Challenges of ADHD in Women and Girls
Women and girls often face a wide range of challenges when untreated ADHD symptoms impact their daily lives. adhd in adult women test may feel incompetent at work, have difficulty in relationships with peers, or suffer from depression and anxiety.
They are also better at creating coping mechanisms to hide their ADHD symptoms. This makes it more difficult to diagnose and treat them.
Signs and symptoms
Although research has proven that ADHD affects men and boys more frequently than girls and women, the gender gap narrows as people get older. This is the reason it's crucial that people with ADHD issues don't feel abandoned or ostracized as they grow older.
As girls and women mature into adulthood, they continue to struggle with ADHD symptoms. They may have trouble managing finances, keeping the house clean and maintaining healthy relationships. Years of untreated ADHD can also affect their self-esteem and mental health because they blame themselves for their issues.
Unlike some other psychiatric disorders, ADHD is a condition that lasts for a lifetime. Women and girls are prone to mask their symptoms with strategies for coping however, these strategies often fail. In addition, hormonal changes during menstrual periods or pregnancy, as well as menopausal changes could make it harder to manage ADHD symptoms.
Attention-deficit ADHD can include inattention or forgetfulness or having trouble paying attention at work or in class, and having difficulties with daily routines like meal planning, scheduling or washing. Hyperactive-impulsive ADHD symptoms can include rushing through tasks, jumping from one task to another or making rash decisions. It's important for healthcare providers to be aware of the many ways that girls and women present with ADHD and to consider whether comorbid depression or anxiety is the cause of their struggles.
It's important that people with ADHD are evaluated by a qualified healthcare professional. They can assess their symptoms and medical history, and rule out any other medical conditions. For instance, some people with ADHD suffer from additional mental health problems such as depression or anxiety, a low self-esteem and trouble with social interactions and relationships. adhd symptoms in women test 's also normal for people with ADHD to suffer from other health issues that are co-occurring such as chronic stress, tics and fibromyalgia.
Many women and girls with ADHD aren't diagnosed because they aren't taken seriously by family members, teachers or friends. They may not believe that their issues are serious enough to seek help, or they may believe that their ADHD symptoms are a result of poor parenting, low self-esteem or other external factors. Women and girls are diagnosed with ADHD only when their children receive treatment for ADHD. Others are not diagnosed until they are in their 40s or their 50s, and are having difficulties with their daily activities.
Diagnosis
Women are typically not diagnosed with ADHD until they reach adulthood. They also may be faced with challenges if discovered. For one thing, girls may not have the same hyperactive/impulsive symptoms as boys -- and this can make them less likely to be recognised by teachers and parents, who are more accustomed to seeing those signs in male children. Girls develop coping strategies that disguise their symptoms which allows them to be less well-known. It is possible that girls' issues with organization, concentration, and impulsivity could go unnoticed over a period of years.
Women are more likely to be affected by high-functioning ADHD. This makes it harder to detect the signs. Moreover, they can have co-occurring illnesses that affect their ability to manage their life like depression and anxiety. For instance, they might find it hard to control their moods, which can be worsened by hormonal changes during the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and menopause.
Many of these issues cause a loss of self-esteem and difficulties in relationships. This means it isn't easy for them to speak up about their issues and seek assistance. This can lead to delays in diagnosis and treatment.
It's also common for people with ADHD not to be able to make friends or interact with others. They might not attend social events or fail to show up for appointments and can't discern body language or read the non-verbal signals of others. They might even be prone to going off on tangents while talking, making it difficult for others to keep up with them.
It's important to get a proper diagnosis and get it as soon as you can. It could be an "lightbulb" moment for women. It can help them recognize their struggles and accept themselves better. It can also help women to recognize their strengths and to take steps to improve life management abilities. inattentive add in women can positively impact their professional, personal and family lives. The article is reviewed medically by Huma Sheikh, MD.
Treatment
Untreated ADHD can impact the professional and personal lives of women and girls as they enter adulthood. The symptoms can affect relationships and work performance, leading to frustration and low self-esteem. They can make it difficult to cope with adult demands like managing finances and keeping your home in order, or maintaining healthy relationships.
Women and girls are less likely to receive a diagnosis of ADHD than boys and men, partly because hyperactive/impulsive symptoms tend to be more commonly associated with males. This, in turn, can create gender-based stereotypes about the disorder, which can lead to women and girls suppressing or denying their own symptoms to avoid being stigmatized by society.
There are effective treatment options for ADHD for both genders. A licensed health professional can prescribe medication to regulate brain activity and control symptoms. Stimulant drugs are the first choice, but non-stimulants can also be beneficial for certain people. Your doctor might suggest a combination therapy to treat related conditions, such as anxiety or depressive disorders.
Alongside medication lifestyle changes can also aid in managing ADHD symptoms. Regular exercise can release neurotransmitters that improve concentration and focus and reduce stress and anxiety. Physical activities that can be enjoyed in groups, like group fitness classes or team sports, are particularly helpful.
Therapy is also a crucial element of treatment. Cognitive behavioral therapy helps individuals identify and modify negative thinking patterns that cause ADHD symptoms. Couples counseling can be helpful in improving communication and resolving conflicts in relationships.
At Verywell Health, we use the words "girls" and "women" to refer to gender assigned at birth (AFAB) instead of an individual's affirmation of gender identity. This is to ensure the use of a more consistent and clear terms across our content and to avoid confusion for readers. This article is applicable to all those who were assigned males at birth, including transgender and nonbinary individuals. We recognize that gender and sex are not mutually-exclusive, and welcome all our readers.
Support
Women and those who were assigned females at birth (AFAB) who suffer from ADHD, are more likely than males to be misdiagnosed or never diagnosed. This is because women and girls tend to hide their symptoms, making them more difficult for doctors to spot. They also might have symptoms that aren't obvious to others, such as inattention or disorganization, rather than excessive impulsivity or hyperactivity.
This is particularly important for women, who typically create coping mechanisms to allow them to feel normal and conform to social norms. These coping mechanisms may include healthy actions like setting reminders for phone calls or keeping a daily schedule. But they can also be unhealthy such as binge eating or a drug abuse. Women who are not treated for ADHD might feel overwhelmed, anxious, or depressed, and they could be suffering from relationship issues and chronic stress.
The difficulties that women and girls with ADHD have to face can lead to feelings of self-esteem loss, anxiety, depression or even somatic complaints such as headaches or abdominal pain. These issues can cause avoidance of school or work, as well as social activities. They may also become more dependent on their parents to assist them with their daily chores. This can lead to an addiction and reliance that is hard to break.
In adolescence, girls as well as women who suffer from ADHD might be at a greater chance of engaging in sexual activities with non-consensual partners. This could be due to the impulsiveness of their lives, insufficient planning, or a failure to utilize contraception. They are also more likely to be pressured into sexual activities that are not desired, and they can be at higher risk for domestic violence and exploitation.
Women with ADHD who are adults can benefit from medications to treat symptoms and coping techniques. They can also seek therapy either on their own or in a group. This can help them to understand their challenges and build more positive internal dialogues. It will also help them improve their relationships.
Support services could include programs specifically designed for pregnant and parenting women with ADHD, as well as coaching to help them develop parenting skills. These programs can help women suffering from ADHD maintain their jobs, handle their household responsibilities, and take care of their children.