Adult Female ADHD Symptoms
Women suffering from ADHD are often not diagnosed due to symptoms that may not be evident, gender biases between healthcare professionals and symptom masked. The need for a diagnosis is essential to improve your relationships, set you up for success, and help you identify your own behaviors.
To be diagnosed with ADHD, you need to have at least five ongoing symptoms of inattention and/or hyperactive/impulsive symptoms that interfere with daily life. Use this checklist to look for these signs:
Hyperfocus
ADHD can cause people to become so focused on a particular task that they lose sight of the world around them. This can happen even if the activity is not productive. Hyperfocus is what it is. Unrestrained hyperfocus, while useful for some people such as writers, scientists and artists, can be a hindrance. It can cause you to miss appointments, have difficulties at work or at school and cause problems with family and friends.
Hyperfocus can be difficult to stop if you are unaware that it is taking place. Create a schedule for the day and prioritize daily tasks like brushing your teeth or taking a bath. If you're having a difficult time keeping track of time, use a clock or alarm clock to help stay on task or have a friend check in with you at specific intervals. When working on a project, it is also helpful to move around a lot and take frequent breaks.
In children, hyperfocus can be seen as positive, since it allows children to be extremely engaged in a fun activity like skating or building with Legos. Unrestrained hyperfocus, however, can lead to setbacks in school, a decrease in productivity at work, and frayed relationships between parents and siblings.
Hyperfocus can make it difficult to discern if your child is experiencing emotional issues such as depression or anxiety that is common among adolescents. This makes it important to seek medical attention if your daughter has symptoms of ADHD that affect her daily activities.
ADHD symptoms can be more prevalent in certain times of pregnancy or menstrual cycles. This can increase the severity and frequency of emotional symptoms, such as anger or mood fluctuations. It can also increase the possibility that a female is misunderstood by her spouse or colleagues.
The male-to-female ratio for diagnosed ADHD is 2:1 in the early years of childhood, this imbalance becomes less pronounced after age 14, when more women receive a diagnosis. The good news is that there are plenty of resources to assist women and girls manage their ADHD, and improve their lives.
she said is a typical ADHD symptom in adult women, and it can cause issues both in your professional and personal life. This symptom can make it difficult to begin and complete tasks, especially those that require self-regulation or executive function abilities. People who are prone to procrastinating often find themselves behind on important school or work assignments and this can hurt their reputations and relationships.
Forgetting appointments and missing deadlines are other common symptoms of adult ADHD for women. You may also be prone to forgetting important information in conversations or even your own personal requirements, like paying bills. ADHD symptoms in adult men may find it difficult to concentrate in noisy or busy places, which can lead you to be distracted at work or school. You can also become easily distracted by your phone or social media and find it difficult to stay focused when listening to or reading.
People with the hyperactive/impulsive type of ADHD typically have a harder time controlling their emotions than those with the inattentive type. This can result in a variety of emotional challenges that range from anxiety and depression and mood changes that can have a significant impact on your life. It can also make it hard to handle tensions and miscommunications in personal and professional relationships.
Women are better than males in hiding their ADHD symptoms which makes it more difficult to receive diagnosed and receive treatment. This is particularly true for women who have high-functioning ADHD. The inattentive signs are less apparent, and can be concealed by depression or anxiety. School reports tend to concentrate on academic performance and behavior, and not on issues with relationships or social. This can lead girls and women with ADHD to be overlooked and not diagnosed.
There are a variety of treatment options for adults with ADHD, including medication as well as cognitive behavioral therapy and lifestyle adjustments. Talk with your doctor about what treatment plan is right for you. Be aware that the aim of any treatment plan is to help manage your symptoms and improve your daily functioning. Discuss the possible side effects and benefits of any medication you are taking, along with any co-occurring disorders.
Impulsivity
Women and girls with ADHD are more likely to have inattentive symptoms than men and boys, but they're less likely to have the hyperactive/impulsive or mixed subtypes of ADHD. However, the inattention symptom set is very common and can interfere with work, school, and relationships.
Impulsivity is a characteristic of the inattentive ADD/ADHD subtype and can be a cause of concern when it causes unsafe choices or reckless behavior. Signs of impulsivity could include blurting out answers before questions are asked, interrupting other people in conversations, or buying things on impulse, without thinking through the consequences. These actions of impulsivity can lead to embarrassing situations at the social level, problems with relationships and financial difficulties.
Emotional impulsivity can also be common in adult female ADHD. It can cause impulsive behavior in reaction to anger or frustration. This impulsivity can also cause mood changes that make it difficult for people to keep healthy and positive relationships.
Women with ADHD can find it challenging to manage their emotions, which leads to anxiety and low self-esteem. These negative emotions can negatively impact the performance of a person at work and cause absences from appointments and health issues. Women with impulsive ADHD often struggle to make decisions or plan ahead. They can become dependent on others or have trouble keeping their commitments.
Girls and women with ADHD have a higher risk of engaging in risky sexual behavior throughout adolescence, and even into adulthood. This is compared to peers who do not suffer from the disorder. This is usually due the recognition of the importance of sexual activity for social acceptance. The risky sexual behaviors of young adults and adolescents with ADHD can contribute to the higher rate of teenage, early or unplanned pregnancy in these groups.
The good news is that there are many ways to reduce impulsive behaviors. Making sure to pause before doing something and writing down thoughts that may be impulsive could help. Meditation or mindfulness exercises can also be helpful in relaxing the body and mind, blocking out distractions, and controlling the urge to be impulsive. Diet also plays a role in managing impulses. A healthy diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables along with whole grains and quality protein can improve focus and prevent impulse-driven behaviors. Sleep is another important element in reducing impulsiveness. Set up a regular sleeping routine, using a heavy blanket to soothe your mind and body and limiting your use of screens in the hours before you go to bed.
Emotional Dysregulation
A lot of adults suffer from emotional dysregulation with ADHD. When you're unable to manage your emotions it is difficult to deal with daily challenges and relationships. It can cause self-destructive behavior such as eating disorders and addictions. This can make it hard to maintain a school, home or work life.
You may have difficulty identifying your feelings or understanding what they mean. This is especially difficult when you suffer from an emotional disorder like depression or anxiety. symptoms of emotional dysregulation may include difficulty in relaxing after an argument and having frequent outbursts, or being easily annoyed by minor inconveniences and annoyances. It could also be difficult letting go of old experiences or holding grudges.
Females suffering from ADHD are at risk to emotional dysregulation. This is because their symptoms tend to be internalized, and they're less likely than males and females to get diagnosed with ADHD. Symptoms may also be harder to notice because many teachers miss subtle hyperactive-impulsive symptoms in girls, and rating scales for ADHD are still skewed toward male behavior symptoms.
Girls who suffer from ADHD typically feel more pressure to conform to social norms than both boys and men. This can be particularly difficult for teenagers with ADHD as they go into the hormonal changes associated with puberty and the transition to adolescence. This can lead to emotional dysregulation, especially when coupled with the increased sensitivity of girls suffering from ADHD to social and academic pressures.
If your ADHD symptoms cause you to experience emotional dysregulation, treatment options include medication or therapy. The use of medication can help regulate your hormones and improve your mood while therapy can offer an environment that allows you to work through emotions of sadness, anger and anxiety, as well as rejection.
Whether you opt for medication or therapy, the best way to treat the issue of emotion dysregulation is to implement steps to improve your sleep. This can be achieved by implementing a routine before bed and meditating or listening to calming music prior to bed. A good night's sleep can make you feel more refreshed throughout the day.
Although every person's story is unique, it's important to remember that there are ways to manage ADHD symptoms and live an enjoyable life. It's commonplace for people to try various therapies and medications, or lifestyle changes to find the most effective solution.