Adult Female ADHD Symptoms
ADHD in childhood is characterised by impulsivity and hyperactivity. This causes academic and behavioral difficulties. It is a chronic condition however, children tend to overcome the symptoms.
In adulthood, the symptoms of inattention persist and can cause problems at work or school. These symptoms can be triggered or aggravated by hormone fluctuations during menstrual cycles or during pregnancy, or menopausal.
Attentive Signs
The signs of inattention ADHD can be very frustrating for adults. They can affect relationships as well as productivity at work and school performance. You may be easily distracted, lose things frequently or have trouble following directions. You may forget appointments or meetings and leave unfinished work. You might be overwhelmed by clutter in your home or office and find it difficult to remember important details of events that occurred in your life. symptoms of add might be difficult to listen to other people and have what's called the thousand-yard stare, in which you stare at people but don't hear them.
Adults with inattention ADHD may also experience difficulties with their memory, particularly during periods of hormonal changes such as menstrual cycle, pregnancy, perimenopause and menopause. This can be particularly difficult for women, who might find that their symptoms are intensified by these periods of change.
You can live a better life if you're diagnosed with inattentive ADHD. Set realistic goals. Planners as well as reminder apps, and post-it notes to keep track of appointments or deadlines. Break big projects into smaller parts and complete them one by one. Take breaks regularly and move around to refresh.
You may also ask your employer or school for accommodations that could aid in managing your symptoms, for example, the ability to work from home, offering you additional time to complete tests or assignments or assisting with notetaking during meetings. A lot of places have policies that require them to offer accommodations for people with disabilities, such as ADHD.
Women suffering from ADHD might be annoyed or angry when they don't receive a diagnosis. They might blame themselves for their difficulties, or they might believe that they were dismissed by medical professionals or friends and family members. Some also feel sadness and regret for the opportunities missed and the relationships damaged due to the fact that they did not receive treatment for their disorder.
According to research, women and girls who suffer from inattention ADHD have been under-diagnosed as compared to men and boys. This is due to the fact that their symptoms tend to camouflage. They can look like anxiety or mood disorders and can cause clinicians to mistakenly diagnose the condition. They also have more effective coping mechanisms than men, which can conceal the root cause of ADHD symptoms.
Hyperactive Symptoms
For women and girls both genders, hyperactive ADHD symptoms can manifest as a sense of agitation or difficulty sitting still. They may feel tense or constantly in motion or be extremely talkative or have difficulty being able to concentrate in class or at work. Girls are also emotional and have difficulty regulating their emotions. They have to work hard to meet the expectations of society regarding the woman's behavior which can cause them to feel unsatisfied and suffer from chronic stress.
While the symptoms of female ADHD differ than those of male ADHD but the condition remains a chronic disorder. Only 30% of adults are believed to outgrow ADHD. Women are less likely than men to achieve this. If you've been diagnosed with adult ADHD, you may find that your symptoms become more severe as you age or undergo hormonal changes.
For example, you might find that your ADHD symptoms are more severe during puberty during and around the menstrual cycle, and also in menopausal perimenopause, which is the period before menopausal full-on. You may notice that you're making more mistakes, having difficulty managing deadlines and tasks, or forgetting appointments.
If you are suffering from the inattentive form of ADHD symptoms, they may also intensify during perimenopause and menopausal. This is because estrogen levels decrease at the time of ovulation, and in the middle of your menstrual cycle which can cause an increase in your ADHD symptoms. These fluctuations could be the reason for why many women are not diagnosed with ADHD in childhood, but instead go undiagnosed as they grow older.
In the initial diagnosis, doctors use different methods, such as interviews, rating scales, and other methods, to determine if a patient has ADHD. The way you perceive and react to your symptoms is also vital. For instance, women and girls may conceal or cover up their ADHD symptoms to avoid being judged, which could cause them to be misdiagnosed as having anxiety or a mood disorder. Males and males are more likely than women to be diagnosed with ADHD because of their disruptive behavior. This is the reason that many of the initial ADHD studies were conducted with hyperactive boys and males.
Impulsive Symptoms
Being diagnosed with ADHD can make it difficult to stop impulsive behavior like hitting your fist against the wall or picking up things off the floor. It also makes it harder to think before acting and could lead to difficulties at school or at work where you might be required to follow instructions or complete tasks with no interruptions.
As you enter adulthood, these trouble with impulse control, organizational skills could become more internalized and less obvious than they were as a child. Hyperactivity may become an inner turmoil. The periods of organization may occur in conjunction with periods of procrastination, and feeling overwhelmed.
Research shows that women tend to conceal their ADHD symptoms more effectively than boys or men. This is due to the fact that men and boys are more likely to be socially accepted for displaying ADHD-related behaviors especially impulsive or hyperactive ones. This could be due to gender stereotyping and stereotypes, for instance, that boys are more boisterous than girls and less organized. This may cause girls to conceal her ADHD symptoms in order to fit in with.
Female ADHD symptoms can be aggravated by hormone fluctuations during menstruation or pregnancy. This is because estrogen levels drop around ovulation and even more at the time of menstrual flow. This causes symptoms to increase. This is why it's essential for women and girls suffering from ADHD to be assessed by a medical professional or mental health professional when they're experiencing these symptoms.
You can manage the symptoms of ADHD. Combining medication, therapy and lifestyle modifications can make significant changes. Regular exercise can improve your mood, release neurotransmitters and improve your energy levels and focus. Consider participating in sports, cardio or aerobic exercises at home or your local gym.
It is also essential to get enough sleep. A restful night can help reduce fatigue which is often an indication of ADHD. In addition, it is important to eat healthy and try to avoid foods that cause ADHD symptoms in you.
Internalizing Symptoms
Women suffering from ADHD may experience particular difficulties in all aspects of their lives. They are more likely to have the inattentive symptoms and can develop coping mechanisms such as internalization. This can result in low self-esteem and negative body image. For these reasons, it's especially important that patients are diagnosed and treated as adults. For many, the diagnosis could be a turning point, providing an external explanation for the issues they've had and allowing them to accept themselves more fully (Waite, 2010).
The intensity of symptoms may vary depending on the hormone levels. Symptoms can be improved when pregnant or ovulation occurs however, they can become more severe when approaching menopausal. Women may find it difficult to maintain relationships and handle daily tasks during this time. This can result in feelings of discontent.
Impulsive and forgetful behavior can also affect relationships. Forgetting birthdays, unfinished projects or not paying bills on time can make people feel as if you're not interested, leading to conflict between people. People suffering from ADHD often struggle with sensitive to rejection and have difficulty controlling their emotions, which can lead to intense reactions to failure or rejection.
Women and girls who suffer from ADHD are likely to become sexually active at a younger age than their peers, due to impulsivity and a desire to belong and be loved. They are more likely to become victims of abuse from intimate partners and STIs because they do not insist on their partners using protection. They are more likely to suffer from depression or anxiety, and may find it difficult to maintain friendships.
While more research is required to understand the impact of ADHD on different genders, it's clear that women are more likely to go undiagnosed and have a different experience with the disorder. It is possible to receive diagnosis and receive treatment that can improve your relationships and help you succeed at work or in school. Your doctor might also suggest therapy, such as cognitive behavioral therapy, to help you manage your thoughts and emotions and replace negative thought patterns with healthier ones.