Symptoms of ADHD in Adults Females
The symptoms of ADHD in females of adulthood are often missed or misdiagnosed. A proper diagnosis can enhance your life, both professionally and personally.
The signs include forgetfulness and inability to keep track of time, impulsiveness, poor emotional regulation, and trouble reading social cues. Treatment could include therapy or medication.
Insufficient Focus
ADHD is characterized by difficulty keeping focus. People with ADHD have trouble being able to concentrate on a task for longer than a few minutes regardless of how exciting the task. When they are enthralled by an activity, they could become a bit obsessed and forget other tasks or responsibilities. This can lead to procrastination and missed appointments and even incomplete work projects.
People suffering from ADHD may also have trouble following instructions and remembering particulars. This could make it difficult to accomplish tasks at work or school and lead to misunderstandings and anger in relationships. It can be a significant factor in issues with time management, such as not paying bills or showing up at appointments on time or even failing to show up altogether.
Women suffering from ADHD might develop coping strategies to disguise their symptoms, which can cause them to be perceived as disorganized or spacey by other people. This can result in feelings of guilt and shame which may affect their self-esteem and ability to focus.
Use a planner to help you manage this issue. You can also make use of post-it notes or a planner to track deadlines and appointments. Use a noise cancelling headset to block distractions and listen to music for better concentration (make sure the lyrics don't distract your concentration). Try to stay away from caffeine prior to the time you go to bed, as it can disrupt sleep cycles. Practice good sleep hygiene, such as establishing a regular bedtime routine and turning off screens an hour before going to bed. You can also use an oversized quilt as well as a warm bath or soothing music to soothe your mind before sleeping.
Inattention
Women with the inattentive ADHD subtype typically have trouble working through tasks such as remembering important dates and deadlines or even finishing routine chores. They may also miss details in conversations, or get distracted by other activities going on around them. They often make careless errors at work or school and do not double-check their work before making submissions. They also have trouble planning and setting priorities.
Impulse and forgetfulness can cause anger and miscommunications between romantic partners and colleagues, family members, or teachers. This makes it difficult for people with these issues to seek treatment for their issues. If you're always late for meetings, or are having trouble keeping track of your time people might conclude that you don't care about them, or are not committed to the relationship. Inability to keep track of time or focus can lead to misunderstandings with those who live with you.
Certain women who suffer from ADHD experience high-functioning symptoms, that do not have an impact on their everyday lives. For instance, they could not remember appointments, fail to meet deadlines, or delay tasks. They also experience other signs like anxiety and lack of organization skills.
Adult symptoms of ADHD may worsen during the perimenopause (perimenopause is the time that precedes menopausal). A good night's sleep and exercise can help manage these symptoms.
Attention-deficit ADHD is one of the most prevalent types of ADHD. To diagnose ADHD, a healthcare professional will conduct a thorough examination. This may include an examination of your body, cognitive or behavioral test, as well as an interview with your physician of your family. Note: Sex is a term used to describe biology - the chromosomal makeup, hormones and anatomy that determine whether someone is either a woman or a man; nonbinary or other gender; and gender identity - an internal sense of being a woman, man or another gender, including the social and cultural beliefs about roles, behavior, expressions and characteristics.
Impulsivity
Women with ADHD often struggle with impulse control, which is the ability to delay action or refrain from acting based on thought. They may be unable to self-restrain, interrupting others without thinking about it, and having difficult time understanding social boundaries. They have a tough waiting to be the first, and are generally impatient. These symptoms can cause problems at home, school at work, and in social relationships.
Keeping up with multiple tasks such as emails, phone calls, and meetings can be especially difficult for people with ADHD. Additionally, they could have difficulty remembering names and their handwriting might be messy. They may also be suffering from a lack of organizational skills and a tendency to delay projects, which could affect their work performance and create stress. In some cases an impulsive behaviour can lead to unhealthy coping strategies like drinking or taking drugs.
Because many women with ADHD don't realize they have the condition, they are underdiagnosed. The symptoms of ADHD can be difficult to detect since they are often disguised by hormonal changes like menopausal changes, puberty or pregnancy.
At Salience Health, we help people with ADHD manage their symptoms through a combination of medication and therapy. The use of medications can be especially beneficial in the treatment of the issue of impulse control. To learn more about the treatment options available to adults with ADHD Contact us today to set up an appointment.
Hyperactivity
Women who suffer from ADHD may have trouble being still and calm for extended durations of time. Their flitting and restlessness can interfere with their ability focus on work or school. They have a difficult time playing or enjoying leisure activities in silence. They could appear easily distracted and not care about what other people want. They may also have difficulty remembering details of conversations or events they've attended.
Additionally, they may have difficulty following through on commitments and plans. As they age, many women who have ADHD develop coping mechanisms to mask their symptoms, keep up with expectations and maintain relationships. This can result in feeling overwhelmed and out of control. It is especially difficult for women who have the hyperactive/impulsive type of ADHD, which can cause mood swings. These mood changes can be misinterpreted by male friends and coworkers, which can result in feelings of isolation and loneliness.
The symptoms of ADHD are different for men and women however a thorough assessment by an experienced health professional is vital. Salience Health providers can use tools like Creyos Cognitive Testing or Brainview Advanced Testing to identify and suggest treatment options.
A combination of therapy and medication is usually recommended for those who suffer from ADHD including adult women. Techniques for therapy like cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) and interpersonal skills training, and other therapies can aid in changing negative thinking patterns and behaviors. Medication such as stimulant and non-stimulant medications can assist in reducing the symptoms of ADHD among adult women. A doctor can prescribe a medication suitable for you, depending on your symptoms, age, stage of life and primary responsibilities, as well as any other medical conditions or diseases you suffer from.
Social Skills
Many people suffering from ADHD struggle to connect with others and feel lonely despite having a large number of coworkers, friends acquaintances, family members, and acquaintances. They are unable to make new friends or sustaining relationships due to their lack of memory, problems with focus and an impulsive nature. This can result in long periods of time with no an interesting conversation, being late for meetings, and missing social events.
These social difficulties can cause problems at work, in the classroom and in relationships. Inability to keep up on commitments or promises can cause feelings of being rejected and unloved by loved ones, coworkers and friends. This can cause depression anxiety, depression, low self-esteem and a sense of being unworthy or losing control. In some instances it may result in divorce or breakups in relationships due to the insidious behavior can be too excessive for the partner or spouse who is not suffering from ADHD.
Women suffering from ADHD often mask their symptoms by altering their behavior to fit social expectations and norms. This can make it difficult for them to receive a diagnosis because they may not be as transparent about their struggles. symptoms of inattentive ADHD in adults might have developed a healthy set of coping strategies to hide their symptoms.
They might, for example, use a calendar app to keep track of their schedules or set up phone reminders to pay their bills or attend important occasions. They may be able to deal with their inability to multitask, by doing more than one activity at the same time, but they can still struggle with executive and memory limitations that hinder their ability to plan and manage their time.
Additionally, they may struggle with reading between the lines and interpreting the meaning of conversations with other people, which could be a contributing factor to social issues. A clear diagnosis is the first crucial step to finding solutions and enhancing relationships with other people. There are numerous resources and solutions available to help, including medication and therapy.