Challenges of ADHD in Women and Girls
Untreated ADHD symptoms can cause a variety of problems for women and girls. They may feel unable at work, struggle with peer relationships and suffer from anxiety or depression.
They also have a better chance of creating coping mechanisms to hide their ADHD symptoms. This makes it difficult to identify and treat them.
Symptoms
While research confirms ADHD affects both men and boys more frequently than women and girls but the gap between genders narrows as people age. This is why it's vital that people with ADHD symptoms not feel forgotten or ostracized when they reach adulthood.
As girls and women grow into adulthood, they continue to struggle with ADHD symptoms. They may struggle with managing finances as well as keeping their homes tidy or maintaining healthy relationships. Years of untreated ADHD can also affect their self-esteem and mental health, as they blame themselves for their problems.
ADHD is a chronic disorder unlike other psychiatric disorders. Girls and women are more likely to cover up their symptoms using strategies to cope, but they often result in a negative effect. Furthermore, hormonal changes that occur during menstrual periods as well as pregnancy and menopausal symptoms may make it more difficult to manage ADHD symptoms.
Inattentive-type ADHD symptoms usually include being forgetful or absentminded in the sense of losing the track of time, having trouble paying attention in classes or at work and difficulty with daily routines like food preparation, laundry or scheduling. Hyperactive-impulsive ADHD symptoms can include rushing through tasks, jumping from one task to another or making rash decisions. It is crucial that healthcare professionals are aware of the various ways women and girls can suffer from ADHD and also consider whether depression or anxiety contributes to the difficulties.
It is crucial that those with ADHD are assessed by a qualified healthcare professional. They can assess their symptoms and medical history, and rule out other illnesses. For instance, some individuals with ADHD have additional mental health issues, such as depression or anxiety, a low self-esteem, and difficulties with social interactions and relationships. Adults with ADHD are also more likely to suffer from physical health issues like chronic stress or tics.
Many girls and women with ADHD aren't diagnosed because they're not considered serious by teachers, family or friends. They may not believe that their problems are a serious enough problem to seek assistance or they might believe their ADHD symptoms are a result of a poor parenting style or low self-esteem, among other external factors. In some instances, girls and women with ADHD are diagnosed only after their children are treated for ADHD or are not diagnosed until they're in their 40s or 50s and are having difficulties with their daily activities.
Diagnosis
Women are not often diagnosed with ADHD until adulthood, and they can be faced with challenges when it does occur. For one thing, girls may not have the same hyperactive/impulsive symptoms as boys -- and this can make them less likely to be recognised by teachers and parents, who are more accustomed to seeing those signs in male children. Girls can also develop strategies to manage their symptoms and lead to them not being noticed as much. It is possible that girls' issues with organization, concentration and impulsivity may go unnoticed over a period of time.
Women are also more likely to be diagnosed with high-functioning ADHD which makes their symptoms harder to recognize. Furthermore, they could have co-occurring conditions that impact their life management skills, such as anxiety and depression. For instance, they may have trouble controlling their moods, which can be exacerbated by hormonal changes throughout the menstrual cycle, pregnancy and menopausal.
Many of these issues contribute to a lack of self-esteem and difficulties in relationships. It can be difficult for these people to discuss their problems and seek assistance. This can delay the diagnosis and treatment.
It's also normal for people with ADHD not to be able to establish friendships or interact with others. They might miss social engagements, fail to turn up for appointments and can't read body language or read other people's nonverbal cues. They might even go off on tangents when talking and make it difficult for others to follow their lead.
In these circumstances, it's important to get a proper diagnosis and take action as soon as you can. This can be a "lightbulb" moment for women. It can help them understand their struggles and accept themselves better. It can also assist women focus on their strengths and to adopt steps to improve their life management skills. This could be beneficial to their personal, professional and family lives. Huma Sheikh MD has reviewed the article.
Treatment
As girls and women grow into adults, untreated ADHD can have a devastating effect on their personal and professional lives. Symptoms can interfere with relationships and work performance, resulting in anxiety and low self-esteem. They can also make it difficult to handle the demands of adulthood, such as managing finances, keeping your home tidy and maintaining healthy relationships.
Women and girls are less likely to receive a diagnosis of ADHD than boys and men, partly because hyperactive/impulsive symptoms tend to be more commonly associated with males. This could create gender-based stereotypes regarding the disorder, which could lead to women and girls suppressing or denying their own symptoms in order to avoid being branded as a victim by society.
There are effective treatments for ADHD in women and girls. The medications regulate brain activity and help manage symptoms. They can be prescribed by a certified healthcare professional. The most popular choice is stimulant medications, however nonstimulants may also be effective for certain people. Your doctor might suggest a combination therapy to treat related conditions, such as depression or anxiety disorders.
In addition to medication lifestyle changes can also aid in managing ADHD symptoms. Regular exercise releases neurotransmitters that boost concentration and focus, and reduce anxiety, stress and other mood disorders that are that are common among people with ADHD. Physical activities that can be enjoyed in groups, like group fitness classes or team sports are especially beneficial.
Therapy is also part of the treatment. Cognitive behavioral therapy can help people identify and change negative habits of thinking that contribute to their ADHD symptoms. Couples counseling can be helpful in improving communication and resolving conflict in relationships.
We employ the words "girls", "women" and "womens" to refer to the gender that was established at birth, not to a person's gender identity. To ensure that our content is more consistent and clear and to avoid confusion among our readers we use this term. adhd in women signs applies to all people who were assigned males at birth, which includes transgender people and those who are nonbinary. We recognize that gender and sex are not mutually exclusive and welcome all readers to our site.
Support
Women and people who were assigned female at birth (AFAB) and suffer from ADHD, are more likely than males to be misdiagnosed, or not diagnosed. This is because women and girls tend to hide their symptoms, which makes them more difficult for doctors to recognize. They might also exhibit symptoms that aren't obvious to others. For example, inattentiveness and disorganization, instead of excessive impulsivity or hyperactivity.
This masking is important for women who typically develop strategies for coping to be normal and meet social expectations. These strategies for coping may include healthy activities such as making daily schedules or setting phone reminders. They could also be harmful, like binge-eating or drug abuse. Women with untreated ADHD may experience anxiety or depressed, and overwhelmed and may be suffering from issues with relationships and chronic stress.
Women and girls who suffer from ADHD can experience low self-esteem, or other symptoms such as depression, anxiety, or abdominal pain. These feelings may lead to avoidance of school or work activities. They may also become more dependent on their parents to assist them with their daily chores. This can lead to an unhealthy cycle of dependence and reliance that is hard to break.
As they grow older, girls and women with ADHD may be at greater risk for sexual activity with non-consensual partners. This can be due to an impulsive nature, inadequate planning, or an inability to use contraception. They are also more likely to be pressured into unintentional sexual activity and they are more vulnerable to domestic violence and the exploitation of.
Women with ADHD who are adults can benefit from medications to treat symptoms and coping techniques. They can also seek therapy on their own or in a group. They can learn to understand themselves and develop a positive internal dialogue. This will also help improve their relationships.
Support services could include programs specifically designed for pregnant and parenting women with ADHD as well as coaching to help them develop parenting skills. These programs can help women with ADHD to keep their jobs, handle their responsibilities at home and take care of their children.