ADHD Symptoms in Adult Females
Although ADHD affects both genders equally throughout adulthood, the condition often isn't recognized by females. This is likely due to gender stereotypes and the capacity of women to conceal their symptoms.
Many healthcare professionals lack the knowledge or experience to detect ADHD in women. Many females are not diagnosed correctly and don't receive the care they require.
1. Disorganization
Women and girls with ADHD have trouble coordinating. This condition is difficult to manage. Your desk, for instance might be a mess of papers, 17 chapsticks, and tickets from the Kings of Leon show you attended in 2008. Although you may have purchased a few items to help you organize your workspace, your home or office is probably still messy and chaotic.
Your inability to stay on top of your work could result in missed appointments and forgotten deadlines. In addition, you could struggle with a concept called "time blindness," which means you can't remember or understand the amount of time it takes to finish an assignment. This can make you feel frustrated and feel like you aren't doing a good enough job in your career, or even your personal life.
You might also have trouble managing your emotions, which could make you overreact in stressful situations. You may also say things that are not intended to hurt people's feelings. In addition, since impulsivity is common for those with ADHD and ADD, you may be unable to stop yourself from making comments without thinking them through.
If you suffer from ADHD it's possible that a portion of your symptoms are rooted in gender stereotypes or cultural ideas about how men, women, and boys should behave. This makes it more difficult for you to identify and treat your ADHD.
In addition to a diagnosis, you might need a treatment for behavioral issues to address the root causes of your disorder. It may take a while to determine the most effective strategies for dealing with stress, but implementing them can help you feel more in control of your life and improve your relationships with family, colleagues, and friends.
2. Impulsivity
People with ADHD frequently experience intense emotions however their brains don't have a good way to evaluate or filter them. They can be overwhelmed by a minor setback, or have difficulty in assessing the mood of others. This also makes them more prone to be distracted by minor issues like the availability of a book or an unreliable friend.
Many women with ADHD mask their symptoms and devise strategies to deal with their attention problems. They could be highly organized or a perfectionist at school or at work, and struggle to keep the track of appointments and bills or important dates. They might also struggle with self-control and verbal control. They may also 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 or stop activities. They can also be characterized by not being able to wait for your turn in a conversation or being unable to discern social signals.
While gender-based stereotypes can contribute to the development of ADHD however, it's sometimes difficult to determine if women are suffering from these problems. Rating scales that are used to determine ADHD symptoms are still biased toward male behavior and some healthcare professionals may misunderstand or underestimate the severity of a woman's symptoms.
Many women with ADHD report that their symptoms are more severe when hormonal changes occur like menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and perimenopause. This can exacerbate emotional symptoms and trigger a lot of feelings of frustration, irritability or depression. adhd in women may also feel an unending feeling of unsatisfaction with their lives or relationships. This can lead to self-esteem issues, substance abuse, or unhealthy ways of coping. This is why it's crucial for women to recognize that these symptoms are not a reflection of their value or worth as a person. The good news is that with a proper treatment strategy, these symptoms can be reduced or even eliminated.
3. Attention
ADHD is characterized by a high frequency of these symptoms. While everyone struggles to concentrate and pay attention at times the frequency of these symptoms is so high that they can interfere with your daily life. You might make mistakes at school or work and forget appointments, or spend a lot of time procrastinating. You can't wait your turn and interrupt others in conversations.
Adults who are inattention may include the tendency to get involved in projects without fully planning and researching them, which leads to inadequate or poor results. You may also be easily distracted and leave projects unfinished. This could be a vegetable garden that was planted but not watered, or a new organization system you put together and then left on your nightstand to accumulate dust.
People with inattentive ADHD also struggle with a chronic sense of disorganization, both at home and at work. You may have difficulty finding important documents keys, bills or keys and lose things regularly. You could also be unable to keep track of the time and end up late for work, meetings or school.
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 considering the impact such as yelling at other people or making strange sounds when they are alone. They might be unable to sit still, and fidget in their chair or move. They may have difficulty maintaining the job they have, and are in frequent conflicts with their coworkers and supervisor.
In some cases the mood swings and emotional distress caused by ADHD can lead to frustration in relationships and miscommunications. This is particularly true in romantic relationships and at work. People with ADHD are also more likely to suffer from co-occurring conditions, like depression, anxiety or bipolar disorder.
Women and girls with ADHD are likely to face many challenges when seeking treatment. These include gender bias and a tendency to conceal symptoms or minimize their severity, as well as gender bias. add in adult women of well-known women like Mia Freedman and Em Rusciano who have publicly shared their personal struggles with ADHD has raised awareness, yet many girls and young women do not know they have the disorder.
4. Anxiety
An anxiety disorder is characterized by persistently excessive anxiety. While everyone is anxious or nervous at times Anxiety disorders are defined by persistently high levels of anxiety. You might feel an uncontrollable feeling of anxiety or fear, a rapid heartbeat, trouble keeping calm and difficulty thinking clearly. You may also experience an increased fear of danger, even in situations that aren't likely be dangerous for you. The most commonly encountered types of anxiety are general anxiety disorder, phobias and agoraphobia as well as separation anxiety, panic disorders and selective mutism.
Anxiety is more prevalent in women suffering from ADHD than men, and it is more likely to become worse during certain periods of the woman's life, such as around her menstrual cycle and pregnancy or perimenopausal. This can make it harder to manage everyday tasks and social interactions, and can cause feelings of self-doubt and a general feeling of discontent with your life.
You're highly sensitive to rejection and have a tough to accept criticism. You can easily misinterpret feedback, or even anticipate rejection. You might get angry about small things that others don't see an issue with.
Mood swings are also one of the adult female adhd symptoms and you may discover that your mood is unpredictable or difficult to control. You could also be susceptible to self-injury that is not suicidal, such as burning, scrubbing or hitting yourself.
It's important to seek a diagnosis when you are experiencing any of the symptoms listed above. It will help you know your issues and offer you strategies for improving your living quality. You can take an ADHD test online, or talk to your doctor for an assessment from a professional. In some cases your doctor may prescribe medication to help alleviate your symptoms. In other cases, they might recommend the combination of lifestyle changes and cognitive behavioral therapy. In either case it's crucial to make positive changes as soon as you can. This can help you regain control of your life and feel more confident and capable.