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ADHD Symptoms in Adult Women

Women who aren't diagnosed with ADHD may have issues at workplace or in relationships. It's important to recognize the signs and symptoms of adhd in adults and find treatment that is effective 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 managing your symptoms and focusing on what matters most.

1. It is difficult to pay attention

Women may struggle to pay attention to details, recollecting deadlines and appointments or underestimating the time it takes to complete a task. They can also have trouble keeping track of their responsibilities at work or in relationships, become distracted easily, and fail to keep their word on their promises. They might also have a tendency to be impulsive, have trouble managing their emotions, and blurt out things before thinking them through.

The difficulty in paying attention to the needs of ADHD symptoms in adult women can cause problems with friendships and relationships, which is why it is important to identify the symptoms and seek treatment. Women may have difficulty to make new acquaintances, or they might struggle in their current relationships with recurring fights and missing opportunities to have fun and being neglected. They might also face difficulties managing the demands of home, work and childcare.

It's not easy for health professionals and therapists alike, to identify ADHD in a lot of people. But that doesn't mean that it's not true or that the person has to try harder to remain on track. A diagnosis is based on the extent to which the symptoms interfere with daily functioning across multiple areas of life.

Women are more likely to experience inattentional symptoms than hyperactive or impulsive ones and this could be the reason why they go undiagnosed. In addition many women who suffer from ADHD feel a sense of shame about their symptoms because they don't conform to the stereotypes of people with ADHD. This can make it even more difficult to seek assistance or seek treatment.

Certain women with ADHD are not diagnosed for a lengthy period of time because they are unable to hide their symptoms and deal with. They are also more likely to have comorbidities, such as anxiety or depression that can cover up the symptoms of ADHD. They are also more likely to have hormonal fluctuations that could cause their symptoms to flare up or fade away, for instance during menstrual cycles or pregnancy, as well as perimenopausal.

2. Problems with Organization

Disorganization, forgetfulness, impulsivity and emotional dysregulation are typical ADHD symptoms that women suffer from. These symptoms can make it difficult for them to complete their daily tasks, keep track with their obligations, and maintain relationships. They might also suffer from low self-esteem or experience anxiety. Women who are not diagnosed with ADHD often feel that they're not meeting societal expectations and have a hard time keeping up with their peers in terms of academic achievement, job performance, and social interactions.

ADHD in women may manifest as procrastination, hyperfocus or forgetfulness. These problems can cause women to skip appointments, not pay bills on time and feel overwhelmed. Hyperfocus can result in an inability to focus on other important activities and a shaky sense of time, which can make it difficult to shift from one task to another. Procrastination can lead to a buildup of anxiety, stress, and the constant feeling of being lagging behind.

Another symptom that is often associated with ADHD is difficulty with verbal and nonverbal communication. This can include talking excessively, interrupting others or saying inappropriate words. This can include the inability to be patient or having difficulty understanding social boundaries. It is important to keep in mind that these behavior patterns do not necessarily indicate the absence of intelligence or capabilities.

Many women with ADHD have coping strategies to mask their symptoms. These strategies can have both positive and negative effects. Some of these strategies for coping might be healthy. For instance using a calendar for the day or making reminders for important dates. Others could be harmful like using alcohol and drugs to hide symptoms or completely ignoring them. It is therefore important that women who suspect that they be suffering from ADHD seek help from a professional.

Women with ADHD may benefit from medications and lifestyle changes, therapy, and a myriad of other treatment options. Some of these include cognitive behavior therapy to address underlying negative thoughts and beliefs mindfulness techniques and relaxation, exercise, a balanced diet, and a sufficient amount of sleep. A health care provider may also recommend adjustments that can help make work or school more manageable.

3. Disruptive Behaviors

Women with ADHD are often afflicted by emotional dysregulation. This is why they often become frustrated and discouraged when life's challenges aren't easily resolved. It can be challenging to keep relationships going, whether with romantic partners, coworkers, or friends. For instance, forgetfulness and insanity can increase frustration or confusion in relationships with loved ones and cause feelings of loneliness, loss, or depression. A tendency to look for thrills at the whim of your heart could be taken to mean a lack of interest or apathy.

This is one of the reasons ADHD symptoms in women and girls are often missed or underdiagnosed. It is possible that they are not able to recognize their issues due to ADHD due to stereotypes and social norms about men and women's behavior.

Girls and women with ADHD tend to conceal their symptoms to avoid causing embarrassment. This can lead to them being referred less often for diagnosis than men and boys who have the same symptoms. This could be due to gender bias in the research that determines diagnosis criteria. In a recent study, Hartung and Widiger found that girls and women are more likely to be unidentified and not diagnosed than boys and men with the same ADHD symptoms. This could be because clinicians are trained to view hyperactive and aggressive ADHD symptoms as more typical of males and females and can make them easier to identify and referred to assessment.

For adults, ADHD symptoms can manifest as restlessness and difficulty settling. These are typical adhd symptoms in adulthood symptoms however they can affect the lives of adults. People suffering from ADHD may feel agitated and find it difficult to sit still, especially if they are feeling anxious or stressed. They tend to fidget and are often overly active. They frequently interrupt or finish sentences of other people, without realizing that they are being rude.

If you suspect you may have ADHD, your GP or registered psychologist can refer you to psychiatrists to conduct an assessment. You can also self-refer. This content was reviewed by Madeline Dykes (clinical psychologist) and members of the Thriving Madly network in Christchurch in October 2024. It was updated in November 2022.

4. Social Problems Skills

Women suffering from ADHD might have difficulty communicating effectively or manage their emotions at work. This can lead to issues in personal relationships and with professional goals. They may be unable to recognize and responding in a timely manner to feedback. This can result in frustration or even disappointment. They also may struggle to maintain healthy eating and sleeping habits, which could increase feelings of anxiety. In some instances women suffering from ADHD develop unhealthy coping mechanisms to cope with these issues. These include eating disorders, substance abuse and non-suicidal harming oneself (NSSI) such as cutting, burning or scratching.

Women with ADHD may be more hesitant to get treatment as adults than men because they are more likely to hide their symptoms. They often develop coping strategies to try to fit in and conform to the expectations of society, which can make their ADHD symptoms difficult for others to detect. These coping strategies could be as simple as making lists and establishing reminders, or more complicated methods, like managing their emotions or developing mindfulness strategies.

However, these coping methods could backfire and make symptoms worse. These strategies can cause problems in getting an adequate night's rest which is essential for managing ADHD symptoms. In addition, women with ADHD often feel overwhelmed by life's demands, which can add to stress and exacerbate combined adhd symptoms in adults symptoms.

It's true that boys are more frequently diagnosed with ADHD than girls. However the gap is narrowing as they grow older. This is because women often experience a variety of symptoms over the course of their lives. This could lead to different diagnoses.

The fluctuation in hormone levels can affect ADHD symptoms in women. If they have higher levels of estrogen during pregnancy, for instance the symptoms could improve. This is because estrogen levels can aid in the regulation of brain chemicals that affect attention. However, if they begin to have low estrogen levels due to perimenopausal changes or age the ADHD symptoms might get worse.

Adults with ADHD are able to receive a precise diagnosis and access effective treatment. These include cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) and neurocognitive psychology, as well as other therapies that can help people with adhd symptoms in adults females improve their everyday functioning. In addition, they can join support groups for ADHD to share their experiences with others on the same journey and gain valuable insight from their peers.