ADHD Symptoms in Adult Women
Women with undiagnosed ADHD may face challenges at workplace or in relationships. It is important to identify the signs and find treatment that works for you.
Symptoms of ADHD in adults are more likely to be the inattentive type than hyperactivity/impulsive. Having a proper diagnosis can help you improve your life by addressing your symptoms and focusing on the things that matter most.
1. Difficulty paying attention
Women might have trouble paying attention to the details, remembering appointments and deadlines, or underestimating how long it takes to complete a task. They may also be unable to keep track of their responsibilities in their relationships or at work, get easily distracted, and fail follow through with commitments. They might also be impulsive, have difficulty managing their emotions, and may blurt out things before taking the time to think them through.
It's important to recognize and treat symptoms of ADHD in women of adulthood. Inability to pay attention can cause problems with friendships and relationships. Women may have difficulty to make new friends, or might struggle in their current relationships with frequent fights, missed opportunities for fun and being ignored. Women may also struggle to manage the demands of home, work and childcare.
It can be a challenge for health care providers and therapists alike to recognize ADHD in a lot of people. This doesn't mean that it's not real or that the person needs to be more focused. Rather, a diagnosis is based on how the symptoms interfere with daily functioning across multiple areas of life.
It's more common for females to experience inattention rather than hyperactive or impulsive symptoms and this could be the reason why this group is often undiagnosed. Additionally many women suffering from ADHD feel a sense of being embarrassed about their issues because they don't conform to the stereotypes of a person with ADHD. This can make it difficult for women with ADHD to seek help or receive treatment.
Certain women with ADHD are not diagnosed for a lengthy period of time because they attempt to conceal their symptoms and manage. Additionally they are more likely to have complications that may mask their ADHD symptoms, such as anxiety, depression and gastrointestinal issues. what is ADHD symptoms in adults are more likely to have hormonal fluctuations that could cause their symptoms flare up or disappear. This is especially relevant during menstrual cycle as well as pregnancy and perimenopausal.
2. Problems with Organization
Inattention, forgetfulness, disorganization and emotional dysregulation are common ADHD symptoms that women suffer from. These symptoms can make it difficult for women with ADHD to manage daily tasks, keep track with their obligations and maintain relationships. They may also experience low self-esteem or anxiety. Women who are not diagnosed with ADHD might feel they're not achieving society's expectations. They might also be afflicted by anxiety and low self-esteem.
In addition to disorganization and forgetfulness, ADHD in adult women can manifest as hyperfocus or procrastination. These issues can cause women to miss appointments, fail to pay bills on time, and feel overwhelmed. Hyperfocus can cause an inability to focus on other activities that are crucial and a lack of sense of time, which could make it difficult to shift from one task to another. Procrastination can also result in an increase in stress, anxiety, and an unending feeling of being lagging behind.
Communication issues, both verbal and nonverbal are a typical symptom of ADHD. This can mean talking too much, interrupting others, or saying inappropriate things. It can also indicate an inability to wait for her turn or difficulty recognizing the boundaries of social interaction. It is important to note that these behaviors don't necessarily signal a lack of intelligence or ability.
Many women suffering from ADHD have coping strategies to mask their symptoms. These strategies can have both positive and negative consequences. Some of these coping strategies could be healthy, like using a daily schedule or setting reminders for certain events. Some of these strategies might be healthy, like setting reminders for events or using alcohol and drugs to mask symptoms. It is crucial that women who suspect they be suffering from ADHD seek help from a professional.
Women suffering from ADHD might benefit from medication, lifestyle modifications or therapy, as well as other treatments. Some of these include cognitive behavior therapy to address the root of negative thoughts and beliefs mindfulness and relaxation techniques, exercise, a balanced diet, and a sufficient amount of sleep. A doctor can also recommend accommodations that can help make school or work easier to manage.
3. Disruptive Behaviors
Women with ADHD might experience emotional dysregulation. As a result, they are often unhappy and depressed when their problems aren't resolved. It can be challenging to maintain relationships, whether with romantic partners, colleagues, or friends. For instance an impulsive or forgetful attitude can increase frustration or confusion in relationships with loved ones and lead to feelings such as depression or loneliness. In addition the desire to find excitement on a whim could be misinterpreted as a lack of interest or indifference by other people.
Because of this, ADHD symptoms are frequently missed or misdiagnosed in women and girls. They may also have a hard time understanding that their issues are caused by the disorder because of stereotypes and social norms that define the behavior of women and men.
Girls and women who suffer from ADHD might conceal their symptoms to avoid embarrassment. This may result in being referred to less frequently for diagnosis than men and boys with similar symptoms. This discrepancy may also be due to gender bias in the research that informs diagnostic criteria. Hartung and Widiger discovered in an earlier study that women and girls with ADHD symptoms tend to be more likely to go undiagnosed and under-diagnosed than men and adults. This could be due to the fact that healthcare professionals are conditioned by their education to think of hyperactive and impulsive ADHD as being more common in boys and men. This can make them easier to identify and recommend to an assessment.
For adults, ADHD symptoms can manifest as restlessness and difficulty relaxing. These are common signs of ADHD however, in the later years of adulthood they can have a profound impact on one's life and well-being. People with ADHD are often anxious and are unable to sit still, particularly if they are feeling anxious or stressed. They also tend to fidget and are often overly active. They often interrupt or finish sentences of others, without realizing that they are being rude.
If you think you have ADHD Your doctor or registered psychologist may refer you to psychiatrists to conduct an assessment. Or, you can self-refer. This content was reviewed in October 2024 and updated in November 2022 by Madeline Dykes, clinical psychologist and members of the Thriving Madly peer support network in Christchurch.
4. Social Skills Problems
Women with ADHD may have difficulties managing their emotions or communicating effectively at work. This can lead to issues in personal relationships as well as with professional goals. For example, they might struggle to understand and respond to feedback, which can lead to frustration and disappointment. They may also struggle to maintain healthy eating and sleeping habits, which could increase anxiety. Women with ADHD use unhealthy coping methods to compensate for their problems. These include eating disorders, substance abuse and non-suicidal harming of oneself (NSSI) such as cutting, burning, or scratching.
Women who suffer from ADHD may be more hesitant to receive treatment as adults than males, because they tend mask 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 more difficult for others to detect. These strategies for coping could be as simple as creating lists and establishing reminders, or more complex strategies, like managing their emotions or learning mindfulness strategies.
These coping mechanisms can be counterproductive and worsen symptoms. They can also make it difficult to get adequate sleep, which is crucial in managing ADHD symptoms. Women with ADHD are also prone to feeling overwhelmed by the demands of their daily life, which can cause ADHD symptoms.
While it's true that a greater number of boys are diagnosed with ADHD than girls, the gap is less when they reach the age of adulthood. This is due to the fact that it's normal for women to experience a range of symptoms throughout their lives, and this can lead to a diagnosis at different dates.
Changes in hormone levels could also affect ADHD symptoms in women. If they have higher levels of estrogen during pregnancy, for instance the symptoms could improve. Higher levels of estrogen help regulate brain chemicals that affect the ability to focus. However, if they begin to experience low levels of estrogen due to age or perimenopause, their ADHD symptoms could become more severe.
It is possible for people with ADHD to receive an accurate diagnosis and access effective treatment. These include cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and neurocognitive psychology, and many other treatments that can help those with ADHD improve their daily functioning. In addition, they may also join support groups for ADHD to share their experiences with other people with similar experiences and gain valuable insight from their peers.