The Hidden Secrets Of Attention Deficit In Women
Women With Attention Deficit
Women who suffer from ADHD may have difficulty managing their careers, relationships and even life in general. They can be easily annoyed and even minor inconveniences such as waiting in a line or being on hold for an extended time can be a major irritation.
Many women find it difficult to get an accurate adult ADHD diagnosis. This is due to gender bias and the fact many studies are geared towards children and transgender males.
Impatience
Women with attention deficit often have a difficult time managing their everyday responsibilities and manage multiple tasks. Some people mistake their frustration as irritability or moodiness, or lack of dedication to relationships or work. These struggles may be symptoms of adult ADHD, a disorder that is often not properly diagnosed.
A typical symptom of ADD is the tendency to be impatient. Women with ADD might rush through projects or tasks without planning, leading to mistakes and a feeling of overwhelm. They are easily distracted by the things that happen around them. This makes it difficult to finish tasks and maintain a conversation.
The inattentive symptoms of ADHD including difficulty getting things done, procrastination, forgetting and needing help to keep track of appointments or belongings, can be a particular issue for women. Many of these women are extremely self-critical, and their problems are often caused by depression or anxiety that often accompany the disorder. They have a difficult time accepting criticism and are more likely to be victims of intimate partner violence.
Hormonal fluctuations can either affect the women's symptoms of ADD. For instance, when girls enter puberty, they experience changes in estrogen levels that can make ADD symptoms worse. These fluctuations can last through menstruation and the perimenopause when estrogen levels are low. The symptoms of a woman can be aggravated due to menopausal changes, pregnancy or hormonal fluctuations, particularly for women who suffer from bipolar disorder.
Women suffering from ADHD should seek out a healthcare provider who is knowledgeable about the condition and is trained to diagnose and treat it. You should read the recommended books listed in this article prior to making an appointment to gain a better understanding of ADHD and its manifestations.
If you're unable find a healthcare professional who specializes in treating ADHD and related disorders, you may be interested in taking part in a trial. Clinical trials are research studies that search for new methods to identify, treat or prevent illnesses and disorders. You can learn more about clinical trials and whether they are appropriate for you by going to NIMH's Clinical Trials webpage.
Impulsivity
Women with ADHD may have trouble controlling their emotions. This can result in impulsive behavior that can be damaging. Some examples include impulsive spending, jumping into marriages and relationships before they are ready and interrupting conversations and blurting out answers before they've completed listening. Additionally, they could be sensitive to rejection that could cause them to experience intense emotional responses to perceived or real rejection.
Women with attention deficit disorder face similar issues as men, but their problems are different. For instance hormones can impact how their symptoms manifest and how they respond to treatment.
For some women with ADD one task can seem interminable when they are trying to remain focused. For them, being distracted or lost in their thoughts or daydreaming is common, especially when doing boring tasks like grocery shopping, writing letters, or performing chores. They can easily become bored and have a hard finding the time to switch their attention between different tasks, which could hinder their work and school.
Women with ADD have a hard time keeping track of appointments and belongings. They tend to lose things and have a difficult recalling the details of events or conversations, which can lead to embarrassing mistakes at school, work or in social situations. They also have a tendency to put off tasks and become overwhelmed by multitasking, which can cause anxiety.
In addition to the problems of impulsivity and inattention, women with ADD may have a combination subtype, which also includes hyperactivity or prefrontal cortex dysfunction. Women who suffer from a combination type can exhibit both hyperactivity as well as inattention symptoms. However, they are often difficult to recognize, especially when young.
Regular exercise can help decrease ADHD symptoms. Physical activity can increase neurotransmitters that boost attention and mood. Stress, a common issue many women who suffer from ADHD suffer from, can be relieved by physical activity. Women suffering from ADHD must try to perform at least four to five times of 30 minutes or more every week of aerobic or cardiovascular exercises, such as running, swimming, cycling, playing team sports or doing yoga.
Lack of Organization
Women suffering from ADHD are unable to keep track of their daily activities and events. high functioning adhd in women can result in an unorganized home or office, financial issues and a lack of organization in their personal or professional lives.
They may struggle to complete tasks or projects that don't yield immediate rewards. They might also fail to plan ahead to meet future obligations. Women who suffer from ADHD are also having trouble staying focused and remembering other people's words in conversations. They are more likely to miss meetings and appointments and are unable to follow instructions at work or in school, and are more likely than other people to have miscommunications with their spouses.
To make sure you get a correct diagnosis, it is important to seek out a doctor who is qualified. Adult ADD is often misdiagnosed and many doctors have a poor understanding of this disorder. Ask the doctors you're considering for a list of recommended reading materials, and then ask them a series of questions to determine if they're aware of the disorder.
ADHD in women can be exacerbated by gender roles. Women are often pressured to be successful in their professions as well as to assume more responsibility in the home, to maintain happy relationships, and to do well in a social setting. In some instances these pressures from society can make it difficult to recognize symptoms of ADHD, because the disorder may hinder the ability to meet these expectations.
ADHD symptoms are less obvious in females, adolescents and males than in males or females. This can result in being underdiagnosed. This is because societal and family expectations often require that women and girls are focused on their appearance and social skills rather than recognizing any problems with their performance or concentration. Additionally, females with ADHD typically have more irritable symptoms than hyperactivity and are more likely to suffer from co-existing anxiety and mood disorders, which may further obscure the presence of the disorder.
The good news is that there are steps you can take to manage your symptoms and improve your functioning. Regular exercise helps to release neurotransmitters that improve attention and reduce anxiety. Try swimming or jogging dancing, or joining group classes such as yoga or Pilates. Incorporate these activities into your routine to help control ADHD symptoms. It can also be helpful to keep a planner and use post-it notes or checklists to manage your day-to-day tasks. Finally, be sure to take frequent breaks and eat foods that contain omega-3 fatty acids. These can help regulate focus and improve mental clarity.
Social Awkwardness
Contrary to social anxiety awkwardness is not caused by an intense fear of judgement, but rather an inability to navigate the intricacies of social interaction. This may be due to a lack of social exposure or neurological disorders like autism spectrum disorder or personality characteristics that make it difficult for people to adjust to social situations.
A person who is socially awkward may be prone to making inappropriate remarks in a conversation, appear off-balance and ignore non-verbal signals that indicate the best way to proceed. They may also have difficulty understanding social conventions such as sarcasm and humor. They might also be hesitant to participate in social activities or be too self-conscious of their performance in social situations. This can lead to feelings of embarrassment and rejection.
Socially awkward people tend to withdraw from group activities, and instead rely on self-care methods like eating more or watching TV or working out to feel better. These behaviors can increase the feeling of social anxiety by limiting their social outlets.
Trauma can cause social awkwardness. Trauma can happen when a child's need for trust and autonomy, attunement or even independence is not met in early childhood. They develop a strict behavioral pattern to cope with this threat. This can lead to a feeling of social anxiety, if sensory information from the surrounding environment triggers the trauma.
Children with giftedness may feel socially awkward because their superior intellect makes them appear older and more mature. They could also be focused on their own interests and act as though they know more than others, which may cause them to speak in an unbalanced or academic tone.
The fear of being judged or criticized by others for their appearance or behavior is a different cause of social awkwardness. This can lead to poor body language, avoiding eye contact, or adopting a frantic stance that telegraphs how uncomfortable they are. The majority of social awkwardness symptoms can be resolved through therapy. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) helps individuals challenge and reframe negative thought patterns while exposure therapy gradually exposes people to anxiety-provoking situations to help build confidence and tolerance.