Women suffering from adhd assessment for women often report symptoms of emotional instability and sensitivity to rejection. They may also suffer from insomnia and poor quality of sleep which can cause more symptoms.
Girls and women often hide their ADHD symptoms better than males, using strategies to manage their stress and meet social expectations and norms. This could lead to misdiagnosis and delay in treatment.
1. Problems with Focusing
Concentration is the biggest issue for many women with ADHD. Symptoms of this neurodevelopmental disorder may make it difficult to remain focused at school, in meetings at work, or when reading or listening to other people's conversations. It can be difficult to accomplish daily tasks, such as remembering appointments or taking medication.
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. Women with the inattentive form of the disorder may struggle to organize their home or their desk and find it difficult to prioritize tasks according to CHADD. These difficulties can cause them to miss appointments, show up at the wrong place at the correct time, or fail to follow through on their job responsibilities. They may also cause them to feel bad about themselves and blame themselves for their problems believing they are lazy or forgetful.
Inattentional ADHD can also result in poor performance at school or at work, and the accumulation of debt. According to CHADD the symptoms can be triggered either by stress or other mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety.
Some girls and women with inattentive ADHD are not diagnosed or recognized because of the biases parents and teachers may have toward boys and men. 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 increase symptoms in women who suffer from ADHD. They can be more noticeable during menstrual cycles or perimenopausal periods that is the time leading up to a woman's menopause which is when estrogen levels decrease and cause emotional problems like mood swings and irritation.
Stimulant medication can enhance concentration in adults suffering from ADHD, but it won't treat the condition. Other strategies, such as mindfulness training, lifestyle changes and cognitive behavioral therapies (CBT) can also help in focusing and organization. Certain schools and workplaces have facilities to assist with these issues.
2. Forgetting Things
Forgetfulness can make juggling daily tasks and responsibilities difficult. You may have difficulty remembering important details about people or events particularly when they take place in a crowded or noisy environment. You may also find that you often forget appointments or get late for work and school. Inability to pay bills or reply to emails is a common occurrence for women suffering from ADHD that can lead to financial stress and leave you feeling rushed. You may experience difficulties working in a busy or noisy office. You may also zone out during conversations, causing the other person feeling unimportant or misunderstood.
Many women and girls who have undiagnosed adhd in adult women also struggle to keep friendships. They are also at risk of being forced into sexually inappropriate behavior or becoming victims of intimate partner violence. They are more likely than others to feel overwhelmed because they have difficulty regulating their emotions. They could also have a problem with self-esteem, and they might view their problems as a "personal flaw" instead of recognizing that their behavior is related to their ADHD symptoms.
Females and females who suffer from ADHD are also often overlooked due to gender bias since their symptoms are more noticeable than the symptoms of men and boys. They could disguise symptoms of anxiety and mood disorders, which can result in a misdiagnosis or incorrect treatment.
The symptoms of ADHD differ with the fluctuation of hormones particularly during puberty, when estrogen drops and progesterone increases. This can result in more frequent change in symptoms throughout the day, which can make it harder to identify and treat ADHD effectively.
If you are diagnosed and treated, you can learn to manage ADHD symptoms. You can also make lifestyle changes, like eating a well-balanced diet and limiting sugar, caffeine and other stimulants that might cause symptoms to get worse. You can also try mindfulness and meditation techniques to calm your mind, decrease the impulsiveness and anxiety, and improve emotional regulation. Talking to a mental health professional could be beneficial, since they can suggest possible adjustments at work or at school that can help you manage your ADHD symptoms better.
3. Disruptive Behavior
In the majority of cases, women 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 those of boys and men or it could have to do with how much activity is taking place in the regions of the brain responsible for managing disruptive and impulsive behavior.
It can be a challenge for doctors to diagnose ADHD in women. Many women develop strategies for coping to mask their symptoms. Some of these are healthy, but others are unsustainable and can cause health issues of other kinds. For instance women may turn to alcohol or other drugs to manage their symptoms. They might also develop depression or other mental health issues like anxiety. These unhealthy coping strategies can make it difficult for people to recognize a mental health problem and delay a proper diagnosis.
Disruptive behavior is a common adhd symptom in women that can affect work or school performance and relationships. They can be a problem when they are incapable of staying focused on a specific task, ignoring important events or tasks, and easily getting distracted by the environment or their thoughts. They might fidget or tap their feet or hands or squirm in their seat. They may also talk loud or yell, and they could be disruptive.
Women who are inattentive can have difficulty staying focused during lectures or conversations, keeping up with schoolwork writing, reading, or reading assignments, following instructions in class or at work, and managing daily tasks. They might be unorganized and forgetful. They may also be messy. It can be challenging for them to stick with commitments or tasks. They are more likely to lose or lose items such as 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 adhd can cause issues at home, work, or school. It can also trigger feelings of restlessness, boredom and frustration. They can't wait for their turn, whether at school, at work, or at home. They also interrupt others frequently. They have a tendency to act recklessly and aren't able to manage their behavior.
4. Anxiety
Girls and women with ADHD may have a harder time coping with their symptoms than males and females. This is due to the expectations of society that require women and mothers be the primary caregivers for their children and household. When a woman struggles to manage her responsibilities and obligations, it can cause anxiety and low self-esteem. This, in turn, could make it difficult to seek treatment for her ADHD.
Women with ADHD are typically not diagnosed as easily as men or boys because their symptoms do not seem to be as apparent. 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 cover up their ADHD symptoms, including excessive fidgeting and forgetfulness, that could be mistaken for symptoms of anxiety disorders.
The symptoms of ADHD can change throughout a woman's lifetime. For instance, during times of hormonal changes, such as menstrual or pregnancy, a woman may discover her adhd diagnosis in adult women symptoms to become more intense. This can lead her to be viewed as a victim of prejudice or dismissed as being overly emotional.
This article is based on research into how ADHD affects different people depending on their gender. Verywell Health recognizes that sex is a matter of biology: chromosomal makeup, hormones, and anatomical structure, while gender is an internal perception of what you're like as a man, a woman, or, if non-binary, or a person. This distinction is crucial because it helps us know the reasons behind why ADHD manifests differently in women and men. In this article, we refer to males and people who were assigned males at birth as males and boys. We also refer to females and people who were assigned female at conception as girls and women. This terminology is used in many research studies. For more information, read Verywell Health's guide to gender and sexuality.