Adult ADHD Symptoms Women and Girls May Not Know About
Many women and girls who have ADHD are misdiagnosed, or are not diagnosed, due to the fact that their symptoms are different from men's. For instance, they could experience more emotional volatility or have difficulty managing their emotions.
Finding a clinician or therapist who understands ADHD in women can make a huge difference in turning your individual difficulties into strengths.
1. Inattentiveness
Adults who suffer from inattentive ADHD may have difficulty keeping on top of their schedules and household chores, are late at work and have trouble staying focussed during meetings. Inattentive ADHD sufferers often suffer from "time blindness," which is when they forget to count the minutes or are so involved in their work that they forget about time. This can lead to feelings of being unorganized, behind, or irresponsible.
Women who have inattention ADHD are able in hiding their symptoms. This can make it difficult to obtain a diagnosis. They may have learned to compensate for their inability to keep track of things by using coping strategies like self-denial or relying on other people or resorting to unhealthy behaviors like excessive alcohol or drug abuse.
In the end, their issues with focus and organization may go unnoticed by others until they start to notice their own issues. They may have a long list of foot-in mouth incidents that have embarrassed friends or coworkers, have to work hard to keep their apartments and homes clean and organized, and feel overwhelmed by the volume of tasks on their plates.
When undiagnosed and untreated, the symptoms of inattentive ADHD can have a devastating effect on all aspects of their lives. They might be unable to attend social events and professional opportunities because they're not invited, or fail to pay the bills or answer phone calls from friends in a timely manner. They might be rushed through a test or fail to follow instructions at work, or make naive mistakes in their personal relationships. They start to believe that they are stupid or lazy and have low self-esteem.
2. Hyperactivity
People who suffer from hyperactive ADHD may fidget, shake their seats, and talk excessively. They also struggle to pay attention to what others are saying and often interrupt them or make statements without considering their consequences. They are easily distracted and bored by tasks that do not interest them. The behavior isn't caused by the desire to be defiant or a lack of understanding it is a biological imbalance in frontal lobes (Tripp & Wickens 2009).
Those with inattentive ADHD are more likely to forget appointments or misplace keys than other. People who suffer from this type of ADHD also tend to lose all important information, such as bills or work assignments. They frequently forget or lose their eyeglasses, wallets, keys, sports equipment, and/or school supplies. They have difficulty maintaining a job, and they often begin projects that never get finished.
Many adults with ADHD feel better about themselves after their symptoms have been managed. This is especially true for those who have been suffering for a long time with the false assumption that they are lazy or irresponsible due to their procrastination, disorganization, and impulsive behavior.
Stress, mental health issues, and physical illnesses can cause similar symptoms as those experienced by ADHD. This is why your health care provider should do a thorough evaluation to determine the root cause of the symptoms and determine effective treatments. They might ask your permission to speak with family members, friends, colleagues and teachers as well as other individuals who know you well to learn about your past and present behaviour and experiences. They might also perform psychological tests such as the Rotterdam Test for Attention Disorders and the Beck Cognitive Abnormality Inventory.
3. Impulsivity
Having ADHD can make it hard to take a breath, particularly when things are stressful. You may feel compelled by ADHD to tackle a problem, even while you are supposed to plan and take your time. This type of impulsivity can cause problems at work, in school, or in relationships. signs of adhd in adults may also experience issues with your finances, driving, or managing your home.
Women are often having a harder to diagnose ADHD than men because their symptoms aren't as obvious. They may hide their difficulties behind appearances of being trustworthy, reliable and well-organized. This could give them a false sense that they're in control and allows others to dismiss them easily as a child with a problem or a woman who is too emotional or an over-achiever. This can lead to an undiagnosed lifetime of ADHD can cause serious damage to your self-esteem.
If you have the inattentive-type subtype of ADHD, you experience at least five ongoing symptoms of inattention and/or hyperactivity/impulsivity. These symptoms must be evident in two different environments, like at home and at work and affect your ability to function.
It can be difficult to finish work or school assignments and look disorganized and forgetful. You might find it difficult to wait in line, sat down or staying focused when reading or working on your computer, or doing household chores. You prefer novelty to the daily grind and may find yourself avoiding tasks or procrastinating to avoid them. While ADHD shares some symptoms with anxiety disorders such as restlessness, fidgeting, and forgetfulness are not typically present. The symptoms of ADHD vary with age and are exacerbated by hormonal changes like those that occur during pregnancy or menopause.
4. Rejection Sensitivity
Rejection sensitivity (RSD) is an illness of the mind that is that is characterized by extreme negative emotions and difficulty in controlling emotions. It can cause emotional turmoil and influences every aspect of life. People with rejection sensitivity feel more emotional reactions to social signals that could be perceived as rejection compared to other people. When they face rejection - whether real or perceived, they could be afflicted with shame, low self-esteem and emotional dysregulation. It is a typical sign for people suffering from ADHD and Autism, but it can occur in people who do not have these conditions as well.
RSD can cause impulsive behavior and relationship problems. It can also make people avoid taking risks, which may limit their personal and professional growth. For some, it may even cause an entire loss of self-esteem and a sense of depression. RSD can also cause and increase the severity of core ADHD symptoms such as time blindness. This can cause problems with planning and organisation as well as wasting time on unimportant tasks. RSD can also cause issues with focus and attention span. People with RSD might ponder an incident for hours or even days.
Research suggests that those suffering from RSD might have a brain impairment in the processing of emotional information. This could be due to the amygdala brain, which is responsible for the body's response to threats is more active than other people when they experience rejection. People who have sensitivity to rejection could also have experienced childhood trauma that could have a lasting impact on their emotional development. They could be more sensitive to rejection, criticism, and abandonment in adulthood. Other mental health disorders that are co-occurring such as depression or anxiety can also influence RSD by affecting the regulation of emotions.
5. Gender-specific behaviors that are gender specific
Many people who suffer from ADHD develop the disorder during the earliest years of their lives, and they nearly always receive a diagnosis before age 12. The symptoms tend to last into adulthood, though, which means that women with the disorder can continue having problems at school or at work as well as at home and in relationships. They can also struggle with depression, compulsive overeating, or substance use disorders. Years of undiagnosed and untreated ADHD can take a toll on women's self-esteem and they can blame themselves for their troubles because they think of themselves as "lazy," "irresponsible," or "stupid."
Gender bias is a factor in how girls and women with ADHD are viewed. Teachers and parents are more likely to be aware of the hyperactivity of boys with ADHD, whereas girls might be accused of daydreaming. This makes it harder for them to get the help that they need.
Furthermore, girls with the disorder are more likely to be afflicted by anxiety and other mood disorders than those who suffer from the condition. They may also be more likely to try to mask their symptoms using strategies to cope that are typical for the gender they identify with, which could make it harder for others to realize that they have a problem.
For example, some women with ADHD may wear a lot of makeup or dress in a particular manner to hide their symptoms. They might also engage in risky behavior like excessive drinking or drug use, especially during the adolescent stage. They might not seek help until it's too late.