15 Shocking Facts About Adult Female ADHD Symptoms
ADHD Symptoms in Adult Females Although ADHD affects both genders equally throughout adulthood, the condition often is not recognized in females. This is probably due to gender stereotyping and the capability of females to conceal their symptoms. Many healthcare professionals do not have the experience or knowledge to identify ADHD in women. As a result, many women are misdiagnosed prior to receiving the treatment they need. 1. Disorganization Girls and women who suffer from ADHD can struggle with disorganization. This condition is difficult to manage. For example your desk could be a jumble of muddled papers, 17 chapsticks, and a ticket stub from the Kings of Leon concert you went to in 2008. Even if you've purchased a few items to help you organize, your home or office is likely still messy and chaotic. Your inability to stay on top of your responsibilities can result in missed appointments and forgotten deadlines. Additionally, you may be struggling with a concept known as “time blindness,” which means you can't remember or understand the time required to finish a task. This can leave you unhappy and feeling that you're not doing an adequate job in your professional or in your personal life, particularly when you feel like others don't appreciate your efforts. You may also have difficulty controlling your emotions, which could make you overreact in stressful situations. Your high-speed verbal communication can result in miscommunications and misunderstandings with your family and colleagues, and you could make statements that hurt others' feelings without a thought. In addition, since impulsivity is common for people with ADHD and ADD, you may have trouble stopping yourself from making statements without considering them. If you have ADHD it's likely that some of your symptoms stem from gender stereotypes and cultural ideas about how men, boys and women should behave. This can make it harder for you to identify and treat your ADHD. You may also benefit from a treatment for behavioral issues to address the root cause of your disorder. It could take some time to find the best coping strategies, but implementing them will allow you to feel more in control of your life and improve your relationships with family, colleagues, and friends. 2. Impulsivity People with ADHD have intense emotions. However their brains aren't capable of separating them from or evaluate them. This means that they could be overwhelmed by one setback or have difficulty being able to assess the mood of other people. It also makes it easier for them to become distracted by small issues like a book that's out of stock or a friend who's late to the spin class. Many women with ADHD overcome their attention difficulties by masking symptoms and developing coping strategies. They could be perfectionists, or highly conscientious at school or work but struggle to keep track of important dates, deadlines and appointments. They might also struggle with verbal self control and talk excessively or interrupt others frequently. The hyperactive/impulsive subtype of ADHD tends to be more common in boys and men, but it's not unusual for women to have these symptoms too. These symptoms include an abrupt desire to stop, start or alter activities or activities; not being able to wait your turn in conversation; and difficulty interpreting social cues (like facial expressions or body language). While gender stereotypes can have an impact on the development of ADHD for women, it is difficult to recognize these issues. The scales for rating used to detect ADHD symptoms are still biased towards male behavior. Some healthcare professionals may miss the mark on a woman's ADHD symptoms. Many women suffering from ADHD report that their symptoms worsen during times of hormonal change like menstrual cycles, pregnancy, and perimenopause. This can cause emotional issues and trigger a lot of feelings of frustration, irritability, or depression. They may also experience a persistent feeling of discontent with their lives or relationships. This can cause substance abuse, low-self-esteem or unhealthy ways of coping. It is important for women to realize that these symptoms do not indicate their worth or importance as human beings. The positive side is that with a proper treatment strategy, these symptoms can be improved or even eliminated. 3. Attention ADHD is defined by a high frequency of these symptoms. While everyone struggles to focus and pay attention at times and in a variety of ways, they are so frequent that they can interfere with your daily life. click here for more may make careless mistakes at work or school or forget appointments or you may spend long hours delaying. You aren't comfortable waiting to be the first in a conversation and often interrupt others. Adults who are inattentive can also have a tendency to jump into projects without fully planning them and researching them. This results in a lack of results or subpar ones. You might also get side-tracked quickly and tend to leave projects unfinished — from the vegetable garden that got planted but never watered to the new system of organization which was erected and left to rot on your nightstand. People who have inattention ADHD also struggle with a constant sense of disorganization, both in their workplaces and at home. It is possible that you have trouble finding important documents keys, bills or keys and also lose items frequently. You could also lose your track of time and become late for work, school or even meetings. Women with hyperactive/impulsive ADHD are less likely to experience these inattentive symptoms, but they can still have problems with organization, time management and self-control. read this article with these signs may make or do actions without considering the impact such as yelling at others or making nonsensical sounds when they are alone. They might have difficulty sitting still, and fidget in their seat or pace. They can have trouble maintaining a job and might be in frequent conflict with colleagues and managers. In some cases the mood swings or emotional stress caused by ADHD may lead to frustration in relationships and misunderstandings. This is especially true in relationships with partners as well as at work. People with ADHD are also more likely to suffer from other comorbidities, like anxiety, depression or bipolar disorder. Women and girls with ADHD may face many difficulties when seeking treatment. These include gender bias and a tendency to conceal symptoms or underestimate their severity, and gender bias. The rise of famous women like Mia Freedman and Em Rusciano who have shared their personal struggles with ADHD has raised awareness, but many girls and young women do not know they have the disorder. 4. Anxiety An anxiety disorder is characterized by a constant, excessive anxiety. While everyone feels anxious or nervous at times Anxiety disorders are defined by constant high levels of anxiety. You may feel a constant sense of unease or fear and also a rapid pulse, difficulty maintaining calm, and having trouble thinking clearly. You might also feel the sense of danger even in situations that you are aware are not dangerous. The most frequent kinds of anxiety are general anxiety disorder, phobias and agoraphobia and separation anxiety, panic disorders and selective mutism. Anxiety is more prevalent in women with ADHD than in men and tends to get worse at certain times in the woman's life, such as around the time of her menstrual period or pregnancy, or perimenopausal. This makes it more difficult to handle everyday tasks and social interactions, and cause feelings of self-doubt and general dissatisfaction with your life. You are very sensitive to rejection and you have a hard to accept criticism. You easily misinterpret feedback or even anticipate rejection and you might get angry over small things that others wouldn't see as an issue with. Mood swings are also a symptom of adult adhd in women. It is possible that you have unpredictable emotions or are unable to manage these. You may also be prone self-injury that isn't suicidal like burning, scrubbing or hitting yourself. If you're experiencing any of the above symptoms, it's crucial to receive a diagnosis. It can help you identify your issues and give you strategies to improve your quality of life. You can take an online ADHD test, or go to your doctor for a professional assessment. In some instances, your doctor might prescribe medication to ease your symptoms. In some instances your doctor might suggest an amalgamation of lifestyle changes and cognitive behavior therapy. In either scenario, it's essential to begin making positive changes to your life as soon as you can. This will help you gain control of your life and make you feel more confident and competent.