Signs of ADHD in Women
Women are subject to a lot of pressure to be the caretaker and stay on top of their kids, maintain a healthy relationship and be successful at work. ADHD symptoms can make these tasks seem unattainable.
It is essential to be diagnosed and treated if you suffer from ADHD. It can help you cope with these symptoms and enhance your overall quality of life.
1. You Are Always Late
Being always late is among the most prevalent signs that you could have ADHD. People suffering from ADHD can have difficulty managing their time and can be easily distracted by other activities. This can cause problems at work or 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. To avoid being late, consider setting an alarm on your phone or calendar and ensure that you prepare your bedroom the night prior to. Also, you should give yourself an extra few minutes to travel to your destination.
In addition to that, some women with ADHD have difficulty making friends because they're constantly missing out on social events. They may also have a hard time understanding social cues and recognizing body language. They may also have trouble concentrating on conversations and getting 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. Teachers and parents are more likely to refer boys or men to an ADHD assessment as opposed to girls.
2. You have difficulty focussing
It is easy for people with ADHD to get lost in what they are doing. In conversations, they may often veer off topic or discuss other things. They might also have difficulty being still, and are more likely to be impulsive and make reckless decisions.
These issues can affect relationships between family members as well as coworkers, friends, and family members. For instance, it's common for those with ADHD to be late for appointments or forget deadlines. They may also be disorganized and spend too much time on unimportant tasks or have a hard time relaxing at home. They might also have difficulty focusing at work or have trouble keep track of their finances.
Boys are more likely than girls to be diagnosed as having ADHD in children. However, as adults they are more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD. 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 is diagnosed with ADHD. Changes in hormone levels, particularly during menopausal change, can affect ADHD symptoms.
3. You have a poor Memory
Women who suffer from ADHD are often unable to remember important events, such as birthdays, anniversaries, and gatherings. They may also have trouble remembering names, which can make it difficult to keep up with conversations and social settings.
It's also normal for people with ADHD to have a poor filter that means they say things without thinking about them. This can lead to a lot "foot in mouth" situations that can be frustrating for family members and colleagues.
Another sign of adhd in women is having trouble creating and maintaining friendships. Many girls with ADHD struggle to manage their emotions. This could lead to challenging relationships with their romantic partners. This can put them at a higher risk for being pressured into sexually inappropriate activities or becoming victims of intimate partner violence.
Many women with ADHD have difficulty keep up with the social expectations of parenting and homemaking, as well as relationships. This can cause a lot of stress to their lives, which makes it harder to identify and manage ADHD symptoms. Some women also develop coping mechanisms to disguise their symptoms, such as using alcohol or drugs that can hinder treatment. Getting diagnosed is an important first step for identifying and addressing these issues. The good news is that you can get help.
4. adhd symptoms in women adults have trouble making decisions
Women who are struggling to make decisions can delay or not be able to finish tasks because they aren't sure which tasks to prioritize. They also have a difficult time remembering their choices and following through on their decisions. This type of ADHD can affect work performance, relationships, and self-esteem.
Symptoms of ADHD in women are difficult to recognize as they are for children, as parents and teachers don't refer girls for evaluation as often as they do for boys. Moreover, women are better in hiding their symptoms. They can develop strategies to cope that help them appear "normal" and conform to social expectations, such as by relying on apps to manage daily activities.
Women can receive an official diagnosis from their primary care doctor and they may refer them to an expert. Depending on the results, the doctor might suggest medication or talk therapy. During therapy, your therapist will help you develop better coping skills and encourage you to replace negative thoughts with positive ones. They can also help you and your family improve communication, which can be a challenge when one or more members of a couple suffer from ADHD. The medication can help manage the symptoms and improve productivity at work or at school.
5. You struggle with multitasking
Women who suffer from ADHD often feel overwhelmed when they attempt to complete deadlines or perform several tasks at once. They may also have difficulty controlling their emotions and may find it difficult to find or keep friends, especially when they have difficulty picking up on social cues and may be susceptible to impulsive behavior.
Trouble with multitasking is another indicator of adhd in women, as is their tendency to get distracted easily and lose or misplace things. This can be an issue for women working 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 be undiagnosed with this type of ADHD because their symptoms are not as obvious as the more common inattentive type.
Women who have not been diagnosed with ADHD adulthood might also develop coping strategies to cover up their difficulties. For example they may seek out self-medication with alcohol or drugs to fit into the mainstream. This can further aggravate their symptoms as they struggle with the constant feeling of being inadequate, resulting in tension in relationships and a general feeling of self-worth being shattered.
6. You have trouble managing your time
In the workplace, ADHD time management problems can be a major issue. If you don't have the proper procedure to finish projects, return phone calls, or document paperwork, it's difficult to accomplish your tasks. Even if you are doing excellent work, supervisors will question your professionalism if you consistently 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 with untreated ADHD are also more likely to suffer from anxiety or depression with co-occurring disorders and may have trouble maintaining relationships. Society expects women to take care of their children, which can exacerbate the symptoms of ADHD in many women, especially when they aren't getting the right treatment and assistance they require. This can lead to tensions between family, friends and romantic partners. The strain on relationships can lead to the frustration and cause misunderstandings which makes it harder for women to seek assistance.
7. You have trouble making friends
Women who suffer from ADHD are likely to find it difficult to have trouble making friends. One reason is that women are expected to be capable of balancing many roles. This includes having children, maintaining relationships and performing well at the workplace. As they attempt to fulfill these expectations, their symptoms may exacerbate. They could also be at a higher risk of having a negative relationship with their peers or having co-existing anxiety disorders and mood disorders. Furthermore, women are more likely to develop strategies that cover up their ADHD symptoms. This can lead to them over-exercising, staying up later than they should and rely on their schedules or reminders on their phones to manage their lives.
Other undesirable behaviors include impulsiveness and forgetfulness which can create issues in both work and personal relationships. For instance, forgetting to attend the date of a party with a friend could make them feel unloved. They may also think you don't have any interest in them. Also, interrupting conversations with unrelated thoughts or becoming angry at the drop of a hat could lead to miscommunication and conflicts. Being aware of the expectations you place on your friends can help avoid bad feelings, misinterpretations, and resentment. This can be accomplished by using a calendar to keep track of your friend's important dates, a notepad to note down information about new friends and following through with commitments.