ADHD Symptoms in Adult Females
While ADHD affects both genders equally in adulthood, the condition typically isn't recognized by females. This is probably due to gender stereotypes and the capacity of females to conceal their symptoms.
Many healthcare professionals aren't equipped and experience to identify ADHD in women. In the end, many females are misdiagnosed before receiving the proper treatment they require.
1. Disorganization
Women and girls with ADHD frequently struggle with disorganization, a condition that can be a challenge to manage. For example your desk might be a jumble of muddled papers, 17 chapsticks, and even a ticket stub from the Kings of Leon concert you went to in the year 2008. Even if you've invested money in products to help you organize your workspace, your office or home is likely to remain messy and chaotic.
Inability to stay on top of your responsibilities could result in missed deadlines and missed appointments. You might also be struggling with "time blindness," where you don't know or remember the time it takes to finish the task. adhd in women checklist can make you feel frustrated and believe that you aren't doing a good enough job at your job or in your personal life.
You might also have trouble regulating your emotions. This could cause you to react excessively when faced with stressful situations. You might also say things without meaning to hurt people's feelings. Since impulsivity is a common trait in people with ADHD and ADD, you may have trouble stopping yourself from saying things before taking a second to think them through.
If you have ADHD it's possible that a portion of your symptoms are rooted in gender stereotypes or beliefs about how women, men, and boys should behave. This can make it difficult to recognize and treat ADHD.
You could also benefit from behavioral treatment to address the root causes of your disorder. It may take a while to discover the most effective strategies to cope, but using them can help you feel more in control of your life and improve your relationships with family, colleagues, and friends.
2. Impulsivity
People with ADHD are prone to intense emotions. However, their brains are not capable of separating them from or analyze them. They can be overwhelmed by a small incident, or have trouble in assessing the emotional state of others. This makes them more prone to be distracted by minor inconveniences such as an out of stock book or an unreliable friend.
Many women with ADHD compensate for their attention problems by hiding symptoms and developing coping strategies. They could be perfectionists, or extremely meticulous at work or in school, but have difficulty keeping the track of important dates, deadlines and appointments. They might also struggle with self-control and verbal control. They may also talk excessively, interrupt others often, or ramble during conversations.
The hyperactive/impulsive subtype of ADHD tends to be more common in boys and men, but it's not unusual for women to have these symptoms too. The symptoms include a sudden urge to start, stop or alter the course of action and being unable to hold your turn in conversation; and difficulty in interpreting social signals (like facial expressions or body language).
While gender stereotypes can have an influence on the development of ADHD for women, it is difficult to recognize these issues. The scales of rating used to determine ADHD symptoms are still biased towards male behavior. Some healthcare professionals may not be aware of a woman's ADHD symptoms.
Many women suffering from ADHD have reported that their symptoms are more severe during times of hormonal change like menstrual cycle or pregnancy, and also during perimenopausal symptoms. This can trigger emotional symptoms such as frustration and irritability, or depression. They might also experience an unrelenting feeling of discontent in their relationships or lives. This could lead to substance abuse, low-self-esteem or unhealthy ways of coping. It is important for women to realize that these symptoms do not reflect their worth or value as human beings. The good news is that with a proper treatment plan these symptoms can be improved or even eliminated.
3. Attention!
ADHD is often characterized by a higher frequency of these symptoms. While everyone struggles to concentrate and pay attention at certain times the frequency of these symptoms is so high that they can impede your daily life. You may make careless mistakes at work or school and forget appointments, or spend long hours delaying. You are unable to be patient and not interrupt others in conversations.
Adults who are inattention may include the tendency to get involved in projects without properly planning and analyzing the subject, which results in incomplete or subpar results. You could also get easily distracted and leave projects unfinished. This could include an unwatered vegetable garden planted but never watered, or a new system of organization that you built and then left on your nightstand to accumulate dust.
People who have inattention ADHD have trouble focusing at home and in the workplace. It is possible that you have trouble finding important documents keys, bills or keys and frequently lose things. You could also be unable to keep track of the time and end up being over time for meetings, work or school.
Women with hyperactive/impulsive ADHD are less likely to experience these inattentive symptoms, but they can still have problems with organization, time management and self-control. People with these issues might make decisions or conduct actions without considering the impact. For example, they might talk over other people or make unintentional noises in solitude. They may have trouble sitting still and can fidget or pace in their seats. They can have trouble keeping their job and could be in frequent conflict with colleagues and managers.
In some instances, the mood swings and emotional stress caused by ADHD can lead to frustration and miscommunication in relationships. This is especially the case in romantic relationships and at work. People with ADHD are also more likely to suffer from co-occurring conditions, like depression, anxiety, or bipolar disorder.
Girls and women with ADHD are likely to face many challenges when seeking treatment. This includes gender bias, a tendency to hide symptoms or minimize their severity, and gender bias. Famous women like Em Rusciano and Mia Freedman who have openly discussed their struggles with ADHD have helped raise awareness. However, a lot of young women and girls aren't aware of it.
4. Anxiety
While most people feel anxious or anxious from time to the other, persistently high anxiety is the hallmark of an anxiety disorder. You may experience an incessant feeling of anxiety, fear, or anxiety as well as a rapid pulse, difficulty being calm, and trouble thinking clearly. You might also have an increased fear of danger, even in situations that aren't likely to be risky for you. The most commonly encountered forms of anxiety include general anxiety disorder, agoraphobia and phobias, separation anxiety and panic disorders.
Anxiety is more prevalent among women with ADHD than men. It tends worsen around certain life events, like menstrual cycle, pregnancy, or perimenopause. This can make it more difficult to manage everyday tasks and social interactions, and cause feelings of self-doubt and general discontent with your life.
You're highly sensitive to rejection and have a hard to accept criticism. You're prone to miss the mark on feedback, or anticipate rejection. You might get angry about small things that other people do not see as an issue with.
Mood swings are also one of the symptoms of adhd for women in adulthood and you may discover that your mood is unpredictable or difficult to control. You may also be prone self-injury that is not suicidal, like burning, scrubbing or hitting yourself.
If you're struggling with any of the above symptoms, it's important to receive a diagnosis. It will help you comprehend the issues you're facing and provide you strategies to improve your quality of life. You can take an online ADHD test, or go to your doctor for a professional assessment. In some cases, your doctor might prescribe medication to ease your symptoms. In certain instances your doctor may suggest a combination between lifestyle changes and cognitive behavior therapy. In any case, it's important to start making some positive changes to your lifestyle as soon as you can. This will allow you to regain control of your life and feel more confident and capable.