15 Best Documentaries About ADHD Symptoms For Women
inattentive adhd in women For Women Women suffering from ADHD have reported emotional instability and sensitivity to rejection. They can also experience insomnia and low quality sleep, which may cause symptoms to get worse. Girls and women are generally more adept at hiding their ADHD symptoms, using coping mechanisms to comply with social expectations and norms. This can lead to a misdiagnosis and a delay in treatment. 1. Problems with Focusing For many women suffering from ADHD focus is the biggest challenge. Symptoms of this neurodevelopmental disorder may make it hard to stay on task at school, at work meetings, or even when reading or listening to other people's conversations. It can be difficult to accomplish daily tasks like remembering appointments or taking 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 version of the condition can have difficulty organizing their home and their desk. They may also have difficulty deciding how to prioritize their tasks. These issues can lead them to miss appointments, show up in the wrong place at the correct time or fail to keep up on their work duties. They may make them feel ashamed of themselves and blame themselves for their troubles, thinking they are lazy or forgetful. Inattention ADHD symptoms can make it hard to stay on top of responsibilities, leading to poor school or work performance and an accumulation of debt. According to CHADD they can be triggered by stress or other mental disorders such as anxiety and depression. Certain women and girls who suffer from inattentive ADHD are underdiagnosed or overlooked because of the biases teachers and parents may have towards men and boys. 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 increase symptoms for women who suffer from ADHD. They can be more noticeable during menstrual cycles or perimenopausal periods, the run-up to menopausal symptoms as estrogen levels drop and cause emotional problems like mood swings or irritation. Stimulant medication can increase the concentration of adults suffering from ADHD however it doesn't cure the condition. Other strategies, including lifestyle modifications, mindfulness-based training, and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), can also help with focus and organization. Some workplaces and school have accommodations to help with these issues. 2. Forgetting Things It can be difficult to keep track of your daily activities or take care of obligations. It can be difficult to remember important details about people or events, especially when they happen in a noisy or busy environment. You may also find yourself having trouble remembering appointments or getting late to school or work. Women who suffer from ADHD are prone to forgetting to pay bills or reply to emails, which could result in financial stress and an impression of urgency. You may have difficulty working in a noisy or busy office, and you might zone out during conversations. This could make someone else feel unimportant or confused. Many women and girls with ADHD also have trouble maintaining friendships and are at risk of being pushed into sexual activities that are not desired or being victims of intimate partner violence. This is because they have a difficult to manage their emotions and are more likely to be overwhelmed. They may also have issues with their self-esteem and may be more likely to view their difficulties as “personal flaws” rather than recognizing the fact that their behavior is correlated to their ADHD symptoms. Due to gender biases due to gender bias, girls and women with ADHD are often overlooked because their symptoms are less obvious than those of males and boys. They could disguise symptoms of anxiety and mood disorders, which could result in a misdiagnosis or improper treatment. The symptoms of ADHD vary with hormone fluctuations, especially during puberty when progesterone drops and estrogen increases. This can cause a greater range of symptoms, which makes it harder to diagnose and manage ADHD. Being diagnosed and receiving treatment can help you develop how to manage your ADHD symptoms. You can also consider lifestyle changes, such as eating a balanced diet and limiting sugar, caffeine, and other stimulants that could cause symptoms to become worse. Meditation and mindfulness techniques can help relax your mind and reduce restlessness and impulsiveness. They can also help improve emotional regulation. A mental health professional might be able to help you by discussing possible accommodations that may assist you in managing ADHD symptoms at school or at work. 3. Disruptive Behavior Women with ADHD tend to be more sluggish than hyperactive or impulsive symptoms. This could be because girls and women have different brains than men and boys. Or it could be due to the amount of activity in the brain areas that regulate impulsive behavior. This means it is often difficult for a physician to identify and diagnose ADHD in women. Many women develop coping mechanisms to disguise their symptoms. Some are healthy, but others are not long-lasting and could lead to other health problems. For instance women may turn to drinking or using drugs to deal with their symptoms. They might also develop depression or other mental health conditions such as anxiety. These unhealthy coping strategies can make it difficult for someone to recognize that they have mental health issues and delay an accurate diagnosis. Disruptive behavior is a common adhd symptom for women that can impact school or work performance and relationships. They often include not staying focused on a particular task, not remembering important events or tasks and becoming easily distracted by other things in their environment or in their minds. They might fumble or tap their feet or hands or squirm in their seat. They can also yell or speak loudly, and can interrupt. Women who have the most inattentional subtype of adhd can struggle to concentrate on conversations or lectures and juggling writing, reading or schoolwork; adhering to instructions at school or at work; and juggling daily tasks. They may be disorganized, forgetful, and messy. It can be difficult to keep up with commitments or tasks. They are more vulnerable to misplacing or losing 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 cause problems at work, at home, or school. It can also lead to feelings of boredom, restlessness and anger. They have a hard time waiting for their turn at school, at home or at work and often interrupt other people. They tend to act recklessly and are not able to control their behavior. 4. Anxiety Women and girls with ADHD may have a harder time coping with their symptoms than males and females. This is largely due to social expectations that insist that mothers and wives be the primary caregivers of their children and their household. When a woman struggles to meet her responsibilities, it can lead to anxiety and low self-esteem. This could make it difficult to seek treatment for her ADHD. In addition, women who suffer from ADHD are often unable to be diagnosed because their symptoms aren't as pronounced as those of boys and men. 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. They are also more likely to develop coping mechanisms that mask their ADHD symptoms. For instance the excessive fidgeting or forgetfulness can be misinterpreted as symptoms of anxiety disorders. The symptoms of ADHD may also change over a woman's lifetime. Women may suffer ADHD symptoms when hormonal changes occur, such as menstrual cycle and pregnancy. This can result in being dismissed or misinterpreted as a woman who is emotionally overly sensitive, which adds to her feeling of anger. The information in this article is based on research into how ADHD affects people based on their sexual. Verywell Health acknowledges that sex refers to biology: hormones, chromosomal makeup and anatomy. whereas gender refers to an internal sense of being a woman, man, or nonbinary person. This distinction is important because it allows for a better understanding of how and why the ways in which ADHD manifests can differ between genders. This is why throughout this article we refer to men and people assigned to male at birth (AMAB) as boys and men, and to women and those assigned female at birth (AFAB) as women and girls. This is consistent with how many research studies employ this term. For more information, read the guide to sex and gender by Verywell Health.