Signs of ADHD in Women
Women are under a lot pressure to take care of their families, maintain healthy relationships, and perform well at work. ADHD symptoms can make all of these tasks seem impossible.
If you think you may be suffering from ADHD, it's important to be diagnosed and treated. It can help you deal with these symptoms and improve the quality of your life.
1. You're always late
Always being late is a common sign that you might be suffering from ADHD. People with ADHD may have trouble managing their time and can be easily distracted by other tasks. This can lead to problems at school or at work like being late to important meetings or forgetting to complete homework assignments. It can also cause a lot of stress for you and the people who depend on you. Set a reminder in your phone or on your calendar to help you avoid being late. Also, get ready the night before. Also, try to leave a few extra minutes for yourself to reach wherever you're going.
In addition to that, some women with ADHD struggle to make friends due to their constant absence out on social events. They might also have a hard time taking social cues into consideration and recognizing body language. They might also have difficulty staying focused on conversations and becoming lost in 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 men or boys for an ADHD assessment than they are for girls.
2. You are having difficulty in focusing.
People with ADHD are easily distracted and lose track of their activities. In a conversation, they might frequently wander off topic or talk about other topics. They might also have trouble sitting still and be more impulsive.
These issues can cause problems with family, friends and colleagues. For instance, it's common for people suffering from ADHD to not remember appointments or to miss deadlines. They may also be disorganized and spend too much time on tasks that are not important or have a hard time relaxing at home. They might be unable to focus at work or manage their finances.
In children, boys are more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD than girls. As adults, the prevalence is equal. This is believed to be because women are more likely than men to experience recurrences of 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've Got a Poor Memory
Women with ADHD have a hard time remembering important dates, such as birthdays and anniversaries. They also lose track of the dates of meetings. They may also have difficulty remembering names, making it difficult to keep pace in social situations and conversations.
People suffering from ADHD typically have poor filtering. adhd traits in women say things without thinking about them. This can result in numerous "foot in mouth" moments which can be a source of frustration for family members and coworkers.
Another indication of adhd in women is trouble making and keeping friendships. Many women with ADHD struggle to manage their emotions. This can cause them to fall into difficult relationships with their partners. This increases the chance of being pushed to engage in sexual activities or becoming victims of abuse from their intimate partners.
Many women with ADHD struggle to live up to society's expectations in the areas of parenting, homemaking, relationships, and work. This can lead to more stress in their lives, making it more difficult to recognize and treat ADHD symptoms. Women have developed coping strategies to mask their symptoms, like using alcohol or drugs which may interfere with treatment. It is crucial to be diagnosed as a first step for identifying and managing these challenges. The good news is that you can seek assistance.
4. You're having difficulty making decisions
Women who struggle to make decisions can delay or not be able to finish tasks, as they aren't sure which tasks to prioritize. They also have difficulty remembering and executing decisions they've made. This type of ADHD affects the performance of their work, relationships, and self-esteem.
The signs of ADHD in women are more difficult to diagnose because teachers and parents don't recommend girls as frequently as boys for evaluation. Women are also better at concealing their symptoms. They might develop coping strategies that help them appear "normal" and conform to social expectations, such as using apps to manage daily activities.
Women can receive an official diagnosis from their primary care doctor and they may refer them to an expert. Based on the results, the doctor may suggest medication or talk therapy. During therapy, your therapist will teach you better ways to cope and help you to replace negative thoughts with positive ones. They can help you and your family improve communication. This can be a challenge when both or one of the partners in a relationship suffer from ADHD. Medications can help control the symptoms and increase productivity at school or at work.
5. You are having trouble multitasking
Women who suffer from ADHD are often overwhelmed when they have to complete deadlines and perform multiple tasks. They may also experience difficulty controlling their emotions and may find it difficult to find or keep friends, especially when they are unable to pick up on social cues and are prone to impulsive behavior.
Women who are unable to multitask are more likely to suffer from at risk of developing adhd. They can also lose or misplace items, and get easily distracted. This can be a problem for women who work in environments 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. Women may be more likely to go undiagnosed with this kind of ADHD because their symptoms are not as obvious as the more frequent inattention type.
Women with undiagnosed ADHD adult may also develop coping strategies to mask their difficulties. For example they may seek out self-medication with alcohol or drugs to fit in. This can worsen symptoms as they struggle with constant feelings inadequacy. This can lead to uneasy relationships and a general sense of low self-esteem.
6. You are having trouble managing your time
ADHD problems with time management can be a major issue in the workplace. If you don't have a system to complete tasks, answer phone calls or document paperwork, it's difficult to accomplish your tasks. Even even if your work is flawless the bosses may be concerned about your professionalism if you fail to meet 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 aren't treated for ADHD might also be more likely than others to suffer from co-occurring anxiety or depression, and have difficulty maintaining relationships. Women are expected to be caregivers, which can increase the symptoms of ADHD, especially if they do not have access to the right treatment or support. This can also lead broken relationships between family members, friends, and romantic partners. These relationships can cause frustration and misunderstandings which can make it difficult for women to seek out help.
7. You're having a hard time making friends
Women with ADHD can find it frustrating having a difficult time making friends. One reason is that women are expected to be capable of balancing many roles. This includes caring for children, maintaining a healthy relationship and performing well at the workplace. As they try to meet these demands their symptoms can become more severe. They could also be at a higher risk of developing poor relationships with their peers or having co-existing mood disorders and anxiety disorders. Women are more likely than men to develop coping mechanisms that mask ADHD symptoms. This could lead to them over-exercising, staying up later than they should, and rely on calendars or phone reminders to manage their lives.
Inattention and forgetfulness are undesirable behaviors that can create issues at work and in personal relationships. For instance, forgetting to attend the date of a party with a friend could make them feel unloved. They might also believe that you don't care about them. In the same way interrupting conversations with unrelated thoughts or becoming angry at the drop of a hat can lead to misunderstandings and conflict. Manage your expectations about your relationships to avoid negative emotions, misinterpretations and anger. You can accomplish this by keeping a calendar that tracks the important dates of your friends and using a notepad to record information you learn about new acquaintances and delivering on promises.