Adult Female ADHD Symptoms
Hyperactivity and impulsivity are the characteristic features of ADHD in childhood, and can cause academic and behavioral issues. It is a lifelong condition but children often outgrow their symptoms.
In adulthood, the inattention symptom persists and may cause problems with work or school. These symptoms can be triggered or aggravated by hormonal fluctuations during menstrual cycle or during pregnancy, or menopausal.
Attentive Symptoms
The signs of inattention ADHD can be very depressing for adults. They can thwart relationships, work productivity and school performance. For example, you may get distracted easily, frequently lose things, or have difficulty following directions. You may forget meetings or appointments, leaving unfinished tasks. You may be overwhelmed by the clutter in your home or office and have trouble remembering important details about events that happened in your life. You may find it difficult to concentrate on other people, and you may have what is called the "thousand-yard stare," where you look people in the eye but don't actually listen to them.
Adults who have inattention ADHD can also have memory problems, especially when hormonal changes take place, such as during menstrual cycle, pregnancy menopausal, perimenopausal, and menopausal. This can be particularly difficult for women who feel that their symptoms are being aggravated by these periods.
You can improve your life if you are diagnosed with inattention ADHD. It's important to establish realistic goals for yourself and plan ahead. Planners, reminder apps and post-it notes to keep track of your appointments or deadlines. Try breaking large projects into smaller tasks and work on them in small chunks at a time. Make sure to take regular breaks to move around and shift your attention.
You can also ask for accommodations from your employer or school that can help you manage your symptoms. For instance you may be permitted to work from your home, given extra time to finish assignments or tests, and provided with notetaking assistance in meetings. A lot of places have policies that require them to offer accommodations for people who have disabilities, including ADHD.
Women with ADHD might feel frustrated or angry if they don't receive a diagnosis. They might blame themselves for their difficulties or think that they were ignored by medical professionals or friends and family members. Many feel sadness and sorrow for the opportunities missed and the relationships that were damaged due to the fact that they did not receive treatment for their condition.
Research suggests that, as compared to men and boys, girls and women with inattention ADHD are not recognized and diagnosed. This is due to the fact that their symptoms are difficult to identify. They can appear to be anxiety - or mood-related, causing doctors to mistakenly diagnose them. They may also develop better coping strategies than males, which can mask the underlying symptoms of ADHD.
Hyperactive symptoms
Hyperactive ADHD symptoms in girls and women may manifest as restlessness or difficulty being still. They may be fidgety, noisy, or have difficulty focusing in classes or at work. Girls can also be moody and have trouble regulating their emotions. They often struggle to meet societal expectations for a woman's behavior, which can lead to feelings of inadequacy and constant stress.
Although the symptoms of female ADHD differ than those of male ADHD however, it is still a lifelong disorder. Only 30 percent of adults are believed to overcome ADHD. Women are less likely than men to experience this. If you've been diagnosed as having adult ADHD, you may find that your symptoms worsen as you age or undergo hormonal changes.
For instance, you may discover that your ADHD symptoms are more severe during puberty, in the middle and near the menstrual cycle, as well as in the perimenopausal years, which are the ones leading up to full-blown menopause. You may notice that you're making more mistakes, having trouble managing deadlines and tasks or ignoring appointments.
If you have inattention-based type of ADHD symptoms can increase during menopausal or perimenopausal. This is due to the fact that estrogen levels decrease around ovulation and in the middle of your menstrual cycle which can cause an increase in your ADHD symptoms. These fluctuations could be the reason that many women aren't diagnosed with ADHD in their early years but are diagnosed when they reach adulthood.
When determining the diagnosis, doctors will employ different methods, including rating scales, interviews and other methods, to determine if a patient is suffering from ADHD. It is also important to take note of the way you react and interpret your symptoms. Girls and women may hide or camouflage their ADHD symptoms in order to avoid being considered a victim. This could result in them being misdiagnosed as having anxiety or mood disorders. Men and boys, on the other hand are more likely to be referred for ADHD due to their behaviors being more disruptive. This is the reason that many of the initial ADHD studies were conducted on hyperactive boys and males.
Impulsive Symptoms
ADHD can make it difficult to control impulsive behaviors like picking up things off the floor or striking your fist against the wall. It can also make it difficult to think before you act, which can cause problems at work or school when you are required to finish tasks or follow directions without interruptions.
As you reach adulthood, the problems with impulse control, organizational skills could be more internalized and less apparent as they were as when you were a child. Hyperactivity can turn into an inner restlessness. Periods of organisation may occur in conjunction with periods of procrastination and feeling overwhelmed.
Research shows that women tend to conceal their ADHD symptoms more than men or boys. It is partly because men and boys are more likely to be socially accepted for displaying ADHD-related behaviors especially impulsive or hyperactive ones. adhd symptoms for women can be a result of gender stereotypes, such as the idea that boys are more raunchy and less organized than girls, which could reinforce a girl's tendency to hide her ADHD symptoms to fit with the other kids.
Female ADHD symptoms can be made worse by hormone fluctuations during menstruation or pregnancy. This is due to the fact that estrogen levels decrease around ovulation, and it falls even further during menstrual cycle's beginning which causes symptoms to increase. This is why it's essential for women and girls suffering from ADHD to be examined by a health care professional or mental health professional when they are experiencing these symptoms.
You can manage the symptoms of ADHD. A combination of therapy, medication and lifestyle changes can make a difference. Regular exercise is a great way to improve your mood and release neurotransmitters that improve concentration and attention levels as well as energy levels. Consider participating in sports, aerobic or cardio exercises at home, or in your local gym.
It's also important to get enough sleep. A good night's rest can reduce fatigue which is often an indication of ADHD. It's important to eat healthy and avoid foods that could cause ADHD symptoms.
Internalizing Symptoms
Women suffering from ADHD can experience unique difficulties across the different facets of their lives. They are more likely to suffer from symptoms of inattention and develop coping mechanisms such as internalization. This can result in low self-esteem and negative body image. It is crucial to identify and treat them as adults. For many, receiving a diagnosis can be a turning point, providing an external explanation for the struggles they've had and allowing them to accept themselves more fully (Waite 2010).
The intensity of symptoms can differ based on hormone levels. These symptoms may improve during pregnancy or ovulation and can worsen as you approaching menopause. Women may have difficulty to maintain relationships and manage daily tasks during this time. This can result in feelings of discontent.
The quality of relationships can be affected by impulsive and forgetful behavior. Not remembering birthdays or projects that aren't finished or not paying your bills on time can make people feel that you're not paying attention, leading to conflicts. People with ADHD tend to be extremely sensitive to rejection and have trouble managing their emotions. This can result in intense reactions even to perceived rejection or failure.
Girls and women with ADHD can become sexually active earlier in age than their peers, because of impulsivity and a desire to be part of a group and feel loved. They are more likely to become victimized by abuse from intimate partners and STIs because they don't insist that their partners use protection. They are also more likely to suffer from anxiety or depression co-occurring with it and may have a tough keeping friendships.
Although more research is needed to determine the impact of ADHD on the different genders, it's evident that women are more likely to be undiagnosed and experience different experiences with the disorder. It is, however, possible to receive a diagnosis and receive treatment which can improve relationships and position you for success in the workplace or at school. Alongside medication your doctor may recommend therapy like cognitive behavior therapy that can help you learn to manage your emotions and thoughts while swapping out negative thinking patterns for healthier ones.