ADHD Adult Female Symptoms
ADHD can affect men and women, but it's more difficult for women to recognize it. This is because women rarely show the same inattention or impulsivity as men do, and therefore can be missed or misdiagnosed.
Getting an accurate diagnosis is the first step in managing your symptoms. Adults with ADHD are usually treated with stimulant medications, however, there are other alternatives.
1. Difficulty Focusing
Women with ADHD can be distracted by a myriad of things, but they have a harder time focusing on conversations and tasks, especially if they are suffering from sensory or emotional overload. These issues can become more severe during menstrual cycles.
Women with inattention ADHD have problems with their working memory. This makes it difficult to remember everyday things, such as dates or events coming up. They might forget where they left their car keys or the name of the lady who offered them a ride home from spin class. They may also forget important dates and deadlines.
Procrastination, and the inability to stick with plans are also symptoms of ADHD among adult females. They are more likely to get distracted by shiny objects or social media, making it difficult to complete their work and assignments. This can result in feeling overwhelmed and underperforming at the classroom or at work.
Many women suffering from ADHD aren't diagnosed due to gender stereotypes. They feel guilt and mistakenly attribute their issues as "bad behaviors" or "character defects". They may feel like they're 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 girls and women can result in a myriad of negative effects, including problems with academics, behavioral issues as well as family and relationship issues, and coexisting mental health issues. But a proper diagnosis and treatment plan can significantly improve life for people with ADHD at all stages of life. Treatment options include stimulant medication and therapy. *
2. Difficulty Finishing Projects
Women with ADHD often struggle to complete tasks and duties. They may lose important information, have difficulty switching between tasks and responsibilities and find it difficult to meet deadlines. They may also be more prone to make mistakes that aren't their fault, have trouble organizing and managing their time well and underestimate the amount of time it takes to complete tasks.
Women suffering from ADHD may find the emotional symptoms of ADHD, such as irritability or mood swings, particularly difficult. Hormonal changes can cause symptoms, including those that are experienced during menopausal cycles, pregnancy, and during menstruation. Women who aren't diagnosed with ADHD can feel frustrated and dissatisfied with their performance at work or in their relationships.
Women with ADHD are unable to complete daily tasks like chores and grocery shopping challenging. They may not remember to empty the garbage or shut off the stove, and be easily distracted. They might also struggle with monotonous tasks like washing dishes or folding laundry. The monotonous or boring tasks can become intolerable and lead to impulsive behavior like excessive talking or oversharing. The impulsivity of ADHD can also lead women to make unruly decisions and rely on unhealthy coping mechanisms like alcohol or drugs.
If you're having trouble finishing tasks, have memory issues, are constantly procrastinating, or face relationship challenges, it is important to seek professional help for ADHD. Getting what are ADHD symptoms in adults can improve the overall quality of life and set you up for success in your personal and professional lives. It will help you better manage your ADHD symptoms and devise strategies to deal with them effectively. You can limit lapses of concentration and attention by adhering to a schedule using a planner, or a reminder app, taking notes during meetings, and practicing good sleep hygiene. Exercise can also help you focus as it increases brain neurotransmitter levels.
3. Trouble remembering names
It is possible that difficulty in remembering names could be associated with other ADHD symptoms, like difficulties following directions or not finishing projects. This is due to the difficulty of organizing and prioritizing tasks, which hinders information retrieval. This condition tends to get worse when there are periods of fatigue, stress or hormonal changes.
If someone forgets their names and addresses, it can be more annoying if they forget important things like appointments, events or personal reminders. These lapses can also be worsened by depression or anxiety, which commonly co-occur with ADHD in women.
Due to gender biases 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. This means that they are under-identified and under-referred for diagnosis and treatment.
Additionally there is discrimination based on gender due to the fact that ADHD tends to be viewed as a condition that affects boys. Boys who are hyperactive are the ones who are most frequently being referred to clinics and analyzed for treatment. Combined with internalized stigma and the fact that women's symptoms frequently differ from those of men as well, a lot of professionals fail to recognize or treat ADHD in women.
It's becoming more commonplace for women to be diagnosed with ADHD in their adulthood. A diagnosis can help improve your relationships and set you up for success at work and school, and provide the support you need to excel in your life. Contact a Salience Health provider if you're looking to be diagnosed. We can evaluate your symptoms using tools like Creyos Cognitive Testing and Brainview Advanced and connect you to a therapist that is right for you.
4. Difficulty Appearing Aloof
Women who suffer from ADHD are often prone to inattention and their issues may appear insignificant to others. They might miss appointments, forget to complete chores around the house, or have trouble taking notes at work. They may also struggle with impulsivity or difficulty understanding social boundaries. This could cause them to misinterpret and misunderstandings with family and friends, and can also cause feelings of isolation and loneliness.
In addition, women with untreated ADHD often struggle to meet social expectations for them as women. They may be struggling with the responsibility of caring for their children and household chores, and this societal pressure can intensify their ADHD symptoms and feelings of inadequateness. If left untreated, ADHD can cause low self-esteem in women. They might resort to unhealthy ways of coping like binge eating and watching marathons of TV.
The challenges of ADHD for women can be added to by gender biases in how women and girls are treated, and how clinicians evaluate them. Some research suggests that girls and women are more likely to hide or compensate for their ADHD symptoms, and may be less likely to receive treatment and diagnosis than men and boys.
Another challenge is that women suffering from 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 improper treatment.
The signs of ADHD are influenced by hormone fluctuations, and they can be particularly evident during the ovulation cycle and during menstrual cycles, pregnancy, or menopause. These changes can intensify a woman's frustration with her ADHD symptoms, and they could increase the chance of being misunderstood or dismissed as moody or overly emotional.
5. Impulsivity
Women are also prone to impulsivity, which is a symptom of ADHD. They might also have trouble managing their emotions, and be prone to "foot in mouth" moments. These actions that are impulsive can have a huge impact on relationships as well as professional life.
Prefrontal cortex is the part of the brain that is responsible for controlling thinking and making decisions. This brain area can help people avoid making poor decisions by providing a nudge on their behavior. ADHD patients have a less-functional prefrontal cortex. This can make it harder to resist impulses and stop themselves from engaging in reckless behavior. It can also cause an absence of self-esteem. For women, impulsiveness typically manifests itself as a problem with social boundaries and self-control in conversation (interrupting the conversation, not finishing other's sentences, and speaking too much).
Women can also have trouble with impulse control due to the different hormone fluctuations throughout their lives. adult ADHD symptoms men fluctuates in different intervals throughout the menstrual period, pregnancy, childbirth and menopausal cycles. The use of oral contraception and hormone therapy during perimenopause and menopausal cycles can alter the levels of estrogen and other hormones that affect the woman's ADHD symptoms.
ADHD symptoms in girls and women may differ from those of males and boys, which is why they are often incorrectly diagnosed. Because of this, many adults with ADHD are unaware that they do. The good news is, the diagnosis and treatment of ADHD at any age can improve the quality of life an individual. If you're not sure whether or not you have ADHD, talk to your doctor and see how they can assist. Treatment options include medication, cognitive behavioral therapy, and couples counseling.