ADHD Traits in Women
Verywell Health acknowledges that sex and gender are related to biology, the body's chromosomal makeup and hormones--and that many people do not belong to a sex binary. Genre and gender can influence how ADHD symptoms are diagnosed and treated.
ADHD is usually diagnosed in the early years of childhood, before the age of 12. ADHD must present symptoms before the age of 12 and cause problems in more than one environment to qualify for a diagnoses.
1. Difficulty Focusing
Inattention is at the heart of ADHD and it's an issue for everyone. Women may have a harder focus, particularly since symptoms may manifest differently than males.
Women are more likely to experience indecisiveness and disorganization, for example. They are also more likely to be emotionally triggered and have trouble putting things in perspective. These problems can create an inability to focus on work, which can lead to an inability to perform at work or at home. They are also more likely to not attend doctor appointments or forget to take their medications.
In addition to these natural differences, women's hormones can make ADHD symptoms more severe. Females have a bigger hippocampus that aids in learning and memory, and hormone fluctuations during menstrual cycles and during pregnancy, breastfeeding and menopausal changes can affect their brain's functioning.
As a result, women who aren't diagnosed with ADHD may face major difficulties in relationships at school, in their relationships, and at work. They may also be struggling with a myriad of co-occurring conditions, such as depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and bipolar disorder.
It is essential that health professionals are aware of the many signs females suffering from ADHD show. They need to rethink their approach to diagnosing and treating women suffering from ADHD to account for hormonal fluctuations, emotional dysregulation and other factors that affect the severity of symptoms. The patients will then receive the treatment they require.
2. Impulsivity
Females with ADHD are often unable to controlling their emotions, especially when they interact with other people. This can lead to emotional dysregulation, which is a major cause of ADHD symptoms. It can also be linked to negative life outcomes. This can include low self-esteem, anxiety and depression that coexist, problematic romantic relationships which can lead to conflict between partners, issues with friendships, a messy home or personal space, inability to manage time or money, and a messy house.
Gender stereotypes can also affect how women who suffer from ADHD are treated. They might be misunderstood since they are thought to be more sensitive or prone a mood swings. This can exacerbate their frustrations about being a victim of untreated ADHD.
Individuals with ADHD suffer from impaired impulse control, also known as the prefrontal cortex. This means they are more prone to making decisions and sticking with their intentions. This could make you want to indulge in more cake or make a snide comment.
Adults suffering from ADHD may benefit from medications that help them manage their impulsivity. The use of stimulants such as amphetamine or dextroamphetamine may reduce impulsive behavior. Non-stimulants such as clonidine or Guanfacine can also be effective. Patients with ADHD may also benefit from a behavioral therapy, which helps them change their mental patterns and develop better methods of coping.
A good night's sleep, eating a healthy diet, and meditating can help control the impulsiveness and restlessness of people with ADHD. It's important to track their symptoms throughout the day and communicate this information with their physician to determine if their treatment plan is effective.
3. Disorganization
Disorganization is a frequent issue for people suffering from ADHD and can have a negative impact on their work and personal lives. They may find it difficult to complete their tasks, and their productivity may be reduced. They might also fail to meet deadlines and feel overwhelmed on a daily basis.
Insanity can cause problems to maintain healthy relationships. They might miss important dates or misplace things like keys or purses. They might feel lonely and unloved because of this. They may also feel unloved by family members and friends. The disorder is more prevalent in menopausal and perimenopausal women when hormones change and symptoms increase.
Women often mask their ADHD symptoms in order to conform to social norms or to avoid being considered a failure. This can lead women to blame themselves and feel guilt or shame. It can also be a reason for why women and girls are often not diagnosed with ADHD particularly in adolescence where symptoms are more obvious.
As a result women who are not treated for ADHD might have poor work or school performance. This can negatively impact their work, grades, or their image. This could also cause issues for their personal life. For instance it can cause issues with relationships with their partners or breakups with family and friends.
Women who are chronically unorganized could benefit from the one-on-one assistance of a non-judgmental individual. They can help them learn strategies to get and remain organized, for example, making an agenda of the daily tasks and making reminders for them. A qualified mental health professional can recommend medication or lifestyle changes to reduce ADHD symptoms. add symptoms in adult women could include eating small meals throughout the day to maintain stable energy and avoiding caffeine, which can worsen the side effects of stimulant medication.
4. Indecisiveness
Indecisiveness is a characteristic that influences decision-making in many areas of our lives. Indecisiveness can be measured using various instruments, such as the Decision Behaviors Inventory by Barkley-Levenson and Fox and the Indecisiveness scale. Indecisiveness is also associated with neuroticism, and the tendency to employ worst case scenario thinking, which is where people interpret ambiguous situations as dangerous. It was also discovered to be associated with a fear of making a mistake, which could be the reason people with adhd have trouble making decisions.
In the qualitative study on adult women suffering from adhd who were interviewed, they described not being able to make choices about their personal and professional lives. They struggled to find an occupation they enjoyed or stayed in, and were difficult to manage their finances as well as their relationships, and health. They frequently had to wait for others to decide or were unable to finish projects themselves, such as scheduling childcare. They often felt that they were hindered by their ADHD symptoms, like difficulties with getting started or staying focused and impulsive.
They had a difficult time keeping friendships and had difficulty relaxing and recharging their mental health. They reported high levels of anxiety and stress, sleeping insufficiently and having poor nutrition. They also reported feeling snubbed by adults and the media. They were able to explain their struggles with ADHD and helped boost their self-esteem as they weren't blaming others. They also had access to appropriate treatments.
The interviews revealed that the women had many positive qualities but struggled to overcome the effects of their ADHD symptoms on various aspects of their life. These included a lack romantic or career opportunities, difficulty maintaining relationships and a messy home.
5. Self-esteem issues
Some of the symptoms that are a part of ADHD are viewed as less acceptable socially for girls and women than they are for boys and men and so women may are able to hide their impulsivity, hyperactivity and disorganization. Women may take on the characteristics of ADHD and develop strategies to cope, such as self-harming (cutting or burning). This can lead to low self-esteem, which could cause depression, anxiety or eating disorders.
A high sense of inner worth is the foundation for more positive relationships and a positive outlook on life. When people lack a strong sense of self-worth and feel they are not worthy, they will seek external things - such as relationships, careers as well as wealth and power to feel a sense of worthiness. A licensed therapist Cheryl Clarke says this can result in an absence of communication within relationships, which could eventually end it.
In addition to a sense of self-worth, women who have ADHD frequently struggle with a feeling that they don't deserve the good things in their lives. These feelings may manifest as a desire to "keep up" or to please. This can cause toxic workplaces, a negative self-image, and a dependence on substances or food.
Despite these major issues, women who took part in this study discovered many positive aspects to living with ADHD. They describe ADHD as an advantage or a disadvantage according to the way they perceive their ability to manage it. Link Website of them also identify their own strengths that they believe are a result of to their ADHD such as the ability to be creative, high energy determination, and the ability to get easily interested in new subjects. In addition, they describe their unique challenges as part of a bigger picture that encompasses cultural and family issues as in addition to gender and biological differences.