ADHD Symptoms in Adult Women
Women who aren't diagnosed with ADHD can face difficulties at workplace or in relationships. It is important to identify the signs and find a treatment that works for you.
Symptoms of ADHD in adults are more likely to be the inattentive type than hyperactivity/impulsive. Being diagnosed with the right diagnosis can assist you in improving your life by managing your symptoms and focusing on what matters most.
1. Trouble paying attention
Women may have difficulty paying attention to details, recollecting appointments and deadlines or underestimating the time it takes to complete an assignment. They may also struggle to keep track of their responsibilities in work or relationships, get easily distracted, and fail follow through with commitments. They might also be impulsive, struggle with controlling their emotions, and may blurt out thoughts without considering them.
It's important to recognize and treat the symptoms of ADHD in women who are adults. The inability to focus can lead to problems with friendships and relationships. Women might find it harder to make new friends, or might struggle in their current relationships due to constant fights and missed opportunities for fun activities and being left out. They can also have a harder time balancing the demands of work, home and childcare.
It's not easy for health professionals and therapists alike to diagnose ADHD in a large number of people. However, that doesn't mean it's not true or that the person has to work harder to stay on task. A diagnosis is based on the extent to which the symptoms interfere with the daily activities in a variety of areas of life.
It's more common for women to exhibit inattention symptoms rather than hyperactive or impulsive signs - and this could be the reason why this group is often undiagnosed. Additionally, many women with ADHD feel a sense of being embarrassed about their issues because they don't fit the stereotypes of a person with ADHD. This can make it even more difficult to seek assistance or seek treatment.
Certain women with ADHD are not diagnosed for a long period of time because they try to hide their symptoms and manage. Additionally, they are more likely to have multiple comorbidities that may mask their ADHD symptoms, like anxiety, depression and gastrointestinal issues. They are more likely to have hormonal fluctuations that could trigger symptoms that flare up or disappear. This is especially relevant during menstrual cycle or pregnancy, as well as perimenopausal.
2. Problems with Organization
Women who suffer from ADHD typically experience forgetfulness and disorganization, as well as emotional dysregulation. These symptoms can make it difficult for them to manage everyday tasks, keep up with their commitments, and maintain relationships. They may also experience low self-esteem or be anxious. Women who have not been diagnosed with ADHD may feel that they're not meeting society's expectations. They may also experience anxiety and low self-esteem.
ADHD in women can manifest as hyperfocus, procrastination or forgetfulness. These problems can cause women to skip appointments, not pay bills on time, and feel overwhelmed. Hyperfocus can result in a loss in concentration on other important tasks, as well as a lack of understanding of time. This makes it difficult to shift from one task to another. Procrastination may also lead to anxiety, stress, and a constant sense of being in a lag.
Another symptom that is often associated with ADHD is difficulty with verbal and nonverbal communication. This could include talking too much, interrupting others, or saying inappropriate things. It can also indicate an inability to wait for her turn or difficulty recognizing social boundaries. It is important to note that these behavior patterns don't necessarily indicate a lack in the ability or intelligence.
Many women suffering from ADHD develop strategies to disguise their symptoms. extreme ADHD symptoms adults can have positive and negative consequences. Some of these strategies can be healthy, such as having a daily schedule or setting reminders for certain events. Some aren't like drinking alcohol or using drugs to conceal symptoms or ignoring them altogether. Therefore, it is essential for women who suspect they have ADHD to seek assistance from a mental health professional.
Women suffering from ADHD might benefit from taking medication, lifestyle modifications, therapy, or other treatment options. These include cognitive behavioral therapy, which addresses underlying negative beliefs and thoughts, mindfulness and relaxation, exercise as well as a healthy diet and enough rest. A health professional may also recommend accommodations to make working or school easier.
3. Disruptive Behaviors
Women who suffer from ADHD might experience emotional dysregulation. In the end, they are often discontent and frustrated when the challenges of life aren't solved. This can make it difficult for them to keep relationships with friends, romantic partners as well as coworkers. For instance the tendency to forget or be impulsive can cause confusion or frustration in romantic relationships and can cause feelings of loneliness or depression. A tendency to seek thrills on the spur of the moment could be mistaken by others as a lack of interest or apathy.
These are the reasons ADHD symptoms in women and girls are often overlooked or not diagnosed. It is possible that they fail to recognize their struggles in relation to ADHD due to stereotypes and social norms about men and women's behavior.
Girls and women with ADHD tend to conceal their symptoms to avoid embarrassment. This may result in being less often referred for diagnosis than males and females who have the same symptoms. Additionally there is a gender bias in the research that informs diagnostic criteria may contribute to this discrepancy. Hartung and Widiger discovered in an earlier study that women and girls with ADHD symptoms are more likely to be undiagnosed and not being recognized than boys and adults. This could be due to the fact that clinicians are conditioned by their training to think of hyperactive and impulsive ADHD as more prevalent for both genders. This can make them easier to detect and to refer to an assessment.
For adults, ADHD symptoms can manifest as restlessness and difficulty settling. These are common signs of ADHD however, in the later years of adulthood they can have a significant impact on a person's life and wellbeing. People who suffer from ADHD are often anxious and find it difficult to sit still, particularly if they are feeling anxious or stressed. They also tend to fidget, and are overly talkative. They often interrupt or end sentences of others and do not realize they're causing offence.
If you suspect that you may be suffering from ADHD and are concerned, you can be referred to a psychiatrist by your GP or psychologist. You can also self-refer. This content was reviewed by Madeline Dykes (clinical psychologist) and members of the Thriving Madly network in Christchurch in October 2024. It was updated in November 2022.
4. Social Skills Problems
Women with ADHD may have difficulty managing their emotions or effectively communicating at work. This can lead to issues in relationships with family and friends as well as in achieving professional goals. They may be unable to recognize and responding properly to feedback. This can result in frustration or disappointment. They also may struggle to maintain healthy eating and sleeping habits, which could increase feelings of anxiety. In some instances women suffering from ADHD develop unhealthy coping strategies in order to deal with these problems. This can include alcohol abuse, eating disorders, or non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) like cutting, burning, or scratching.
As they age, women with ADHD can find it harder to seek treatment than men, as they tend to cover up their symptoms. In order to be accepted by society and meet expectations, they often develop coping mechanisms. This makes it difficult for others recognize their ADHD symptoms. These coping mechanisms may be as simple as setting reminders or making lists, or they may be more complicated, like being able to manage their emotions or developing mindful techniques.
However, these coping methods can backfire and make symptoms worse. These strategies can make it hard to get an adequate night's rest which is essential for managing ADHD symptoms. Women suffering from ADHD are also prone to feeling overwhelmed by the demands of daily life, which can cause ADHD symptoms.
It's true that boys are more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD than girls. However the gap gets smaller as they age. This is because women often have a range of symptoms over the course of their lives. This can result in different diagnoses.
Changes in hormone levels could also impact ADHD symptoms in women. For instance when they have an elevated estrogen level during pregnancy, their symptoms could improve. Higher levels of estrogen help regulate brain chemicals that influence attention. However, if they begin to notice a decrease in estrogen levels due to age or perimenopause, their ADHD symptoms might get worse.
It's now possible for adults with ADHD to receive a precise diagnosis and get effective treatment. This includes cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) and neurocognitive psychotherapy that can help people with ADHD build essential skills to improve their everyday functioning. Additionally, they can also join support groups for ADHD to share their experiences with others who are on the same path and gain valuable insights from their peers.