Inattentive ADHD in Women
Many women have struggled for a long time before being diagnosed with ADHD. It can be a real lightbulb moment when they receive a diagnosis.
Symptoms can fluctuate due to hormonal changes. For instance, women might notice their symptoms get worse during their menstrual cycle, or during pregnancy.
Women also can take on ADHD traits which leads to depression. This can make it harder to identify and treat ADHD.
adult add women with inattentional ADHD are usually not diagnosed until they reach adulthood, when their issues begin to affect work or school as well as personal relationships. This is partly due to gender bias in both clinical settings and the perceptions of teachers and parents who are less likely to recognize ADHD symptoms in girls than boys even if the symptoms are evident (Ohan and Visser, 2009).
Attention-deficit ADHD can cause women to forget important dates, miss deadlines and lose track of time. They also have difficulty prioritizing tasks, organizing their thoughts or making plans for the future. They may also have difficulties keeping their attention during conversations and are easily distracted by external stimuli, inner thoughts or daydreaming. These symptoms can lead to poor work or school performance, which leads to feelings of self-esteem loss and frustration.
Friends, family members and coworkers often misunderstand women with inattentive ADHD. Their anger over their symptoms heightens the misunderstandings they experience which can result in tensions in relationships. They are often seen as being irrational and moody which can increase their feeling of being misunderstood.
Women who have inattention ADHD also experience a variety of emotional difficulties that include anxiety and depression. These issues can be made worse by hormonal fluctuations, like during menstruation, pregnancy, or perimenopause. At these times, estrogen levels drop and progesterone levels increase and can cause an increase in ADHD symptoms.
Another reason for inattentive ADHD is environmental factors, such as a chaotic home environment or a work schedule which lacks structure. Women with inattentive ADHD frequently have difficulty staying on track at work and fall behind quickly, which leads to a sense of inadequacy and low self-esteem. They might also find it difficult to accept negative feedback or criticism. This can further erode confidence and lead to people avoiding social interaction.
In addition, women with inattentive ADHD are more likely to struggle with in establishing and maintaining romantic relationships. They are more likely to have depression or anxiety and are more prone to rejection, which may cause them to be more reluctant to take a risk with a romantic relationship. adhd in women adult can cause them to feel alone, which can contribute to depression and anxiety.
Signs and symptoms
Women who have not been diagnosed with ADHD often have low self esteem due to their struggles to cope. They may become discouraged by comments from others that they are careless or aloof, forgetful, or insecure. They could adopt unhealthy coping strategies, such as excessive drinking or drug use. They might also turn to self-injury without suicide, like cutting, burning, or scratching. Symptoms of ADHD can cause problems with relationships, work, and school.
Girls and women with ADHD are often more likely to be misdiagnosed as having depression or anxiety. This is because the signs of depression and anxiety are frequently similar to those of ADHD. Women who are not diagnosed with ADHD might also experience mood swings, making them appear anxious or depressed. These symptoms can also be caused by major life events such as getting married, starting a new job or becoming a parent.
Undiagnosed inattentive ADHD in adults is also prevalent, and could be mistaken for bipolar disorder or borderline personality disorder. These symptoms include difficulty concentration, feelings of despair or sadness, and difficulties coping with criticism and stress. These symptoms, when paired with poor time-management, can lead to problems at school or work and with family members and friends.
Inattentional ADHD for girls and women can affect managing skills, like procrastination and the tendency to underestimate how long tasks will take (time blindness). They may have difficulty keeping an eye on their schedules and appointments and may lose or misplace their belongings quickly, and easily jump from one task to the next. They may also have issues with impulse control. This can include making impulsive choices or interrupting others.
It is crucial for women who have not been diagnosed with ADHD to recognize their symptoms and seek help. They can seek treatment through their primary care physician or mental health specialist. They can also seek to improve their ability to cope by employing organizational methods, such as making lists or planning ahead. Exercise releases neurotransmitters, which enhance focus and attention. It's also an excellent idea to share household and caregiving tasks with their spouse or a different support system to ensure they do not feel overwhelmed.
Treatment
A combination of treatments is usually needed to manage ADHD symptoms, including medication and therapy. The stimulant medications like methylphenidate (Ritalin) and amphetamines may help reduce the inattention symptoms of ADHD. Non-stimulant medications like atomoxetine (Strattera) are also available. Behavioral therapy can aid in the organizational and emotional aspects of ADHD. Therapists may offer cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) that is where they instruct people on how to modify negative thoughts or behaviors. Other therapists offer one-onone therapy that focuses on self-esteem as well as emotional regulation. Support groups can help those with ADHD connect with other people who suffer from the disorder and share strategies for managing symptoms.
A diagnosis of inattention ADHD can be difficult for some women to accept. Some women may think that their issues result from a lack of discipline or poor parenting. This could affect their self-esteem. They might be embarrassed and ashamed due to their inability to maintain their school schedule or work.
ADHD symptoms can be made worse by hormonal changes, such as those that occur during menstruation and pregnancy or menopausal. This can make it harder to manage emotional manifestations like mood swings or irritability. These symptoms can contribute to relationship difficulties because of how they are perceived by other people, especially male friends or colleagues.
Women with inattention ADHD struggle to ensure a stable home life. This can cause problems at school or at work. For example, they might not remember important appointments or pay bills late. They may have trouble organizing their work or school materials, and they might have difficulty completing assignments. They may have difficulty understanding the social boundaries and interrupting others while they talk. These problems can lead to conflicts in relationships, and impact a woman's self-esteem.
Many women who suffer from inattention ADHD aren't able to ask for assistance. They may believe that their symptoms aren't severe enough to warrant attention or that "pulling themselves up by the bootstraps" is possible. They may also be afraid of the stigma that comes when they are diagnosed with ADHD and this can make them less likely to seek treatment. If left untreated, ADHD in women can result in depression or suicidal thoughts. They may also engage in unhealthy coping behaviors such as drinking alcohol or drug abuse, which can cause health problems and other issues, including self-injury that is non-suicidal (NSSI), which includes burning or cutting.
Self-Esteem
Women with ADHD are often affected by feelings of inadequateness and chronic stress. This makes it harder to recognize and articulate symptoms and seek treatment. Women often mask symptoms or use strategies to compensate, particularly as they age, to hide their symptoms. Masking can lead to difficulties at school or at work and may result in relationships being damaged.
Research suggests that women suffering from ADHD have a higher likelihood of experiencing sensitivity to rejection and having difficulty finding an employment. These experiences can lead to negative self-talk that leads to an insecurity and difficulties in interpersonal relationships.
In these circumstances, it is crucial for women suffering from ADHD to be able to access the right diagnosis and treatment. It's crucial that they are able to access the right therapist or clinician who is aware of the difficulties that girls and women face with ADHD.
As girls and women grow older, they could be confronted with cultural and societal expectations that place the bulk of household and parenting duties on them, and differ from the expectations placed on fathers. These pressures can lead to depression and anxiety and lead to chaotic, messy home environments, unfinished projects, and a refusal to ask for help or admit that they have a problem.
The symptoms of premenstrual dysphoria as well as the adolescent years are also common among females suffering from ADHD. The fluctuation in hormone levels can make these symptoms worse and can be misinterpreted as a sign of other issues such as anxiety or mood swings.
Women who suffer from ADHD are less likely than males to be aware of their condition and seek treatment. They are more likely to suffer negative outcomes in adulthood including relationships, unemployment, and substance abuse. They're also more likely be misdiagnosed than men and remain undiagnosed throughout their lives. This gap can be lowered by increasing education and advocating for health professionals as well as teachers and parents to be aware of the symptoms of ADHD for women and girls.