Signs of ADHD in Women
Women are under tremendous pressure to care for their families and maintain healthy relationships and perform well at work. ADHD symptoms can make these tasks seem impossible.
If you think you may be suffering from ADHD it is important to be diagnosed and treated. It can help you deal with these symptoms and improve your overall quality of life.
1. You're always late
Being late for work is a indication that you may have ADHD. This is because people who suffer from ADHD often have trouble managing their time and can be easily distracted by other things. This can cause issues at work or at school for example, like not remembering homework or ignoring important meetings. This can cause stress for you and the people who depend on your presence. Set a reminder on your phone or on your calendar to help you avoid being late. Also, get ready the night prior. You should also allow yourself an extra few minutes to get to your destination.
In addition there are women who suffer from ADHD struggle to make friends due to constantly missing out on social occasions. They might also have trouble understanding social cues and recognizing body language. They might also have difficulty concentrating and get lost in their 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 as opposed to girls.
2. You're having difficulty focusing
It is easy for people suffering from ADHD to become lost in what they are doing. When they are in conversation with someone else they are likely to go off on a tangent or talk about things that do not have anything to do with the subject that is being discussed. They might also have trouble being still and become more reckless.
These problems can strain relationships between family members as well as coworkers, friends, and family members. People with ADHD are prone to forgetting appointments or not meeting deadlines. They may also be disorganized or spend too much time on things that aren't important. They might also find it hard to focus at work or manage their finances.
In children boys are more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD than girls. However, as they grow older, the numbers even out. This is believed to be due in part to the fact that 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 affect ADHD symptoms.
3. You may have a poor memory
Women who suffer from ADHD are often unable to remember important events, like birthdays, anniversaries, or meetings. They may also have difficulty remembering names, which makes it difficult to keep pace in social settings and conversations.
People suffering from ADHD typically have poor filtering. They speak things without really thinking about them. This can lead to a lot of "foot-in-mouth" moments which can be very frustrating for family members and colleagues.
A woman's difficulty maintaining and making friends is a different sign of adhd. Many girls with ADHD have trouble managing their emotions which can result in difficult relationships with their partners. This increases their risk of being pressured to engage in sexual activities or becoming victims of intimate partner abuse.
Many women suffering from ADHD struggle to meet social expectations in the areas of parenting family, homemaking, relationships and career. This can cause a lot more stress in their lives, making it more difficult to recognize and treat ADHD symptoms. Women have coping strategies to hide their symptoms, like drinking or using drugs, which can interfere with treatment. Diagnoses are the first step to identify and manage issues. The good news is that you can find help.
4. You are having trouble making decisions
Women who struggle to make decisions can delay or not be able to finish tasks, since they aren't sure which tasks to prioritize. adhd in women adult have difficulty remembering and executing decisions they've made. This kind of ADHD can impact the performance of work as well as relationships and self-esteem.
The signs of ADHD in women are more difficult to recognize because teachers and parents don't send girls as often as boys for evaluation. Women are also more adept at hiding their symptoms. They may develop coping strategies that allow them to appear "normal" and to meet the expectations of society. For instance, they might rely on apps to manage their daily activities.
Women can receive an official diagnosis from their primary physician, who might refer them to an expert. Depending on the results of the test, the doctor might recommend medication or talk-therapy. Therapy sessions with your therapist can help you learn better coping strategies and assist you in swapping negative thoughts with positive ones. They can help you and your family to improve communication. This can be difficult when one or both partners in a relationship suffer from ADHD. Medications can help control the symptoms and boost efficiency at work or school.
5. You're having difficulty multitasking
Women who suffer from ADHD may feel overwhelmed when they have to meet deadlines and complete many tasks. They may also have trouble managing their emotions and find it difficult to find or keep friends, especially when they struggle to pick the social signals and may be susceptible to impulsive behavior.
Women who have difficulty multitasking are also more likely to develop adhd. They may also find or lose items and get easily distracted. This is especially problematic for women working as constant interruptions make it hard to remain focused and concentrate.
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 not be diagnosed with this type of ADHD because their symptoms aren't as obvious as the more common inattentive type.
Women with undiagnosed adult ADHD might also develop coping strategies that disguise their struggles by using drugs or alcohol to help themselves, or to blend in with other people. This can further aggravate symptoms when they suffer from chronic feelings of inadequacy. This can result in strained relationships and a general feeling of self-worth deficiency.
6. You are having trouble managing your time
In the workplace, ADHD time management problems can pose a serious problem. It's difficult to get things completed when you don't have a system of filing paperwork, returning calls, or finishing projects within the timeframes you set. Even if your work is excellent, supervisors may wonder about your professionalism when you repeatedly miss 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 with untreated ADHD are also more likely to suffer from anxiety or depression that co-occurs and may have a difficult time maintaining relationships. Women are expected to be caregivers which can worsen the symptoms of ADHD in a lot of women, particularly when they don't have access to the right treatment and support they need. This can lead to tensions between friends, family and romantic partners. The strain on relationships can lead to tension and miscommunication, making it more difficult for women to seek assistance.
7. You Have Trouble Making Friends
Women who suffer from ADHD may find it difficult having a difficult time making friends. For one thing, societal expectations place high emphasis on women to be competent at many responsibilities, including raising children, sustaining a relationship, and performing well at work. They may be suffering from symptoms that become worse as they try to meet the expectations. They may also be at a higher risk of developing bad peer relationships or coexisting anxiety and mood disorders. Additionally women are more likely to develop coping strategies which mask their ADHD symptoms. This could lead to excessive exercise and staying up later than necessary and relying on phone reminders or daily schedules to help manage their lives.
Inattention and forgetfulness are undesirable behaviors that can create problems at work and in personal relationships. For instance, forgetting to attend a friend's party can make them feel jilted. They might also think 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. Managing your expectations of your relationships can avoid negative feelings, misinterpretations, or resentment. You can achieve this by using a calendar to keep track of your friend's important dates, and a notebook to note down details about new acquaintances and keeping commitments.