Is ADHD In Women The Greatest Thing There Ever Was?

Challenges of ADHD in Women and Girls

Girls and women often face many challenges when untreated ADHD symptoms interfere with their lives. They may feel inadequate at work, have difficulty in relationships with peers or suffer from anxiety and depression.

They are also better at developing strategies to manage their ADHD symptoms. This makes it harder to identify and treat them.

Signs and symptoms

Although research has proven that ADHD affects boys and men more often than girls and women, the gender gap narrows as people age. This is why it's critical that people with ADHD sufferers don't feel neglected or unloved when they reach the age of adulthood.

As women and girls grow into adulthood, they continue to struggle with ADHD symptoms. They may have trouble managing finances or keeping the house clean or maintaining healthy relationships. Untreated ADHD can impact their self-esteem and mental health in the long run, and they might blame themselves for their issues.

Contrary to other psychiatric disorders ADHD is a lifelong condition. Girls and women tend to cover up their symptoms using strategies for coping, but these often backfire. Additionally, hormonal changes during menstrual periods, pregnancy, and menopause may make it more difficult to manage ADHD symptoms.

Attention-deficit ADHD symptoms typically include being forgetful or absentminded in the sense of losing the track of time, having trouble paying attention during classes or at work and difficulty with daily routines like meal planning, laundry or scheduling. Hyperactive-impulsive ADHD symptoms can include rushing through tasks, jumping from one task to another or making rash decisions. It's crucial that healthcare providers are aware of the various ways girls and women suffer from ADHD and think about whether depression or anxiety contributes to the difficulties.

It's important that people with ADHD are assessed by a qualified healthcare provider. They can assess their symptoms as well as their medical history and rule out any other medical conditions. For instance, some people with ADHD suffer from additional mental health issues, such as depression or anxiety, low self-esteem and difficulty with social relationships and relationships. Adults with ADHD are also more likely to have physical health issues like chronic stress or tics.

Many women and girls with ADHD don't receive a diagnosis because they aren't taken seriously by family members, teachers or friends. They might not think their issues are serious enough to seek help or they might believe their ADHD symptoms are a result of poor parenting or low self-esteem, or any other external factors. In  adhd in older women  and girls with ADHD are diagnosed only after their children are diagnosed with ADHD or don't receive a diagnosis until they're in their 40s or 50s and have difficulties with their daily activities.

Diagnosis

Women are often not diagnosed with ADHD until they reach adulthood and can face 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 coping strategies that mask their symptoms, resulting in them not being noticed as much. It is possible that girls' problems with organization, concentration, and impulsivity may be overlooked over a number of time.

Women are more likely to suffer from high-functioning ADHD. This makes it difficult to identify the symptoms. Additionally, they may suffer from co-occurring disorders that affect their life management skills, such as depression and anxiety. They may find it difficult to manage their emotions. This can be exacerbated by hormonal changes that occur during menstrual cycles or pregnancy, as well as menopausal.

Many of these conditions can contribute to a lack of self-esteem and issues with relationships. As a result, it is often difficult for them to speak up about their issues and seek assistance. This could delay diagnosis and treatment.

Additionally, it's normal for people with ADHD to have difficulty making friends and engaging with others. They may miss social events and fail to show up for appointments and can't discern body language or pick up on other people's nonverbal signals. They may even be inclined to go off on tangents when they're talking, making it more difficult for others to keep up.

It is crucial to receive an accurate diagnosis and act as swiftly as possible. This could be a "lightbulb" moment for women. It will help them to understand their difficulties and make them feel more comfortable with themselves. It can also help them to focus on their strengths and take steps to improve their life management abilities. This can positively impact their personal, professional and family lives. Huma Sheikh MD has reviewed the article.

Treatment

As women and girls develop into adults untreated ADHD can take a toll on their professional and personal lives. The symptoms can affect relationships and work performance and lead to feelings of anxiety and frustration. They can make it difficult to cope with adult demands, such as managing finances and keeping your home in order or 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, in turn, can create gender-based stereotypes regarding the disorder, which can result in girls and women suppressing or denying their own symptoms in order to avoid being branded as a victim by society.

There are effective treatment options for ADHD for both genders. A licensed healthcare professional can prescribe medication to regulate brain activity and reduce symptoms. Stimulant drugs are the first option, but non-stimulants could also be effective for some people. Your doctor may recommend a combination treatment to treat related conditions such as depression or anxiety disorders.

Lifestyle changes, in addition to medication management, can help control ADHD symptoms. Regular exercise can release neurotransmitters that improve concentration and focus and reduce anxiety and stress. Group activities, like group fitness or team sports classes, are particularly beneficial.

Therapy is also part of the treatment. Cognitive behavioral therapy can help patients recognize and alter negative habits of thinking that contribute to their ADHD symptoms. Couples counseling is also beneficial in improving communication and resolving conflicts in relationships.

At Verywell Health, we use the terms "girls" and "women" to refer to the gender determined at birth (AFAB) instead of a person's affirmed gender identity. To make our content more uniform and clear, and to avoid confusion among readers we employ this term. However, this article also applies to those who are assigned male at birth (AMAB) as well as to transgender and nonbinary individuals. We acknowledge that gender and sexuality are not mutually exclusive, and we are happy to 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 conceal their symptoms, so they're more difficult for doctors to spot. There are also signs that aren't obvious to others, like inattentiveness or disorganization instead of the impulsivity or hyperactivity.

This masking is essential for women who typically come up with strategies to help them be normal and meet social expectations. These strategies for coping may include healthy actions like maintaining a daily schedule or setting reminders on phones. But they can also be unhealthy such as binge eating or a drug abuse. Women with untreated ADHD may feel overwhelmed, anxious, and depressed. They may also suffer from relationship problems and chronic stress.

The difficulties that women and girls who suffer from ADHD have to face can lead to feelings of low self-esteem, anxiety, depression or physical complaints such as headaches or abdominal pain. These issues can cause avoiding school, work or social activities. They may also be more dependent on their parents for help with everyday tasks.  adhd in older women  can create an environment of dependency and dependence on others that's difficult to break.

Girls and women with ADHD are more likely to engage in sexual interactions with non-consensual partners in adolescence. This could be due to the impulsiveness of their lives, insufficient planning, or an inability to utilize contraception. They are more likely to be pulled into sexually inappropriate activities and may be at a higher risk of being victims of domestic violence and abuse.

As adults, women who suffer from ADHD are often able to benefit from medication and coping strategies to manage their symptoms. They can also get therapy, individually or in partnership. This will help them to identify their struggles and create more positive internal dialogues. It can aid them in improving 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 suffering from ADHD to keep their jobs, handle their responsibilities at home and care for their children.