Adult Female ADHD Symptoms
Women suffering from ADHD are often overlooked due to inattentive symptoms that may not be evident, gender bias in healthcare professionals and symptom masked. It is crucial to be diagnosed to improve relationships and set you up for success, and help recognize your behavior.
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 check for these signs:
Hyperfocus
Many people who suffer from ADHD are able to focus on a particular event to the point that they are unable to think about the outside world, even when the activity is not productive. Hyperfocus is the term used to describe this. While some people, such as scientists, artists and writers, use this skill to excel in their work, unrestrained hyperfocus can be a risk. It can cause you delay appointments, experience difficulties at work or at school, and strain relationships with your family and friends.
Hyperfocus can be extremely difficult to stop, especially when you don't know it's happening. The best way to break out of an ADHD hyperfocus session is to establish a routine and prioritize your tasks for the day, including everyday chores like brushing teeth or taking a shower. Set an alarm or a clock to assist you in keeping track of time. You can also ask a friend or family member to check in on you regularly. It can also help to move around and take frequent breaks when working on a task.
In children, hyperfocus is sometimes considered to be a positive trait, because it allows kids to become completely engaged in an activity like skateboarding or building with Legos. However, unrestrained hyperfocus can cause problems in school, a decrease in productivity at work, and damaged relationships with parents or siblings.
Hyperfocus may make it difficult to discern the signs that your child is suffering from a mental illness like anxiety or depression which are common among adolescents. This is why it is crucial to seek medical attention if your child exhibits symptoms of ADHD that impact her daily functioning.
Symptoms of ADHD can also increase during certain times in women's lives, such as when she is having menstrual cycle or is pregnant. This can increase the intensity and frequency of emotional symptoms like irritability and mood fluctuations. It also increases the chance that a woman is misunderstood by her spouse or colleagues.
The male-to-female ratio for diagnosed ADHD is at 2:1 in childhood but this disparity becomes less pronounced after age 14, when more females receive a diagnosis. There are numerous sources that can help women and girls manage their ADHD and improve their lives.
Procrastination
Procrastination is a typical ADHD symptom in adult women and can lead to issues in your professional and personal life. This symptom can make it difficult to complete tasks, particularly those that require self regulation and executive functioning abilities. Procrastinators often fall behind in important work or school assignments, which could damage their reputation and damage relationships.
Forgetting appointments and missing deadlines are also common signs of adult ADHD for women. You may also be prone to forgetting important details in conversations, or even your own personal needs, such as paying bills. You may find it difficult to concentrate in busy or noisy environments, which can result in missed opportunities at school or at work. You may also be easily distracted by your phone or social media accounts and struggle to concentrate when reading or listening to another person.
People with the hyperactive/impulsive type of ADHD typically have a harder time controlling their emotions than those with the inattentive type. This can lead to a variety of emotional challenges including anxiety and depression and mood fluctuations that can have a major impact on your life. It can also make it hard to handle conflicts and miscommunications in your personal and professional relationships.
Women are more adept at hiding their ADHD symptoms than men, which may cause difficulty in being diagnosed and obtaining treatment. This is particularly the case for women with high-functioning ADHD and inattention symptoms aren't as obvious and can be camouflaged by anxiety or mood symptoms. Reports on school typically do not include any comments about social or relationship difficulties and focus on academic performance and behavior, which could lead to under-identification and under-diagnosis of girls and women with ADHD.
There are a variety of treatments for adults with ADHD that include medication as well as cognitive behavioral therapy and lifestyle modifications. Speak to your doctor about the most effective treatment plan for you. Remember that the goal of the treatment plan is to improve your daily performance and help manage your symptoms. Discuss the side effects and benefits of any medication you are taking, as well as 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 inattentive symptoms are quite common and can affect school, work, or relationships.
Impulsivity is a symptom of the inattentive ADD/ADHD type and can result in poor choices or dangerous behaviors. Impulsivity is defined as the tendency to answer questions before they are asked, interrupting conversations and buying things without thinking about the consequences. These impulsive actions can result in embarrassing situations in social situations, relationships, and financial problems.
Emotional impulsivity is a common symptom in adult female ADHD. It can lead to an impulsive reaction to anger or frustration. This impulsivity can cause mood swings, which makes it difficult to keep healthy and positive relationships.
Women with ADHD can find it challenging to manage their emotions, leading to anxiety and low self-esteem. These negative emotions can affect the performance of a person at work, and can cause missing appointments or health issues. Women with an impulsive ADHD often struggle to make decisions or plan ahead. They might become too dependent on others or have trouble staying on track with their commitments.
Throughout adolescence and into adulthood, girls and women who suffer from ADHD are more likely to engage in sexually risky behaviors than their peers who do not suffer from the disorder. This is usually due to a recognition of the value of sexual activity for social acceptance. Sexually risky behavior in adolescents and young adults with ADHD is a risk factor that contributes to a higher rate of unplanned, teenage or early pregnancies.
There are many ways that you can control your impulsive behavior. Learning to pause before you act and writing down thoughts that may be impulsive could help. Meditation or mindfulness practices can also help in calming the mind and body by blocking out distractions and reducing impulsiveness. Diet can also play an important role in reducing the impulsiveness. A healthy diet, which includes vegetables, fruits and whole grains, as well as high-quality proteins, can improve concentration and reduce the risk of the impulsive behavior. Sleep is a key factor in the reduction of the tendency to be impulsive. Make sure symptoms of ADHD in adult women have a regular sleep routine, with a heavy blanket to calm your mind and body and limiting your use of screens in the hours before you go to bed.
Emotional Dysregulation
The disorder of emotional regulation affects a lot of adults with ADHD. When you're unable to control your emotions it can be difficult to manage daily challenges and relationships. This can lead to self-destructive behavior such as addictions and eating disorders. This can make it difficult to keep a clean home, work or school life.
You may find it difficult to pinpoint your emotions or understand what they mean. This is especially difficult if you suffer from a mood disorder, such as depression or anxiety. Emotional dysregulation is defined as difficulties in slowing down after an argument, frequent outbursts or becoming easily annoyed by minor inconveniences. It is also possible to have difficulty getting past events out of your mind or holding onto grudges.
Females with ADHD may be particularly vulnerable to emotional dysregulation. It's because the symptoms they experience are internalized, and they are less likely to be diagnosed with ADHD than boys or men. 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 with ADHD typically feel more pressure to conform to social norms than both boys and men. This can be especially challenging for teenage girls with ADHD as they transition into the hormonal changes that accompany puberty and the transition to adolescence. This can lead to emotional dysregulation, especially when coupled with the increased sensitivity of girls who have ADHD to academic and social pressures.
If you're ADHD symptoms cause you to experience emotional dysregulation, treatment options could include therapy or medication. The use of medication can aid in regulating your hormones and improve your mood, while therapy can offer the space to work through feelings of anger, sadness, anxiety or rejection.
If you decide to take therapy or medication the best method to treat this disorder is to adopt steps to improve your sleep. This can be achieved by following a routine before bed, practicing meditation, or listening to soothing music. Good sleep hygiene practices can help you get more energy throughout the day.
Although everyone's experience with ADHD is different it is important to recognize that there are ways to manage symptoms and lead a happy life. It's commonplace for people to try different treatments or medications or lifestyle changes to find the best solution.