Adult ADHD Symptoms Women and Girls May Not Know About
Many women and girls who suffer from ADHD are misdiagnosed or are not diagnosed, due to the fact that their symptoms are different from those of men. They may experience more emotional instability, or have trouble controlling their emotions.
Finding a clinician or therapist who understands ADHD in women can make a huge difference in turning your individual challenges into strengths.
1. Inattentiveness
Adults with inattention ADHD might have difficulty keeping on top of their appointments and household chores, miss deadlines at work and struggle to stay focussed during meetings. Inattentive ADHD patients often experience "time blindness," which is when they forget the time or become so absorbed in their work that they forget about time. This can cause feelings of being disorganized, behind, or irresponsible.
Women with inattentive ADHD are particularly good at showcasing their symptoms, which can make it more difficult to get an assessment. They may have learned to overcome their difficulty in staying well-organized by employing coping strategies like self-denial, relying upon others, or even resorting to unhealthy behaviors like excessive drinking or substance abuse.
This is why their issues with organization and focus can be ignored by others until they realize their own problems. They might have a list of embarrassing moments where they embarrassed their friends or coworkers. They may also be struggling to keep their apartment and homes neat and tidy and feel overwhelmed by their workload.
If untreated and not diagnosed, the signs of inattention ADHD can have a devastating effect on all aspects of their lives. They may miss out on social and professional events because they were not invited. They might also not pay their bills or return friends' phone calls in a timely fashion. They may be rushed through a test or misunderstand instructions in the workplace or commit a few blunders in their personal relationships. They start to believe that they are incompetent or lazy, and suffer from low self-esteem.
2. Hyperactivity
People who suffer from hyperactive ADHD can be prone to fidget, squirming in their seats, or talk excessively. They aren't able to pay attention to what others are saying. They often interrupt or make statements they don't think through. They are easily distracted and bored by activities which do not entice them. The behavior is not caused by a desire to appear insolent or a lack of understanding it is a result of a biological imbalance in the frontal lobes of the brain (Tripp & Wickens, 2009).
While everyone loses keys or forgets appointments occasionally, those who have inattention ADHD tend to do it more frequently. This subtype of ADHD can also cause people to lose track important information such as bills or work assignments. They are often unable to remember or lose eyeglasses and other things like keys, wallets, school materials, sports equipment, etc. They often have difficulty keeping a job and often start projects, but don't complete their work.
Many adults with ADHD feel better about themselves after their symptoms are under control. This is particularly applicable if the person had been misled for years to believe that they are lazy or irresponsible due to their procrastination and disorganization.
Stress, mental disorders, and physical ailments can trigger symptoms similar to ADHD. adult female add symptoms will have to conduct a thorough evaluation in order to identify the cause of the symptoms, and then determine the most effective treatment. They might ask your permission to talk to family members, friends, colleagues and teachers as well as other individuals who know you well to learn about your current and past behaviour and experiences. They could also conduct psychological tests, like the Rotterdam Test for Attention Disorders or the Beck Cognitive Abnormality Index.
3. Impulsivity
Being diagnosed with ADHD can make it difficult to stop and take a deep breath, especially when things are stressful. You may be compelled by your ADHD to tackle a problem, even when you need to plan and slow down. This type of impulsivity can cause difficulties with schoolwork, work, and relationships. You may also experience problems with finances, driving or managing your home.
Women often have a harder to be diagnosed with ADHD than men due to the fact that their symptoms are less obvious. They might appear to being dependable and conscientious. This can give a false sense of security, and make it easier for others to dismiss them as a problem-child, overly emotional woman or a perfectionist. Undiagnosed ADHD over a lifetime can cause a lot of 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 should be evident in two different settings such as at home and work and can affect your ability to function.
You might have a hard working through school or work-related tasks and often appear forgetful and unorganized. You have a hard time waiting in lines or sat for long periods of time. You find it difficult to concentrate when reading or working on a laptop or performing chores. You prefer novelty to the daily grind and may be prone to skipping tasks or procrastinating to avoid them. Although ADHD shares some of the symptoms of anxiety disorders such as restlessness, fidgeting, and forgetfulness aren't typically present. The symptoms of ADHD can fluctuate with age, exacerbated by hormonal changes like menopausal and pregnancy.
4. Rejection Sensitivity
Rejection sensitivity (RSD) is an illness of the mind that is that is characterized by extreme negative emotions and difficulty in regulating emotions. It can trigger emotional turmoil and affect a variety of aspects of everyday life. People who are sensitive to rejection experience more emotional reactions to social signals that could be perceived as rejection compared to other people. When they experience rejection - whether real or perceived, they might be afflicted with shame, low self esteem, and emotional dysregulation. It is a common condition for those with ADHD and Autism, but it can be present in people without these conditions as well.
RSD can lead to an inability to set personal boundaries, which can lead to impulsive behaviors and difficulties managing relationships. It can also make people avoid taking risks, which can limit their personal and professional growth. For some, it could even lead to a complete loss of self-esteem as well as a feeling of depression. RSD is also known to intensify and intensify the core ADHD symptoms, like time blindness. This can cause problems with planning and organisation, as well spending time on tasks that are not important. It can also lead to problems with focusing and attention span, and those suffering from RSD can get stuck thinking about a minor issue for hours or even days.
Research suggests that people suffering from RSD may have a brain impairment in the processing of emotional information. This could be due to the fact that the amygdala (which is responsible for the body's threat response) is more active when people perceive rejection. It is also believed that people who feel a sensitivity to rejection might have suffered from childhood trauma that can have lasting effects on their emotional development. This makes people more sensitive to rejection, criticism, and abandonment as adults. RSD can be affected by co-occurring mental illnesses like depression or anxiety.
5. Gender-specific Behaviors that are Typical of a Genre
Many people suffering from ADHD suffer from the disorder in childhood, and they almost always receive a diagnosis before the age of 12. The symptoms tend to persist throughout adulthood. This means that women suffering from the disorder might remain troubled at school, at work, home and in relationships. They might also be suffering from depression, compulsive eating, or addiction disorders. Years of undiagnosed and untreated ADHD can be a drain on self-esteem and confidence and they can blame themselves for their issues because they think of themselves as "lazy," "irresponsible," or "stupid."
Gender bias is a factor in the way girls and women are viewed when they display ADHD symptoms. Parents and teachers are more likely to be aware of the hyperactivity of boys with ADHD, while girls may be accused of a daydream. This makes it more difficult for them to receive the assistance they require.
Girls who suffer from the disorder are also more likely to suffer from anxiety and other mood disorders. They may also be more likely to to mask their symptoms using strategies to cope that are typical for the gender they identify with, which may make it more difficult for others to see they are suffering from an issue.
Some women suffering from ADHD might use a lot of makeup or dress a certain way to conceal their symptoms. They might also engage in risky behaviors such as excessive drinking or using drugs, especially in adolescence. This means that they may not seek the help that they need until it is too late.
