adhd in women treatment For Women
Women who suffer from ADHD report emotional volatility and sensitivity towards rejection. They can also experience insomnia or poor quality sleep, which can make symptoms worse.
undiagnosed adhd in women and women are generally better at concealing their ADHD symptoms by using coping strategies to meet societal expectations and norms. This can lead both to a misdiagnosis and delays in treatment.
1. Problems with Focusing
Concentration is the biggest issue for many women with ADHD. Symptoms of this neurodevelopmental disorder could make it difficult to concentrate at school, at meetings at work, or even when reading and listening to others talk. It can also be difficult to complete daily tasks, like keeping track of appointments or making sure to take medications.
Difficulty focusing is one of the most common adhd symptoms for girls and women, regardless of their gender identity or whether they have hyperactive/impulsive or inattentive ADHD. According to CHADD the women who suffer from the inattentive type of the disorder may struggle with organizing their homes and desk. They might be unable to prioritize their tasks. These difficulties can lead them to miss appointments, arrive at the wrong place at the correct time or fail to follow through on their tasks. They can also cause them to feel ashamed of themselves and blame themselves for their problems believing they are incompetent or forgetful.
Attention-deficit ADHD symptoms can make it hard to keep track of the demands of life, resulting in poor work or school performance and an accumulation of debt. They can be triggered by stress or other mental health issues such as anxiety and depression that often co-occur with ADHD in women, as per CHADD.
Teachers and parents might be biased against males and girls, leading to some women and girls to be overlooked. They may not be able to express their ADHD symptoms as well, especially the hyperactive/impulsive ones, and may have difficulty finding treatment that works for them.
Hormonal changes can also exacerbate symptoms in adult women with ADHD. For instance, they could be more evident during the menstrual cycle or during perimenopausal transition, the period leading up to menopausal, when estrogen levels decrease and can cause emotional issues which include mood swings as well as irritability.
Adults suffering from ADHD can benefit from stimulant medications to improve their concentration however, it cannot cure the condition. Other strategies, such as mindfulness training, lifestyle changes and cognitive behavioral therapies (CBT) can also help with organization and focus. Some schools and workplaces have accommodations that can help with these issues, as well.
2. Forgetting Things
The habit of forgetting can make juggling daily chores and responsibilities difficult. You may struggle to remember important details about events or people particularly when they occur in a noisy or busy environment. You might also find that you often forget appointments or get late for work and school. Forgetting to pay bills or reply to emails is a common occurrence for women suffering from ADHD and can cause financial stress and make you feel stressed. You may experience difficulties working in a noisy or crowded office, and may zone out during conversations. This could cause the other person to feel unimportant or confused.
Many girls and women who have ADHD also struggle to maintain friendships. They also run the risk of being pushed into sexually inappropriate behavior or becoming intimate partner violence victims. They are more likely than others to feel overwhelmed due to the fact that they are unable to manage their emotions. They may also struggle with self-esteem, and may be more likely to view their problems as "personal flaws" instead of acknowledging that their behavior is related to their ADHD symptoms.
Due to gender biases due to gender bias, girls and women with ADHD are not diagnosed because their symptoms are less obvious than those of men and boys. They might be more likely to camouflage their symptoms with mood or anxiety issues which could lead to being misdiagnosed and incorrectly treated.
ADHD symptoms can differ based on fluctuations in hormones. This is especially the case during puberty when hormone levels decrease and progesterone levels increase. This can lead to a greater variation in symptoms from day to day, which makes it difficult to diagnose and treat ADHD correctly.
Getting diagnosed and receiving treatment can help you learn the life skills needed to manage your ADHD symptoms. You can also consider lifestyle changes, for example, eating a well-balanced diet and limiting caffeine, sugar and other stimulants that may cause symptoms to get worse. You can also practice meditation and mindfulness techniques to calm your mind, decrease restlessness and impulsiveness, and improve emotional regulation. Talking with a mental health professional could be beneficial, since they can suggest possible adjustments at work or at school that can assist you in managing your ADHD symptoms better.
3. Disruptive Behavior
In most cases, females with ADHD have more irritable symptoms than those with hyperactive or impulsive symptoms. This could be due to the fact that the female and female brains differ from the brains of males and females or it could be to do with how much activity is taking place in the regions of the brain that control impulsive and disruptive behavior.
It can be a challenge for doctors to diagnose ADHD in women. Many women develop strategies for coping to hide their symptoms. Some are healthy, but others aren't sustainable and can lead to other health problems. For instance, some women, turn to excessive alcohol and other drugs to deal with their problems. They might also develop depression or other mental health problems such as anxiety. These unhealthy coping mechanisms can make it harder for someone to recognize they are suffering from a disorder and may delay a correct diagnosis.
Disruptive behavior is one of the most common adhd symptoms for women. It can impact their school or work performance, as well as their relationships. This includes being unable to stay focused on a specific task, or forgetting important events or tasks and being easily distracted by the surrounding environment or their thoughts. They may fidget, shake their feet or hands, or make a squirming sound. They may also talk loud or yell, and they can be interruptive.
Women who have the inattentive subtype are prone to having difficulty concentrating during lectures or conversations and juggling schoolwork writing, reading, or reading assignments, following directions in class or at work, and juggling daily tasks. They might be unorganized, forgetful, and messy. It can be challenging to keep up with tasks or commitments. They are more likely to lose or misplace items like glasses, wallets, keys and even wallets.
Having the predominantly hyperactive/impulsive type of adhd can disrupt work or school, cause social problems, and create relationship challenges. This type of disorder can cause trouble at home, at work, and in schools, and can lead to feelings of agitation and boredom. It can also cause frustration. They have a tough waiting to be called upon at school, at home or at work and are often disruptive to others. They are prone to act recklessly and are unable control their behavior.
4. Anxiety
Women and girls with ADHD are more likely to have a difficult to manage their symptoms than men and boys. This is partly due to the expectations of society, which demand that mothers and women be the primary caregivers for their children and their household. When a woman with ADHD is unable to fulfill her responsibilities, she could feel anxious and stressed which can lead to low self-esteem. This makes it more difficult to seek treatment.
Women with ADHD are often not recognized as easily as males or females because their symptoms do not appear as prominent. They may present with primarily inattentive symptoms, which do not have the same outward appearance as hyperactive/impulsive ADHD symptoms, making them less likely to receive a referral for treatment from teachers and parents. In addition they are more likely to develop coping strategies that mask their ADHD symptoms, such as frequent fidgeting and forgetfulness which can be mistaken for symptoms of anxiety disorders.
The symptoms of ADHD can change throughout the life of a woman. For example, during periods of hormonal changes, such as menstruation or pregnancy, a woman could find her ADHD symptoms to be exacerbated. This could cause her to be misunderstood, or thought of as a woman who is overly emotional.
This article is based on research on how ADHD affects different people based on their gender. Verywell Health recognizes that sex is a biological phenomenon: chromosomal makeup hormones, hormones and anatomical structure. gender is an internal perception of the person you are as a man, a woman, or if you're non-binary, you're or a person. This distinction is important as it allows us to better comprehend the ways and reasons ADHD manifests differently in men and women. This is why throughout this article we refer to men and people assigned to male at birth (AMAB) as boys and men, and to women and those assigned female at birth (AFAB) as women and girls. This terminology is utilized in many research studies. To find out more, check out Verywell Health's guide to gender and sexuality.