Signs of ADHD in Women
Women are under a lot of pressure to take care of and keep track of children, maintain a healthy relationship and perform well at work. ADHD symptoms can make these tasks seem impossible.
It is crucial to be diagnosed and treated if you have ADHD. It will help you manage these symptoms and improve the quality of your life.
1. You're Always Late
Being always late is a sign that you might be suffering from ADHD. People with ADHD are often unable to manage their time and are easily distracted by other activities. This can lead to issues at school or at work and can result in not attending important meetings or forgetting to complete homework assignments. This can create stress for both you and those who depend on your presence. To stop being late, try setting an alarm on your calendar or phone, and make sure to prepare your bedroom the night prior to. You should also give yourself a few minutes extra to reach your destination.
In addition there are women who suffer from ADHD have difficulty making friends due to their constant absence out on social occasions. They may also have a hard time understanding social cues and picking up on body language. They might also have trouble staying focused and lose themselves in their thoughts.
Lastly, some girls with ADHD go undiagnosed because their symptoms are more difficult to notice than the hyperactive/impulsive ones seen in boys and men. Teachers and parents are also more likely to refer males or boys to an ADHD assessment than they do for girls.
2. You're having difficulty focusing
It is common for people suffering from ADHD to get distracted or lose track of what they are doing. In a conversation, they could often veer off-topic or discuss other things. They may also have difficulty sitting still and are more likely to be impulsive and take risky decisions.
These issues can affect relationships with friends, family members and colleagues. For example, it is common for those with ADHD to forget appointments or miss deadlines. They can also be disorganized, spend too much time doing unimportant things or have difficulty relaxing at home. They may be unable to focus at work or keep track of their finances.
In children boys are more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD than girls. As adults, the rates are similar. It is believed that this is because women tend to experience a greater frequency of symptoms, and are more likely to seek treatment when one of their children is diagnosed with the condition. The fluctuation in hormone levels, particularly during menopausal changes, may affect the severity of ADHD symptoms.
3. add in adult women have a weak memory
Women with ADHD often have difficulty remembering important events, such as birthdays, anniversaries, and meetings. They may also have trouble remembering names, which can make it difficult to keep track of in conversations and social settings.
It's also typical for those with ADHD to have poor filters, meaning they say things without thinking them through. This can lead to lots of "foot-in-mouth" moments that can be a source of frustration for family members and colleagues.
Another sign of adhd in women is having trouble creating and maintaining friendships. Many girls with ADHD struggle to manage their emotions. This could lead to challenging relationships with their romantic partners. This increases the chances of being pressured to engage in inappropriate sexual activities or be the victim of abuse by their intimate partners.
Many women with ADHD struggle to meet societal expectations in areas such as parenting and homemaking, relationships and even their careers. This can create more stress in their lives, which makes it difficult to recognize and treat ADHD symptoms. Some women also develop coping mechanisms to hide their symptoms, like using alcohol or drugs that can hinder treatment. Getting diagnosed is an important first step in identifying and managing these challenges. You can seek help.
4. You Have Trouble Making Decisions
Women who struggle to make decisions might delay or fail to complete tasks, as they aren't sure of which tasks to prioritize. They also have trouble remembering and executing decisions they have made. This kind of ADHD can impact work performance, relationships and self-esteem.
The signs of ADHD in women can be harder to diagnose than in children, as parents and teachers don't refer girls for evaluation as often as they do boys. In addition, women are more adept in hiding their symptoms. They can develop coping mechanisms that enable them to appear "normal", and meet societal expectations. For example they may rely on apps to manage their day-to-day activities.
Women may receive an official diagnosis from their primary care physician, who may refer them to a doctor of specialization. Based on the results, the doctor may suggest therapy or medication. Therapy sessions with your therapist can help you learn more effective ways to cope and help you swap negative thoughts for positive ones. They can help you and your family improve communication. This can be a challenge when both or one of the partners in a relationship suffer from ADHD. The medication can help to reduce symptoms, and increase productivity at work or at school.
5. You have trouble multitasking
Women suffering from ADHD often feel overwhelmed when they attempt to complete deadlines or perform several tasks at once. They may also have difficulty managing their emotions and find it difficult to find or keep friends, especially when they have difficulty picking up on social cues and are prone to impulsive behaviors.
Trouble with multitasking is another indication of adhd in women as is their tendency to be easily distracted and to lose or misplace items. This could be a problem for women working in a workplace where they are constantly interrupted.
In addition, if you have the hyperactive/impulsive type of adhd, having trouble staying quiet and being able to control your emotions can lead to frequent outbursts that are not only disruptive to others but can be damaging to your career. This type of ADHD is more likely to be misdiagnosed by women since the symptoms are more subtle than those associated with the inattentive form.
Women who are not diagnosed with adult ADHD might develop strategies to disguise their struggles by using alcohol or drugs to self-medicate, in order to fit in with other people. This can further aggravate their symptoms when they struggle with the constant feeling of inadequacy, leading to tension in relationships and a general feeling of low self-esteem.
6. You are having trouble managing your Time
ADHD issues with time management can be a major issue in the workplace. It's hard to get things completed when you don't have a system for filing documents, returning phone calls, or finishing projects within the timeframes you set. Even if your work is excellent, supervisors may wonder about your professionalism if you repeatedly miss deadlines.
Women with ADHD are more likely to have the inattentive subtype of symptoms, which can make it harder for them to be diagnosed and treated than men or boys with the hyperactive/impulsive type of symptoms. This is because doctors and teachers are more likely to recognize the hyperactive/impulsive symptoms in boys and men, and may be less familiar with the inattentive-type symptoms of women with ADHD.
Women who aren't treated for ADHD are also more likely to develop anxiety or depression with co-occurring disorders and may have a difficult time maintaining relationships. Society expects women to be caregivers which can worsen the symptoms of ADHD in a lot of women, especially if they don't receive the proper treatment and support they need. This can lead to tensions between family members, friends, and romantic partners. The strain on relationships can lead to frustration and miscommunication, making it harder for women to seek out help.
7. You're having trouble forming friendships
Being unable to make friends can be especially frustrating for women suffering from ADHD. One reason is that societal expectations demand women to be able to perform multiple roles, including caring for children, maintaining relationships, and doing well at work. As they try to fulfill these expectations their symptoms can become more severe. They may also be more at risk of developing bad peer relationships or coexisting mood disorders and anxiety. Additionally women are more likely to develop strategies for coping that cover up their ADHD symptoms. This can lead to them over-exercising, staying up later than they should, and rely on phone reminders or schedules to manage their lives.
Forgetfulness and impulsiveness are also dangerous behaviors that can lead to problems at work as well as in personal relationships. For instance, forgetting to attend the date of a party with a friend can cause them to feel depressed. They may also think you don't have any interest in them. Interrupting conversations or becoming angry at the slightest hint can also lead to conflicts and miscommunications. Set your expectations for your relationships to avoid negative emotions, misinterpretations and anger. You can do this by keeping a calendar of your friend's important dates and using a notepad to write down any information you discover about new friends, and following through on promises.