ADHD Symptoms For Women
Women who suffer from ADHD typically experience symptoms of emotional instability and sensitive to rejection. They might also experience insomnia or poor quality sleep, which can cause the symptoms to become worse.
Women and girls often mask their ADHD symptoms more effectively than men and employ coping strategies to meet the social expectations and norms. This can lead to misdiagnosis and delay in treatment.
1. Difficulty Focusing

For many women with ADHD, focusing is the most challenging thing. This neurodevelopmental disorder makes it difficult to concentrate at school, during meetings at work as well as when reading or listening to others' conversations. It can also be difficult to manage everyday tasks like keeping track of appointments or remembering to take your 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. According to CHADD women who suffer from the inattentive type of the condition can have difficulty organizing their home and desk. They may also have difficulty deciding how to prioritize their tasks. These problems can result in being late for appointments, turning up at the wrong time or place or not completing their tasks. They may make them feel ashamed of themselves and blame themselves for their problems believing they are lazy or forgetful.
adhd traits in women can also make it hard to manage responsibilities, leading to poor school or work performance and an accumulation of debt. They can be caused by stress or other mental health conditions, including depression and anxiety that often co-occur with ADHD in women, according to CHADD.
Teachers and parents might be biased against boys and men, causing 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 women who suffer from ADHD. They can be more noticeable during menstruation or perimenopause which is the period leading up to menopausal symptoms, when estrogen levels drop and can cause emotional issues such as mood swings and irritation.
Stimulant medication can enhance concentration in adults suffering from ADHD, but it won't solve the problem. Other strategies, including lifestyle changes, mindfulness training, and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), can also aid in organizing and focus. Certain schools and workplaces have facilities that can assist with these issues, too.
2. Forgetting Things
It can be difficult to keep track of daily activities or take care of the responsibilities. It may be difficult to keep track of important details, especially if they occur in a noisy environment. You may also end up forgetting appointments or running late to school or work. Women with ADHD tend to forget to pay bills or reply to emails, which can lead to financial stress and a sense of urgency. You might have trouble working in a noisy or crowded office, and you may get lost in conversations. This can make someone else feel unimportant or confused.
Many women and girls with ADHD are also having a difficult time maintaining friendships and are at risk of being forced into unintentional sexual activity or being victims of intimate partner violence. They are more likely than others to be overwhelmed because they struggle to control their emotions. They may also struggle with their self-esteem and may be more likely to interpret their problems as "personal imperfections" instead of acknowledging the fact that their behavior is correlated to their ADHD symptoms.
Females and females with ADHD are also often overlooked because of gender bias because their symptoms are less noticeable than those of males and females. They may be more likely to disguise their symptoms by claiming mood or anxiety issues and this can lead to being misdiagnosed and incorrectly treated.
add in women test of ADHD vary with hormone fluctuations and, particularly during puberty when progesterone drops and estrogen rises. This can cause a greater range of symptoms, making it more difficult to diagnose and treat ADHD.
Being diagnosed and receiving treatment can help you learn life skills to manage your ADHD symptoms. You can also consider lifestyle changes, such as eating a well-balanced diet and avoiding sugar, caffeine and other stimulants that could cause symptoms to become worse. You can also practice meditation and mindfulness techniques to calm your mind, reduce impulsiveness and restlessness and improve your emotional control. A mental health professional could be able to assist by discussing possible accommodations that may help you manage ADHD symptoms at work or at school.
3. Disruptive Behavior
In the majority of cases, women who suffer from ADHD experience more inattentive symptoms than hyperactive or impulsive ones. This could be due to the fact that the brains of women and girls differ from those of men and boys or it could be to do with the amount of activity is occurring in the areas of the brain responsible for managing impulsive and disruptive behavior.
In the end, it can be harder for a doctor to recognize and diagnose ADHD in women. Many women devise strategies to hide their symptoms. Some of these are healthy, but others aren't sustainable and may cause other health problems. For instance, some women, turn to excessive alcohol or drugs to manage. They might also develop depression or suffer from mental health problems such as anxiety. These unhealthy coping methods can make it difficult for people to recognize that they have an issue with their mental health and delay an accurate diagnosis.
Disruptive behavior is among the most common symptom of adhd for women. It can affect their school or work performance, and even their relationships. They usually involve not staying focused on a particular task, not remembering important dates or events, and being easily distracted by other things in their environment or in their minds. They might fumble or tap their feet or hands or squirm their seats. They may also yell or talk loudly, and can interrupt.
Women with the inattentive subtype are prone to having difficulty in concentrating during lectures or discussions and juggling schoolwork, reading, or writing assignments, following instructions in the classroom or at work, and managing daily tasks. They may be disorganized, forgetful, and messy. It is often difficult to keep up with commitments or tasks. They are more likely to lose or lose items like keys, wallets and eyeglasses.
Having the predominantly hyperactive/impulsive type of adhd can disrupt work or school, cause social problems, and create relationship challenges. This subtype can lead to problems at home, at work, and in school, and can lead to feelings of agitation or boredom. They are not able to wait for their turn, whether at school, work, or home. They also interrupt others frequently. They have a tendency to act recklessly and are unable manage their behavior.
4. Anxiety
Girls and women with ADHD may have a harder time to manage their issues. This is due to the expectations of society, which demand that mothers and women be the primary caregivers of their children and their household. If a woman is struggling to fulfill her obligations and obligations, it can cause anxiety and low self-esteem. This makes it more difficult for her to seek treatment.
In addition, women who suffer from ADHD frequently have a difficult time getting diagnosed since their symptoms are not as pronounced as the men and boys. 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 to disguise their ADHD symptoms, including excessive fidgeting and forgetfulness, which can be mistaken for symptoms of anxiety disorders.
The signs of ADHD in women can vary at different times throughout the woman's lifetime. Women can suffer ADHD symptoms during hormonal changes such as menstrual cycles and pregnancy. This can lead to being viewed as a woman who is emotionally overly sensitive and can cause a feelings of frustration.
The information in this article is based on research regarding how ADHD affects people based on their sex. Verywell Health acknowledges that sex refers to biology, hormonal makeup, chromosomal makeup and anatomy; while gender refers to an internal sense of being a male, female, or nonbinary person. This distinction is crucial because it helps us to better know the ways and reasons ADHD manifests differently in women and men. In this article, we refer to males and those who were assigned males at birth as boys and men. We also refer to females and those who were assigned female at conception as girls and women. This terminology is used in many research studies. For more information, read the guide on sex and gender by Verywell Health.