ADHD in Adults Symptoms Women May Not Be Aware Of
Women with ADHD are often misdiagnosed or left undiagnosed, as their symptoms are not as obvious like those of males. Many develop strategies to disguise their symptoms and blame themselves for their problems.
It is a sign of trouble staying organized, high distraction and memory issues. These symptoms can be controlled with medication.
Self-Esteem Issues
Women with ADHD often feel like they're not as skilled or capable of making the same strides as their peers. They may have a difficult to deal with frustration or disappointment caused by every day struggles to keep the track of appointments, adhere the deadlines and commitments and organize at work or at home. This can create to a vicious cycle of self-criticism and depression and anxiety (Foster and Wolpe, 2010).
Women may find it difficult to develop healthy coping mechanisms. As a way to combat their symptoms women may resort to harmful or unhealthy behavior, especially during the adolescent years. These unhealthy coping methods can exacerbate their issues and negatively affect their lives. They can also make it difficult for professionals to detect symptoms and delay an accurate diagnosis.
Insanity can lead to reckless behavior or outbursts, that are not in accordance with one's values. This can cause feelings of shame. Many women suffering from ADHD struggle with communicating their feelings or managing their emotions, which can make social interactions a challenge. This makes it difficult for those who suffer from ADHD to build or keep relationships. Over time it can cause feelings of guilt and isolation.
If loved ones don't understand why things happen like not being able to remember birthdays, ignoring appointments, or being behind on assignments they may become annoyed. Women with ADHD can also have difficulty in expressing their feelings, which is why they may unintentionally blurt out things that cause harm to others or get them into trouble at work or school.
Additionally, those with ADHD are more likely to procrastination and finding it hard to start or finish tasks. This can lead to missed health checkups or other important appointments which can cause them to feel overwhelmed and uncontrollable.
It's more common now for professionals to recognize adult ADHD symptoms in women and refer them to treatment. In addition, advances in understanding the differences between women and men suffering from ADHD have resulted in more effective treatments that allow women to manage their symptoms and restore confidence and self-esteem.
Relationship Issues
Having ADHD can make it difficult to maintain healthy relationships. Women with ADHD might have difficulties communicating with friends and loved ones due to their impulsivity, inability to concentrate on conversations, and the tendency to drift off into diverging thoughts. These signs can cause miscommunication and hurtful feelings. The good news is, with proper treatment and care women can establish affectionate relationships.
Love bombing, also known as "showing the love and affection to your partner at the beginning of the relationship" is among the most frequent problems people with ADHD face in relationships. This tactic is employed to create a sense of dependency to deflect the problematic behavior and to create strong feelings. This behavior is often the result of untreated ADHD.
ADHD can also cause people to be incapable of planning ahead. This is essential to ensure an enduring relationship. For example, if a neurotypical person asks their ADHD partner to help with the dishes, they may be distracted by three other tasks and never get to finishing them. Similarly, people with ADHD tend to jump from one hobby to the next, investing time and money into their latest passion. This can result in financial difficulties and a messy house.
Mood swings are a common issue in relationships for those with ADHD. They may lash out in anger at their spouses or experience sudden, sweeping mood changes from extreme anxiety to extreme joy. This can leave their partners feeling overwhelmed and unable to manage the situation.
It is crucial for those with ADHD to work on self-control, including calming down and avoiding triggers that might cause emotional outbursts. They should also use relaxation techniques, such as meditation and deep breathing. They should also seek support from a mental health professional or ADHD specialist in order to learn coping skills and develop a treatment program.
It is crucial that those with ADHD understand how their actions influence others. In intimate relationships, both partners should cultivate empathy and compassion. They should also establish the boundaries clearly to avoid anger. It's also helpful for people who suffer from ADHD to be aware of accommodations, such as notetaking, organizing, and taking breaks from conversations, to help them deal with their issues at work and school.
Work-related Issues
For women suffering from ADHD, work can feel overwhelming. No matter if you work from home or in a formal office managing calls, emails, and meetings throughout the day can be difficult. Add to that the restlessness disorganization, disarray, and difficulty in focusing on work and juggling deadlines that are associated with ADHD, it can feel like your job is impossible.
There are many ways to help. Talking to your doctor or mental health professional is one way. They can evaluate your symptoms, and recommend an assessment. They might ask you what aspects of ADHD affects your daily routine and suggest ways to manage it. They might suggest using a calendar to schedule appointments or arranging your workspace. Some people with ADHD benefit from having a plan and taking their medication regularly and limiting distractions like television or social media.
Women who suffer from ADHD can have their symptoms caused by hormonal changes like the menstrual period or pregnancy. symptoms of ADHD in adults women are also more likely to feel mood fluctuations and general discontent with their lives and makes them more likely to be overlooked by male friends or colleagues.
The good news is a combination of self-care and treatment can help you overcome this challenge. Your doctor may prescribe medications like stimulants and non-stimulants, that could help ease your symptoms. They can also refer to a group of women who suffer from ADHD.
The NIMH's Tips for Talking with Your Health Care Provider factsheet will aid you in preparing for the conversation. This fact sheet provides a practice script and questions you can ask. You can also download a downloadable version of the fact sheet. NIMH has resources that can help you find an expert in mental health or health care professional who has experience in treating ADHD in adults. Then a full evaluation can be carried out to determine whether ADHD is the reason for your problems. You can also request a referral to an expert, if required. You can find out more about this issue on NIMH's Adult ADHD page.
Social Problems
Women who suffer from ADHD are more likely than men to experience mood-related disorders or anxiety and may be unable to handle social situations due to their inability recognize social cues or interpret body language. These challenges can lead to difficulties in romantic relationships as well as at work and at home. Adult ADHD symptoms can also affect physical health, causing weight issues, anxiety, depression, and chronic stress.
Because of their tendency to be more adept at concealing their ADHD symptoms, women often have a difficult time being diagnosed and treated as adults. Many of them may have been referred to treatment for other ailments prior to receiving a diagnosis of ADHD. They could have developed strategies to cope and developed strategies to hide their attention deficit disorder over time which can lead to self-blame for their lack of abilities or a sense that they'll never have their lives together.
After receiving a final diagnosis, it's an enormous relief for women with ADHD to realize that they're not at fault for their issues and that the problems do not stem from a character flaw or personal weaknesses. A diagnosis can also be an incredible source of motivation and hope to make changes, since these women are aware of what they must accomplish to realize their maximum potential.
There are numerous sources that can assist women find solutions to ease symptoms and improve quality of life. These include psychotherapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and special ADHD medication. Medications used to treat ADHD in adults are typically stimulants, such as methylphenidate (Ritalin(r)), dextroamphetamine/amphetamine salts (Adderall(r)) and lisdexamfetamine (Vyvanse(r)). Those who do not wish to take stimulant medications can opt for non-stimulant options such as atomoxetine (Strattera(r)) or viloxazine (Qelbree(r)) or clonidine (Kapvay(r)).
For the most effective treatment, it's essential that women visit an experienced healthcare professional who can provide an accurate diagnosis of their condition. Treatment options include medication and lifestyle changes, as well as a combination with other treatments.