Signs of ADHD in Women
Women are under the pressure to take care of and keep track of kids, maintain a healthy relationship and perform well at work. ADHD symptoms can make these tasks seem impossible.
If you suspect that you have ADHD it is important to be treated and diagnosed. It can help you manage these symptoms and improve the quality of your life.
1. You're always late
Being constantly late is one of the most prevalent signs that you might be suffering from ADHD. People suffering from ADHD can have difficulty managing their time and can be easily distracted by other activities. This can cause issues at work or at school like forgetting to complete homework or missing important meetings. This can cause stress for you and the people who depend on your presence. To stop being late, set an alarm on your phone or calendar, and make sure to prepare for the night prior to. Also, you should allow yourself a few minutes extra to travel to your destination.
In addition, some women with ADHD have difficulty making friends due to their constant absence out on social occasions. They may also have a hard time taking social cues into consideration and understanding body language. They may also have difficulty concentration and may get lost 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. Parents and teachers are more likely to refer males or boys for an ADHD assessment as opposed to girls.
2. You have trouble focusing
It is easy for people suffering from ADHD to become lost in what they are doing. When they are in conversation with someone else they are likely to go off in a different direction or talk about topics that do not pertain to the topic that is being discussed. They can also have trouble sitting still and are more likely to be impulsive and make risky decisions.
These problems can strain relationships with family, friends and colleagues. People who suffer from ADHD are prone to forgetting appointments or ignoring deadlines. They can also be disorganized and can spend a lot of time on tasks that are not important or have trouble relaxing at home. They may also find it hard to concentrate at work or keep track of their finances.
Boys are more likely than girls to be diagnosed as having ADHD in children. As adults, the numbers are identical. This is believed to be because women are more likely than men to have recurrences in symptoms and seek treatment when one of their children has been diagnosed with ADHD. The changes in hormone levels, especially during menopausal changes, can influence ADHD symptoms.
3. You may have a poor memory
Women with ADHD often have difficulty remembering important occasions, such as birthdays, anniversaries, and gatherings. They may also have difficulty remembering names, which could make it difficult to keep track of in social situations and conversations.
It's also normal for people with ADHD to have poor judgment, meaning they say things without thinking them through. This can cause many "foot-in-mouth" moments that can be a source of frustration for loved ones and coworkers.
Another indication of adhd in women is trouble making and keeping friendships. Many women with ADHD struggle to manage their emotions. This could lead to challenging relationships with their romantic partners. high functioning adhd in women can increase their risk of being pressured to engage in inappropriate sexual activities or be the victim of abuse by their intimate partners.
Many women suffering from ADHD have difficulty comply with the expectations of society in parenting and homemaking as well as relationships. This can cause a lot more stress in their lives, which makes it more difficult to recognize and manage ADHD symptoms. Some women develop coping mechanisms like alcohol or drugs, to disguise their symptoms. This can interfere with treatment. Being diagnosed is the first step in identifying and managing these challenges. The good news is that you can find help.
4. You Have Trouble Making Decisions
Women who struggle to make decisions may procrastinate or be unable complete tasks, as they are unsure of what tasks to prioritize. They also have trouble remembering and following through with decisions they've made. This type of ADHD impacts performance at work, relationships and self-esteem.
Symptoms of ADHD in women can be difficult to recognize as they are for children due to the fact that teachers and parents do not refer girls to evaluation as often as they would for boys. Women are also better at hiding their symptoms. They can develop strategies to cope that enable them to appear "normal" and meet societal expectations, for instance by relying on apps to manage their daily activities.
Women can receive an official diagnosis from their primary care physician who can refer them to a specialist of specialization. Depending on the results of the test, the doctor may prescribe medication or talk-therapy. During therapy, your therapist can help you learn healthier coping skills and help you switch negative thoughts for positive ones. They can also assist you and your family members improve communication which can be a challenge when one or more of the people in a relationship have ADHD. Medications can help reduce the symptoms and increase efficiency at work or school.
5. You struggle with multitasking
Women who suffer from ADHD often find themselves feeling overwhelmed when they try to keep deadlines in line or complete several tasks at once. They may also have trouble controlling their emotions and may find it difficult to make or keep friends, especially when they have difficulty picking up on social cues and are prone to impulsive behavior.
Women who struggle to multitask are also more likely to be at risk of developing adhd. They may also lose or misplace items, and are easily distracted. This is a problem for women who work in an environment 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 kind of ADHD is more likely to be misdiagnosed by women because the symptoms are more subtle than those of the inattention-deficit type.
Women who are not diagnosed with adult ADHD might also develop strategies to mask their struggles by using drugs or alcohol to self-medicate, in order to be accepted by other people. This can further worsen their symptoms as they struggle to cope with the constant feeling of inadequate, which can lead to uneasy relationships and a general feeling of self-worth being shattered.
6. You have trouble managing your time
ADHD time management issues can be a big issue in the workplace. It's difficult to get things done when you do not have a system in place for filing paperwork, returning calls, or completing projects on time. Even if you're doing great work, supervisors will question your competence 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 don't receive treatment for ADHD also might be more likely to suffer from co-occurring depression or anxiety, and have difficulty maintaining relationships. Society expects women to be caregivers which can worsen the symptoms of ADHD in many women, particularly when they don't have access to the proper treatment and support they need. This can also lead tensions between family members, friends, and romantic partners. These strained relations can increase tension and confusion which can make it difficult for women to seek out help.
7. You're having trouble making friends
Having trouble making friends can be particularly frustrating for women suffering from ADHD. One reason is that women are expected to be capable of balancing multiple roles. This includes having children, maintaining relationships and performing well at the workplace. They may experience symptoms that worsen as they try to meet the demands. They may also have an increased risk of developing poor relationships with their peers or coexisting mood disorders and anxiety disorders. Furthermore women are more likely to develop strategies that cover up their ADHD symptoms. This could lead to excessive exercise or staying up later than is necessary and relying on telephone reminders or daily schedules to help manage their lives.
Other problematic behaviors include forgetfulness and impulsiveness, which can lead to problems in both work and personal relationships. For instance, ignoring a friend's birthday party can cause them to feel jilted and that you do not value them. Also interrupting conversations with irrelevant thoughts or getting angry at a moment's notice can lead to misunderstandings and conflicts. Set your expectations for your friendships to avoid bad emotions, misinterpretations and anger. This can be accomplished by using a calendar to keep track of your friend's important dates, a notepad to record details about new friends, and delivering on promises.