Symptoms of ADHD in Women
Women who suffer from ADHD can be extremely active and whirl through life at high speed until they crash. They may also be hypoactive, unable to muster up energy to complete daily tasks.
Girls and women can suffer from co-occurring disorders such as eating disorders and mood disorders, anxiety and depression, tic disorders, and fibromyalgia.
Signs and symptoms
ADHD in women is underdiagnosed, partly due to social expectations for girls and women and the coping mechanisms they develop to disguise their symptoms. This can cause struggles with school, work, relationships and daily tasks. It can also cause anxiety and depression. ADHD symptoms for women include executive functioning issues, memory and organization issues, impulsivity, and problems with social boundaries.
A diagnosis of ADHD in women could be a turning point, helping to explain why they've struggled throughout their lives and giving them an external reason for why they behave the way they do. Receiving a diagnosis can also provide them with the confidence and help they require to manage their symptoms.
The symptoms of ADHD in women may vary according to the season, and hormonal fluctuations, particularly estrogen. Estrogen decreases during ovulation and during the middle of menstrual cycles, as well as during pregnancy and after menopausal. This can cause ADHD symptoms to fluctuate from day to day.
Some symptoms of ADHD among women that are not often noticed are mood swings and a tendency to overreact or be easily frustrated by small things. They can be difficult to understand for others, particularly male colleagues or partners who might interpret these behaviors as emotional instability or uncontrollable anger. They may not believe that these symptoms are related to ADHD and as a result they are often dismissed, even by medical professionals.
Hormones can impact the effectiveness of medication or their interaction with other mental disorders. It is common for other mental health conditions to manifest alongside ADHD, including depression and anxiety disorders, which can mask or exacerbate ADHD symptoms. This is the reason it's essential to have a full diagnostic assessment by an expert in ADHD.
Exercise can help reduce ADHD symptoms because it releases neurotransmitters which improve attention and focus. Regular exercise can also reduce stress and anxiety, which are common for people with ADHD. It's a great idea to find a form of exercise that you enjoy, so you stick with it and make it part of your routine.
Treatment
Untreated ADHD symptoms continue affecting the lives of girls as they develop into women. Without treatment, it could be difficult for women to maintain their jobs or care for family members. Maintaining a healthy relationship with a partner can be a challenge. Women who suffer from ADHD may be frustrated when they are unable to meet their peers' expectations or meet the difficulties of life.
When women enter puberty, during puberty, female ADHD symptoms may be less obvious than the symptoms of men or boys. The symptoms of ADHD may be different depending on the hormone fluctuations including estrogen and progesterone. These fluctuations can result in symptoms being misinterpreted, or even exacerbated. When estrogen levels drop around ovulation time, during menstrual cycles or when progesterone levels are high in anticipation of pregnancy or menopausal or other hormonal changes, the emotional symptoms of ADHD can become more prominent.
As we age, the signs of impulsivity and hyperactivity are more apparent than in childhood. This can lead women to be more likely to receive a diagnosis of ADHD. Many adults suffering from ADHD aren't diagnosed due to the fact that their symptoms are often concealed by stress and ineffective coping techniques.
The good news is that there are effective treatments for women suffering from ADHD. These include psychotherapy and medications. It is essential to find a therapist and clinician who has experience treating ADHD both in women and girls. There is also a support group to interact with other women with ADHD and to discuss ideas on how to manage your condition.
NIMH's Clinical Trials Search page allows you to search for studies that may be appropriate for you. You can also talk to your doctor about participating in any research study. The benefits of participating in a clinical trial are that you are able to acquire new knowledge in science and also help researchers learn more about ways to help prevent, treat and improve conditions and diseases. Talk to your doctor about the advantages and disadvantages of taking part in a clinical study. In some cases, the costs of participating in a clinical study are covered by the researcher.
Gender
Symptoms of ADHD revolve around issues with executive functions, which are the brain-based processes that help you manage the emotional state and impulse control. The symptoms of ADHD differ for each person, but the hyperactive, impulsive, and inattentive symptoms tend to be more prevalent among males and boys. Experts aren't certain of the cause for these differences, but they do know that females are more likely to develop inattentive ADHD symptoms earlier than males. This makes it more difficult for them be identified and treated.
Attention-deficit symptoms are common in women, including problems with attention, forgetting details, and focusing on the task at hand. These difficulties can make it difficult for them to perform well at school or work. Women with ADHD may also have difficulty maintaining relationships with friends or romantic partners due to their inability communicate and manage emotions.
Women who suffer from ADHD have a harder time finding and retaining jobs despite having more qualifications than their male counterparts. This gap is not fully acknowledged. However, it could be due to stereotypes about women which cause employers and teachers to be less likely to recommend treatment for women with ADHD.
Some researchers have found that women with ADHD tend to hide their symptoms. This involves developing strategies to deal with their issues and meet social expectations. This might be beneficial in a short-term, but it isn't long-term sustainable. Women with ADHD are often forced to seek treatment when their lives are spiraling out of control, whether at work or home.
Women who suffer from ADHD might also be suffering from depression or other mental disorders, making it more difficult to identify and treat. Combined with their internalized shame, this can result in feeling depressed and an insecure self-esteem. Women who suffer from ADHD are also more likely to experience suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts that could be fatal when not dealt with promptly. This is why it's important to seek professional diagnosis and treatment whenever you begin to show the first signs of ADHD, regardless of your sexual orientation.
Self-Esteem
Women with adhd may struggle to have a healthy self-image. They may feel like they are less than their peers and have difficulty accepting compliments. They also tend to overgeneralize, catastrophizing and make assumptions that lead to negative self-talk.
This can be especially troublesome because people with ADHD are sensitive to criticism and rejection. This can result in lower self-esteem in a range of areas, including schoolwork or sports, as well as physical appearance. In addition, those who suffer from ADHD are often more likely to be reprimanded from teachers and parents when they make mistakes (Manning 2010).
Many people suffering from adhd are frustrated and feel like they're failing throughout their lives, as they're unable to manage their symptoms. This can result in an uneasy feeling of self-esteem, and make them less likely to participate in future activities and discussions.
Certain studies suggest that ADHD symptoms generally can lower self-esteem. However more research is needed to confirm this relationship. For example, in one study, severe inattentive symptoms decreased self-perceptions of scholastic competence, but hyperactive-impulsive symptoms did not affect these domains. Additionally, oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) symptoms had a direct impact on depression, but these effects weren't mediated by self-esteem (Dan & Raz 2015).
You can improve your low self-esteem. You can use various strategies to boost self-esteem. Cognitive behavioral therapy is just one of them. The first step is to identify what beliefs and thoughts hinder you. Examine these thoughts and patterns and determine if they are grounded in actual evidence or in irrational assumptions and self-criticisms. Then replace inattentive adhd in women with more constructive ones.
Another method to boost self-esteem is to concentrate on positive aspects of your personality and achievements. A journal can be extremely useful in identifying your strengths and accomplishments. You can then keep these in a place where you'll be reminded of them often. You can also consider volunteering or doing other charitable activities to feel good about yourself.
In the end, it's essential to find a professional or therapist who has experience in treating women suffering from ADHD. They can help you discover ways to increase your self-esteem and teach you strategies for dealing with challenges. They can also help with accommodations in workplace or school, which can increase your efficiency and productivity.