ADHD Adult Female Symptoms
ADHD can affect people of all genders and ages, but it can be more difficult for women to diagnose. This is because women rarely exhibit the same high levels of impulsivity or hyperactivity that men do, so they can be missed or misdiagnosed.
The first step to manage your symptoms is to get an accurate diagnosis. Adults who suffer from ADHD are usually treated with stimulant medication, but there are other options.
1. Problems with Focusing
Although everyone is distracted from time to time, women with ADHD have difficulty putting their attention on tasks and conversations particularly when they're dealing with sensory or emotional overload. These issues can become more difficult during menstrual cycles.
Women with inattention ADHD have issues with their working memory. This makes it difficult to remember simple things, such as dates or events coming up. They may forget where they left their keys in their car or the name of the lady who gave them a lift home from the spin class. They may also forget important dates and deadlines.
Procrastination, and the inability to stick with plans are also signs of ADHD among females of adulthood. They are more likely to get distracted by shiny objects or social media, which makes it difficult to finish their projects and assignments. This can cause a sense of being overwhelmed and underperforming at work or school.
Many women suffering from ADHD are not diagnosed due to gender stereotypes. This means that they struggle with shame and mistakenly label their issues as "bad habits" or "character flaws." They also feel like they are an imposter. A diagnosis can be a moment of clarity, giving them a clear external explanation for their issues and helping them accept themselves more fully.
Untreated ADHD in women and girls can have a variety of negative consequences, including behavioral issues, academic problems relationships and family issues, and coexisting mental health conditions. A well-constructed diagnosis and treatment plan will improve the lives of people who suffer from ADHD at any time in their life. Treatment options could include stimulant therapy and medication. *
2. Difficulty Finishing Projects
Women with ADHD struggle to complete tasks or obligations. They can miss important details, have difficulty switching between tasks or responsibilities and have difficulty attempting to meet deadlines. They may also be more likely to make careless mistakes, struggle with organizing their schedules and underestimate the amount of time it takes them to complete tasks.
Women with ADHD may find the emotional symptoms of ADHD, such as mood swings or irritability, particularly frustrating. Hormonal changes can cause symptoms, such as those that occur during menopausal, pregnancy and during menstrual cycle. Women who aren't diagnosed with ADHD may be frustrated and disappointed in their work performance and in their relationships.
Women with ADHD struggle with keeping up with daily tasks, such as grocery shopping and household chores. They may forget to take out the garbage or turn off the stove, and be easily distracted. They may also have difficulty with routine tasks, such as washing dishes or folding laundry. The monotonous or repetitive chores can become unbearable and cause impulsive behavior such as excessive talking or sharing. The impulsivity associated with ADHD can cause women to make impulsive choices and rely on unhealthy coping mechanisms such as alcohol or drugs.
If you are having difficulty completing tasks, memory problems that cause chronic procrastination or relationship challenges, you should consider a professional assessment for ADHD. A correct diagnosis can enhance your quality of life and help you achieve success in your professional and personal life. It will help you better manage your ADHD symptoms and devise strategies to manage them effectively. To minimize lapses in concentration and attention it is recommended to keep a consistent schedule using a planner or reminder apps to take notes during meetings, and practice good habits of sleep (avoid screens an hour before the time you go to bed). Exercise also helps to improve focus by increasing the production of brain neurotransmitters.
3. Difficulty remembering names
It is possible that a trouble remembering names might be coupled with other ADHD symptoms, like difficulties following directions or not finishing projects. This is due to an inability of prioritizing and organizing tasks, which hinders information retrieval. This symptom tends to worsen when there is a period of fatigue, stress or hormonal changes.
Forgetting names can be more frustrating when it's followed by a feeling of forgetfulness over bigger items, such as appointments, events or personal reminders. These lapses could be caused by depression or anxiety, which commonly co-occur with ADHD in women.
Due to gender perceptions and internalized symptoms ADHD is often misdiagnosed by women. Inattentive ADHD symptoms are more subtle than hyperactive/impulsive symptoms, making them harder to detect and identify. Therefore, they are not diagnosed and not referred to doctors to receive treatment and diagnosis.
In addition, there is a gender-based bias because the disorder is largely considered to be a male-specific condition, with hyperactive boys being the ones who are most referred to clinics for evaluation and treatment. In addition to internalized stigma, female symptoms are often different from men's. Many doctors fail to diagnose or treat ADHD in females.
Fortunately, it's becoming more common for women to receive an ADHD diagnosis in their adulthood. inattentive ADHD in adults symptoms can improve your relationships, set you up for success at work and school and offer the help you need to excel in your daily life. If you are looking to get a diagnosis, talk to an experienced Salience Health provider. We can assess your symptoms using tools such as Creyos Cognitive Testing and Brainview Advanced and connect you with a therapist who's the right fit for you.
4. Ailoofs that appear difficult to see
Women suffering from ADHD can have subtle symptoms of inattention. They might miss appointments, forget to complete chores around the home, or have difficulty taking notes at work. They may also struggle with impulsivity or difficulty understanding the boundaries of social interaction. This can result in misinterpretation and misunderstandings in relationships with family and friends, and it can cause feelings of loneliness and disconnection.
In addition, women who suffer from untreated ADHD frequently have difficulty meeting the expectations of society for them as women. This can cause a feeling of inadequacy and ADHD symptoms as they struggle with the responsibility of caring for children and household chores. Untreated ADHD can cause low self-esteem among women. They may resort to unhealthy coping mechanisms like binge eating and watching TV marathons.
The difficulties of ADHD for women can be caused by gender bias both in the way that girls and women are perceived and assessed by healthcare professionals. Certain studies suggest that women and girls tend to hide their ADHD symptoms or compensate for them, and may be less likely than men and boys to get referred for diagnosis and treatment.
Another challenge is that women with ADHD might have difficulty recognizing their own symptoms, and they may confuse them with anxiety or mood disorders. This can contribute to a false diagnosis and delayed or incorrect treatment.
These changes can cause women to be more frustrated with her ADHD symptoms. They could also increase the chance that she will be viewed or dismissed as moody or emotional. These changes can heighten women's anger over their ADHD symptoms, and can increase the risk of being viewed as moody or emotional.
5. Impulsivity
The impulsivity of ADHD affects both men and boys differently, women experience it similarly. They may also have difficulty managing their emotions, and be prone to "foot in mouth" moments. These behavior patterns that are impulsive can have big impact on relationships and professional life.
The part of the brain that controls decision-making and reasoning is called the prefrontal cortex. This brain area can help people avoid making poor decisions by providing a nudge on behavior. The people with ADHD have a less functional prefrontal cortex, which makes it difficult for them to resist their urges or stop themselves from engaging in reckless or harmful behavior. It can also result in an absence of self-esteem. Women's impulsiveness can be seen as an inability to maintain social boundaries and self-control during conversation (interrupting others, finishing their sentences, and talking too much).
Women also may have issues controlling their impulses during the various hormonal fluctuations throughout their lives. Estrogen is naturally fluctuates at various periods during the menstrual cycle, as well as during childbirth, pregnancy and menopausal. The use of oral contraception and hormone therapy during perimenopausal and menopausal cycles can alter the levels of estrogen as well as other hormones that impact women's ADHD symptoms.
The manner in which ADHD symptoms are expressed for women and girls may differ from the symptoms of males and females, which is one of the reasons why they are often not diagnosed. Because of this, many adults with ADHD are unaware that they have it. The good news is, diagnosing and treating ADHD at any age can enhance the quality of life of the person. Talk to your doctor if there's a doubt if you have ADHD. They'll be able to give you advice. Treatment options include medications, cognitive behavioral therapy, and couples counseling.