ADHD Symptoms in Adult Women
Women who aren't diagnosed with ADHD can face difficulties at workplace or in relationships. It is crucial to identify the signs and find a treatment that is effective for you.
Symptoms of ADHD in adults are more likely to be the inattentive type than hyperactivity/impulsive. A proper diagnosis can aid in improving your life by managing your symptoms and focusing on the things that matter most.
1. It is difficult to pay attention
Women might have trouble paying attention to the details, remembering appointments and deadlines or underestimating the amount of time it takes to complete the task. They may also struggle to keep track of their obligations in work or relationships and are easily distracted and fail follow through with promises. They might also struggle with impulsivity, trouble managing their emotions and an inclination to talk about things without thinking about them first.
The inability to pay attention experienced by ADHD symptoms in women of adulthood can lead to problems with friendships and relationships that's why it is important to identify the signs and seek treatment. Women may have difficulty to make new friendships or struggle in their relationships due in part to repeated arguments and missed opportunities for fun and being ignored. They might also have a harder time managing the demands of work, home and childcare.
It can be a challenge for health professionals and therapists alike, to identify ADHD in many people. This doesn't mean that it's not real, or that the person has to work harder to stay focused. The diagnosis is based on the extent to which the symptoms interfere with daily functioning across multiple areas of life.
It's more common for women to exhibit inattention symptoms rather than hyperactive or impulsive signs - which could explain why this population often goes undiagnosed. Additionally many women suffering from ADHD feel a sense of guilt about their condition because they don't fit into the stereotypes of someone with ADHD. This makes it harder for people who suffer from ADHD to seek help or seek treatment.
In a few cases women with ADHD remain undiagnosed for a long time because they are trying to cope and hide their symptoms. In addition they are more likely to have comorbidities that can conceal their ADHD symptoms, like anxiety, depression and gastrointestinal issues. They are also more likely to experience hormonal fluctuations that can cause symptoms to flare up or fade away, for instance during the menstrual cycle or pregnancy, as well as perimenopausal.
2. Organizational Issues
Women who suffer from ADHD typically experience forgetfulness, disorganization and emotional dysregulation. These symptoms can make it difficult for women to complete their daily tasks, keep up with their obligations, and maintain relationships. They may also have low self-esteem or experience anxiety. Women with undiagnosed ADHD often feel like they are failing to meet societal expectations and have a difficult time keeping up with their peers in terms of academic performance as well as job performance and social interactions.
In addition to a lack of organization and forgetfulness, ADHD in adult women can be manifested as hyperfocus or procrastination. These problems can lead women to miss appointments, not pay bills on time, and feel overwhelmed. Hyperfocus can lead to a loss in focus on other important tasks, as well as a lack of understanding of time. This can make it difficult to switch from one task to another. Procrastination can also lead to a buildup of anxiety, stress and a constant feeling of being behind.
Another symptom that is often associated with ADHD is difficulty communicating verbally and nonverbally. This can include talking excessively, interrupting others or saying inappropriate words. It can also include an inability to wait his or her turn or difficulty recognizing the boundaries of social interaction. It is important to remember that these signs do not necessarily indicate the absence of intelligence or ability.
Many women with ADHD develop strategies to mask their symptoms. This can have positive and negative effects. ADHD symptoms in women adults of these coping mechanisms may be healthy. For example using a calendar for the day or making reminders for important dates. Some of these strategies for coping could be healthy, for instance, setting reminders for events or using alcohol or drugs to disguise symptoms. As a result, it is important for women who suspect ADHD to seek assistance from a mental health professional.
Women with ADHD might benefit from taking medications, lifestyle changes or therapy, as well as other treatments. These include cognitive behavioral therapy, which addresses negative thoughts and beliefs, mindfulness and relaxation, exercise, a healthy diet, and adequate rest. A doctor may also recommend adjustments that will make work or school easier to manage.
3. Disruptive Behaviors
Women suffering from ADHD can struggle with emotional dysregulation. In the end, they often become frustrated and discouraged when their problems aren't solved. This makes it difficult to keep relationships with romantic partners, friends as well as coworkers. For example, forgetfulness and insanity can increase the frustration or confusion in relationships with loved ones and cause feelings of loneliness, loss or depression. A tendency to seek out thrills on the spur of the moment could be misinterpreted by others as an absence of interest or indifference.
Because of this, ADHD symptoms are frequently missed or not recognized for girls and women. They may also have difficulty understanding that their issues are related to the disorder due to social norms and stereotypes about gender roles and behavior.
Girls and women with ADHD tend to conceal their symptoms in order to avoid embarrassment. This may result in them being referred for diagnosis less often than men and boys with the same symptoms. This could be due to gender bias in research that informs the diagnosis criteria. In a recent study Hartung and Widiger found that girls and women are more likely to be misdiagnosed and not diagnosed than men and boys who have the same ADHD symptoms. This could be because clinicians are taught to see hyperactive and impulsive ADHD symptoms as more common to boys and men, which can make them easier to identify and referred to assessment.
For adults, ADHD symptoms can manifest as restlessness and difficulty settling. These are common signs of ADHD, but in adulthood they can have a significant impact on the quality of life and well-being. People suffering from ADHD may feel restless or find it difficult to remain still. This is particularly when they're feeling anxious or stressed. They tend to fidget and are overly talking. They frequently interrupt or finish sentences of other people and do not realize they are being rude.
If you think you may have ADHD, you can be referred to a psychiatrist by your GP or psychologist. You can also self-refer. This content was reviewed in the month of October 2024 and updated in November 2022 by Madeline Dykes, clinical psychologist and members of the Thriving Madly peer support network in Christchurch.
4. Social Skills Problems
Women suffering from ADHD may struggle to communicate effectively or to manage their emotions in the workplace. This can lead to issues in personal relationships and with professional goals. For example, they might struggle to understand and respond to feedback, which can cause frustration and even disappointment. They may also struggle to keep a healthy diet and sleep habits, which could increase feelings of anxiety. Many women who suffer from ADHD use unhealthy coping methods to cope with their issues. This includes substance abuse, eating disorder and non-suicidal harming of oneself (NSSI) such as cutting, burning, or scratching.
As adults, women with ADHD may find it more difficult to seek treatment than men due to the fact that they are more likely to hide their symptoms. In order to be accepted by society and to meet expectations, they usually develop coping strategies. This makes it difficult to be recognized by others as having ADHD symptoms. These strategies for coping could be as simple as making lists and establishing reminders, or more complicated methods, like developing a strategy to manage their emotions or implementing mindfulness strategies.
These coping mechanisms can but backfire and cause worse symptoms. They can also make it difficult to achieve an adequate amount of sleep, which is crucial in managing ADHD symptoms. Additionally, women who suffer from ADHD often feel overwhelmed by life's demands and this can increase stress and exacerbate ADHD symptoms.
While it's true that a greater number of boys are diagnosed with ADHD than girls, this gap becomes smaller when they reach the age of adulthood. This is because women typically experience a variety of symptoms throughout the course of their lives. This can result in different diagnoses.
Changes in hormone levels can also affect ADHD symptoms among women. If they have higher levels of estrogen during pregnancy, for instance the symptoms could improve. Higher levels of estrogen regulate brain chemicals that affect attention. If their estrogen levels drop due to perimenopausal changes or aging, ADHD symptoms may worsen.
It is possible for people with ADHD to receive a precise diagnosis and access effective treatment. This includes cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) and neurocognitive psychotherapy, which can help people with ADHD build the necessary skills to improve their everyday functioning. In addition, they may join support groups for ADHD to discuss their experiences with other people with similar experiences and gain valuable insight from their peers.