ADHD Traits in Women
Verywell Health acknowledges the fact that sex and a gender are determined by biology, including the body's chromosomal make-up and hormones. Many people don't easily fit into an unisexual sexuality. However, sex and gender influence the way symptoms of ADHD are identified and treated.
ADHD is typically diagnosed in childhood before the age of 12. ADHD must present symptoms before the age of 12 and cause problems in more than one environment to qualify for a diagnoses.
1. Difficulty Focusing
Inattention is at the core of ADHD and affects both men and women. But women may find it more challenging to achieve the attention they require due to the fact that symptoms usually appear in different ways than in men.
Women are more likely than men to be disorganized and impulsive, as an example. They're also more likely to experience emotional stress and struggle to put things into perspective. These problems can create an inability to concentrate on work, resulting in an inability to perform at work or home. They are also more likely to not attend doctor appointments or forget to take their medications.
In addition to these inherent differences, women's hormones can make ADHD symptoms worse. The female hippocampus is larger, which aids in learning and memory. Hormone fluctuations during menstruation as well as pregnancy, breastfeeding, and menopausal changes can also affect brain function.
Women with undiagnosed ADHD might struggle with their relationships, at school and at work. They might also struggle with a myriad of comorbid disorders, including depression, anxiety eating disorders, bipolar disorder.
In these circumstances, it's critical for health professionals to be aware of the numerous indicators that females suffering from ADHD often show. They must recalibrate their approaches to diagnosing and treating women with ADHD to account for emotional dysregulation, hormonal fluctuations, and other factors that influence the severity of symptoms. This way, patients will finally receive the treatment they require.
2. Impulsivity
Women who suffer from ADHD often have trouble controlling their emotions. This is particularly true when they interact with other people. This can result in emotional dysregulation which is a major cause of ADHD symptoms. It is also associated with negative outcomes in life. This includes low self-esteem, co-occurring depression and anxiety, difficult romantic relationships that can result in violence between intimate partners, issues with friendships as well as a messy home or personal space, and a failure to manage time or money.
Gender stereotypes may also impact the way women who suffer from ADHD are treated. Because they are typically viewed as more sensitive or susceptible to mood swings, they may be viewed as being emotionally prone. This can increase their frustration about living with untreated ADHD.
People with ADHD have impaired impulse control which is also referred to as the prefrontal cortex. This means that they have a harder time making decisions and following up with their intentions. This makes it difficult to resist the temptation to eat another piece of cake or to make an inappropriate statement in public.
Adults suffering from ADHD are able to benefit from medication that helps them manage their tendency to be impulsive. Stimulants like amphetamine (Adderall) and dextroamphetamine (Ritalin) can aid in reduce the impulsive behavior, while nonstimulant medications such as clonidine and guanfacine can be effective as well. Behavioral therapy may also be suggested, which can aid people suffering from ADHD alter their thinking patterns and learn more effective ways of coping.
Meditation, eating a balanced diet, and getting enough sleep can all help to control anxiety and impulsiveness among people suffering from ADHD. It is also a good idea to track their symptoms throughout the day and to share the information with their doctor to assess whether their treatment regimen is working.
3. Disorganization
Disorganization is a frequent issue for people suffering from ADHD and can impact their professional and personal lives. It can take them longer to complete tasks and decrease their productivity. They could also fail to meet deadlines and find themselves overwhelmed on a regular basis.
Lack of organization can also cause problems in maintaining healthy relationships. They may forget important events or lose belongings like keys or purses. They might feel lonely and unloved due to this. Friends and family may misunderstand their feelings. The disorder can become more severe during perimenopause and menopause when hormones shift and symptoms increase.
It is not unusual for women to hide their ADHD symptoms in order to conform with society's norms and avoid being thought of as a problem. This can result in self-blame and feelings of guilt or shame. This could be a reason for why girls and women are frequently not diagnosed with ADHD, particularly in adolescence when symptoms are more obvious.
In the end, women with untreated ADHD may have trouble with their academic or work performance. This can affect their work, grades, or their image. It can also create problems for their personal lives. For example it can cause problems with their relationships with their partners or breakups with family members and friends.
Women with chronic disorganization could receive one-on-one assistance from a non-judgmental, supportive person. They can help them learn strategies to get and keep their lives organized, such as making a list of daily tasks and setting reminders for them. Additionally, a certified mental health professional can suggest medications and lifestyle changes to help minimize ADHD symptoms. These can include eating small meals throughout the day to ensure steady energy levels, and avoiding caffeine which can cause an increase in the side effects of stimulant medications.
4. Indecisiveness
Indecisiveness can affect decision-making in many aspects of our lives. Indecisiveness can be measured with several instruments, including the Decision Behaviors Inventory by Barkley-Levenson and Fox and the scale of Indecisiveness. Indecisiveness has also been linked to neuroticism, and the tendency to imagine worst-case scenarios. This is because people interpret ambiguous circumstances as threat. adhd in adult women test was also discovered to be linked to the fear of making a mistake which could help explain why people suffering from adhd have difficulty making decisions.
In the study that was qualitative of women who have adhd in their adult lives participants, they said they were unable to make decisions regarding their work and personal lives. They had difficulty to manage their finances and relationships, and struggled to find an occupation they liked. They frequently were dependent on others to make decisions or were unable to finish projects on their own, for example, arranging childcare. They often felt they were held back by their ADHD symptoms, for example, difficulties with getting started or staying focused and impulsivity.
They had a difficult time keeping friendships and had difficulty relaxing and recharging their mental health. They reported stress and anxiety, a sleeping insufficiently and having inadequate nutrition. They also reported feeling stigmatized by the media and adults. They were able to articulate their struggles with ADHD which helped them improve their self-esteem because they were not blaming themselves. It also gave them access to the appropriate treatment strategies.
The interviews showed that the women had a lot of positive qualities however, they struggled to overcome the impact of their ADHD symptoms on different aspects of their lives. These included a lack possibilities for romance or work as well as difficulties maintaining relationships. an unclean home.
5. Self-esteem issues
Some of the signs that make up ADHD are viewed as less socially acceptable for women and girls than they are for men and boys and so women may are able to hide their impulsivity, hyperactivity and disorganization. They also may internalize their ADHD symptoms and develop coping strategies such as self-harm (cutting, burning, scratching). This can lead to low self-esteem, which can contribute to depression, anxiety or eating disorders.
Being able to identify your inner worth is a key factor in healthier relationships and a positive outlook on life. If someone isn't feeling a solid sense of self-worth they tend to look for outside things - like careers, relationships as well as wealth and power to feel worthy. Cheryl Clarke, a licensed therapist, suggests that this can also result in the lack of communication in the relationship.
Women suffering from ADHD may also feel that they do not deserve good things in life. These feelings can manifest as a desire to please or to "keep up" with others. This can result in toxic workplace cultures, a negative self-image, and an addiction of substance or food.
While these are serious issues, the women who participated in this study discovered many positive aspects of living with ADHD. The majority of them describe their ADHD as a blessing or a curse, based on whether they feel they can manage it. Several of them also identify personal strengths they believe are due to their ADHD, including high energy, creativity, determination, and the ability to get easily interested in new topics. They also describe their individual struggles as part of a larger picture that includes cultural and family issues as well as biological and gender differences.