Three Reasons Why Your Adult Female ADHD Symptoms Is Broken (And How To Repair It)
ADHD Symptoms in Adult Females
Although ADHD affects men and women equally throughout adulthood, the condition typically goes undiagnosed in females. This is likely due to gender stereotypes and the capacity of women to hide their symptoms.
Many healthcare professionals lack the knowledge or experience to identify ADHD in women. Many women are misdiagnosed and do not receive the treatment they require.
1. Disorganization
Girls and women with ADHD can struggle with disorganization. This disorder can be difficult to manage. For instance, your desk may be a jumble of muddled papers, 17 chapsticks, and even a ticket to the Kings of Leon concert you went to in 2008. As you buy products that promise to keep you organized your office and home may still be messy and chaotic.
Your inability to keep track of your work can result in missed deadlines and missed appointments. You might also struggle with "time blindness," where you don't recall or know how long it takes to finish an assignment. This could make you feel frustrated and believe that you aren't doing a good enough job in your career or in your personal life.
You may also have difficulty managing your emotions, which can make you overreact in stressful situations. You may also say things without meaning to hurt the feelings of someone else. adhd in women treatment may also have trouble stopping yourself from speaking before you have thought things through, as impulsivity can be common among those with ADHD.
If you suffer from ADHD it is possible that some of your symptoms are rooted in gender stereotypes or ideas about how women, men, and boys should behave. This could make it difficult for you to identify and treat your ADHD.
In addition to being diagnosed it is possible that you will benefit from behavioral therapy to address the root causes of your disorder. It could take some time to determine the most effective strategies for dealing with stress, but implementing them can help you feel more in control of your life and improve your relationships with family, colleagues, and friends.
2. Impulsivity
People who suffer from ADHD frequently experience intense emotions, but their brains don't have a good way to filter or assess them. This means they can get overwhelmed by one setback or have difficulty being able to discern the mood of their peers. This can also make them more prone to being distracted by minor issues such as an out of stock book or a friend who isn't reliable.
Many women with ADHD overcome their attention issues by hiding symptoms and implementing strategies to cope. They could be perfectionists or highly conscientious at school or work however, they have trouble keeping the track of important dates, bills and appointments. They might struggle with self-talk control and may talk too much or interrupt others frequently.
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. These symptoms include a sudden urge to start, stop or alter activities or activities; not being able to wait your turn in conversation; and having trouble reading social cues (like facial expressions or body language).
While gender stereotypes can have an impact on the development of ADHD for women, it's difficult to recognize these issues. The scales of rating used to determine ADHD symptoms still favor male behavior. Some healthcare professionals might miss the mark on a woman's ADHD symptoms.
Many women who suffer from ADHD also report that their symptoms become worse during times of hormonal changes, for example during menstrual cycles, pregnancy, or perimenopause (the menopausal transition). This can exacerbate emotional symptoms and trigger a lot of feelings of anger, frustration or depression. They may also have a persistent feeling of dissatisfaction in their relationships or lives. This may lead to the use of drugs, low self-esteem and unhealthy coping strategies. It's important that women understand that these symptoms don't reflect their worth or value as a human being. With a good treatment program, you can reduce or even eliminate these signs.
3. Attention!
ADHD is often characterized by a higher frequency of these symptoms. While everyone struggles to concentrate and pay attention at times, they are so frequent that they can interfere with your day-to-day life. You may make careless mistakes at work or school or forget appointments or you may spend a lot of time procrastinating. You have a difficult time waiting your turn in conversations and are often interrupted by other people.
Adults who are not attentive may be prone to get caught up in projects before fully planning them and researching them. This leads to incomplete results or subpar ones. You may also get distracted easily and tend to leave projects unfinished -for example, from the vegetable garden that got planted, but never watered, to the new system of organization that got assembled and then left to gather dust on your nightstand.
People with inattention ADHD have trouble focusing at home and at work. You might have trouble finding important documents keys, bills or even keys and misplace things frequently. You might also keep losing track of the time and end up running 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. Women with these symptoms might make decisions or conduct actions without considering the consequences. For example they might speak over others or make nonsensical noises when alone. They might have difficulty sitting still and adjusting their seats or at a fast pace. They might have trouble keeping their job and may have frequent disagreements with their colleagues and their manager.
In some cases mood swings and emotional distress caused by ADHD can cause frustration and misunderstandings in relationships. This is especially the case in romantic relationships as well as at work. People with ADHD are also more likely to have co-occurring conditions, like depression, anxiety or bipolar disorder.
Women and girls with ADHD are likely to face many challenges when seeking treatment. This includes gender bias and a tendency to conceal symptoms or undervalue their severity, as well as gender bias. Famous women like Em Rusciano and Mia Freedman who have publicly discussed their struggles with ADHD have contributed to raising awareness. But, many girls and young woman still do not know they have it.
4. Anxiety
While most people feel anxious or nervous from time time, persistently outsize anxiety is a sign of an anxiety disorder. You might experience an uneasy feeling or fear, as well as rapid pulse, difficulty being calm, and trouble thinking clearly. You may also feel an increased fear of danger even in situations that aren't likely be dangerous to you. The most frequent forms of anxiety include general anxiety disorder, agoraphobia, phobias, separation anxiety and panic disorders.
Anxiety is more common in women with ADHD as compared to men. It tends worsen around certain life events like menstrual cycle or pregnancy, or perimenopausal. This can make it difficult for women to deal with everyday tasks and social interaction and may lead to feelings such as low self-esteem or dissatisfaction.
You're extremely sensitive to rejection and have a hard to accept criticism. You are prone to misinterpret feedback, or even anticipate rejection and you may get angry over minor things that others don't find an issue with.
Mood swings are a part of the adult female adhd symptoms and you may find that your emotions are unpredictable or difficult to control. You could also be susceptible to non-suicidal acts of self-injury like burning, scrubbing or hitting yourself.
If you're struggling with any of the above symptoms, it's crucial to establish a clear diagnosis. It will help you understand some of the challenges you're facing, and offer you strategies to improve the quality of your life. You can take an ADHD test online, or talk to your doctor for an expert assessment. In certain instances your doctor may prescribe medication to help alleviate your symptoms. In some instances your doctor may suggest an amalgamation of lifestyle changes and cognitive behavior therapy. In either case it's crucial to change your lifestyle as quickly as possible. This will allow you to regain control of your life, and feel more confident and competent.