problems. They may include substances abuse, eating disorders, or self-injury that is non-suicidal (NSSI) like cutting or burning.
Women with ADHD may have a harder time get treatment as adults than males, because they often hide their symptoms. They frequently develop coping strategies to try to fit in and conform to social expectations, which may make their ADHD symptoms more difficult for others to recognize. These coping mechanisms may be as simple as setting reminders or making lists, or they could be more complicated, like being able to manage their emotions or developing mindful strategies.
However, these strategies could backfire and make symptoms worse. These coping methods can also make it difficult to get the rest you need which is essential for managing ADHD symptoms. Women suffering from ADHD can also feel overwhelmed by the demands of everyday life, which can cause ADHD symptoms.
It's true that boys are diagnosed more often with ADHD than girls. However, the gap narrows as they grow older. This is because women often suffer from a variety of symptoms over the course of their lives. This could lead to different diagnoses.
Changes in hormone levels can impact ADHD symptoms in women. For instance when they have an elevated estrogen level during pregnancy, their symptoms could improve. This is because higher levels of estrogen can aid in the regulation of brain chemicals that affect attention. However, if they begin to notice a decrease in estrogen levels due to perimenopausal changes or age or perimenopausal symptoms, their ADHD symptoms could become more severe.
It's now possible for people with ADHD to receive a precise diagnosis and receive effective treatment. This includes cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) and neurocognitive psychotherapy, which will aid people suffering from ADHD build the necessary skills to improve their everyday functioning. In addition, they can join support groups for ADHD to discuss their experiences with other people on the same journey and gain valuable insights from their colleagues.