ADHD Symptoms in Adult Women
Women who aren't diagnosed with ADHD might face difficulties at workplace or in relationships. It is important to recognize the signs and seek out treatment that works for you.
Symptoms of ADHD in adults are more likely to be the inattentive type than hyperactivity/impulsive. A proper diagnosis can help improve your life, by managing your symptoms and focusing your attention on what's important.
1. Trouble paying attention
Women can be troubled by their inability to pay attention to details or remember deadlines and appointments or underestimate the time it takes to complete their tasks. They may also have difficulty managing their time at workplace or in relationships, become distracted easily and fail to keep their word on their promises. They might also have a tendency to be impulsive, have trouble controlling their emotions, and blurt out things before considering them.
It's important to be aware of and treat symptoms of ADHD in adult women. The inability to focus can lead to problems with friendships and relationships. Women may have difficulty to make new acquaintances, or they might struggle in their current relationships due to frequent fights and missed opportunities for fun and being ignored. They can also find it difficult balancing the demands of work, home and childcare.
Many people with ADHD don't meet the diagnostic criteria, and it could be difficult for health professionals or therapists to detect the condition. what is ADHD symptoms in adults doesn't mean it's not real, or that the person has to work harder to stay focused. Diagnoses are based on the symptoms and the way they affect daily functioning in various areas.
Women are more likely to suffer from inattentive symptoms than hyperactive or impulsive ones which is why they're not diagnosed. Many women suffering from ADHD are also embarrassed of their symptoms since they don't conform to the stereotypes associated with ADHD. This can make it even more difficult to seek assistance or get treatment.
Some women with ADHD are not diagnosed for a prolonged period of time, because they attempt to conceal their symptoms and manage. Additionally, they are more likely to have comorbidities that can mask their ADHD symptoms, like anxiety, depression and gastrointestinal issues. They are more likely to experience hormonal fluctuations that can trigger symptoms that flare up or disappear. This is particularly the case during menstrual cycles or pregnancy, as well as perimenopausal.
2. Organizational Problems
Inattention, forgetfulness, disorganization, and emotional dysregulation are common ADHD symptoms that women suffer from. These symptoms can make them incapable of completing everyday tasks, fulfill their obligations or maintain relationships. They may also experience low self-esteem or anxiety. Women who have not been diagnosed with ADHD often feel as if they're not achieving the expectations of society and have a difficult than their peers in terms of academic achievement, job performance, and social connections.
In addition to disorganization and forgetfulness, ADHD in adult women can manifest as hyperfocus or procrastination. These problems can lead to women missing appointments, not paying their bills on time and feeling overwhelmed. Hyperfocus can cause a lack in concentration on other important tasks, as well as a lack of understanding of time. This makes it difficult to switch from one task to another. Procrastination can also lead to an increase in stress, anxiety, and the constant feeling of being left behind.
Communication problems, both verbal and nonverbal are a common manifestation of ADHD. This can mean talking too much, interrupting others or saying inappropriate words. It can also indicate an inability to wait his or her turn or difficulty recognizing social boundaries. It is important to keep in mind that these behavior patterns don't necessarily signal a lack of intelligence or ability.
Many women with ADHD develop strategies to disguise their symptoms. These strategies can have both positive and negative impacts. Some of these strategies for coping might be healthy. For instance, using a daily calendar or creating reminders for important events. Some aren't, such as using alcohol and drugs to conceal symptoms or completely ignoring them. Therefore, it is crucial for women who suspect ADHD to seek help from a mental health professional.
Women with ADHD are able to benefit from medication treatment, lifestyle changes, therapy and a myriad of other treatment options. This includes cognitive behavioral therapy, which addresses underlying negative beliefs and thoughts as well as mindfulness and relaxation exercise, a healthy diet, and adequate rest. A health professional might also suggest accommodations to make working or school easier.
3. Disruptive Behaviors
Women who suffer from ADHD may struggle with emotional dysregulation. As a result, they often become discontent and frustrated when life's challenges aren't easily resolved. This can make it difficult to maintain relationships with friends, romantic partners and colleagues. For instance, forgetfulness and insanity can increase frustration or confusion in relationships with loved ones and can cause feelings of abandonment, loneliness or depression. A tendency to seek thrills on the spur of the moment could be taken to mean a lack of interest or apathy.
These are the reasons why ADHD symptoms in women and girls are often not recognized or diagnosed. They might also have a hard time realizing that their problems are a result of the disorder due to social norms and stereotypes about men's and women's behaviors.
Girls and women with ADHD might conceal their symptoms to avoid embarrassment. This could result in being referred to less frequently for diagnosis than males and females with similar symptoms. This discrepancy may also be due to gender bias in the research that determines diagnostic criteria. In a recent study, Hartung and Widiger found that women and girls are more likely to be misdiagnosed and undiagnosed than men and boys with the same ADHD symptoms. This could be because clinicians are conditioned to see hyperactive and impulsive ADHD symptoms as more typical of boys and men which makes them more easily identified and referred to assessment.
Adult ADHD symptoms can manifest as anxiety and a struggle to settle down. These are common signs of ADHD however, as we age, they can have a major impact on one's life and well-being. People who suffer from ADHD may feel agitated and find it difficult to sit still, especially when they're feeling anxious or stressed. They also tend to fidget, and are often overly talkative. They frequently interrupt or finish other people's sentences and do not realize they're causing offence.
If you suspect that you suffer from ADHD, your doctor or registered psychologist can refer you to a psychiatrist for an assessment. You can also self-refer. This content was reviewed by Madeline Dykes (clinical psychologist) and other members of the Thriving Madly network in Christchurch in October 2024. The content was updated in November 2022.
4. Social Skills Problems
Women with ADHD may have difficulty managing their emotions and communicating effectively at work. This can result in issues with personal relationships and with professional goals. For instance, they could struggle to understand and respond to feedback, which could cause frustration and even disappointment. They may also struggle to keep a healthy diet and sleep habits, which can lead to increased feelings of anxiety. Women with ADHD employ unhealthy methods of coping to deal with their issues. This includes eating disorders, addiction to substances and non-suicidal harming of oneself (NSSI) such as cutting, burning, or scratching.
As women grow older, those who suffer from ADHD are more likely to seek treatment than men due to the fact that they tend to cover up their symptoms. They often come up with strategies to cope in order to fit in and conform to the expectations of society, which can make their ADHD symptoms harder to be recognized by others. These coping mechanisms may be as simple as setting reminders and making lists, or they could be more complex such as learning how to control their emotions or implementing mindful strategies.
These coping strategies can, however, backfire and cause worse symptoms. These strategies can cause problems in getting the rest you need which is essential for managing ADHD symptoms. Additionally, women who suffer from ADHD often feel overwhelmed by life's demands, which can add to stress and further exacerbate their ADHD symptoms.
It's true that boys are more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD than girls. However the gap is narrowing as they get older. This is due to the fact that women frequently experience a variety of symptoms over the course of their lives. This can result in different diagnoses.
Changes in hormone levels can affect ADHD symptoms in women. For instance, if they have a high estrogen level during pregnancy, symptoms may improve. Higher levels of estrogen regulate brain chemicals that affect attention. If their estrogen levels decrease due to perimenopausal changes or age, ADHD symptoms may worsen.
Adults suffering from ADHD are able to receive a precise diagnosis and access effective treatment. This includes cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) and neurocognitive psychotherapy, which can assist people with ADHD build the necessary skills to improve their everyday functioning. Additionally, they can join support groups for ADHD to discuss their experiences with other individuals with similar experiences and gain valuable insights from their colleagues.