Signs of ADHD in Women
Women are under a lot pressure to take care of their families, maintain healthy relationships, and be productive at work. ADHD symptoms can make these tasks seem like a nightmare.
If you suspect you have ADHD it is important to be treated and diagnosed. It will help you manage these symptoms and improve the quality of your life.
1. You Are Always Late
Being always late is among the most common indications that you may have ADHD. People with ADHD may have trouble managing their time and can be easily distracted by other activities. This can cause problems at school or work, such as missing important meetings or forgetting about homework assignments. It can also cause a lot of stress for you and those who depend on you. To stop being late, try setting an alarm on your calendar or phone and be sure to prepare your bedroom the night before. Also, make sure to leave a few extra minutes for yourself to get to wherever you're going.
Additionally to that, some women with ADHD are unable to make friends due to constantly missing out on social gatherings. They might be unable to read social cues or understand body language. They might also have difficulty staying focused and lose themselves 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. Also, teachers and parents are more likely to refer a boy or man to an ADHD assessment than to do the same for a girl.
2. You have trouble focussing
People with ADHD are easily distracted and lose focus of their work. When they are in a conversation with others, they may frequently wander off on a tangent or talk about topics that do not pertain to the topic in question. They can also have trouble sitting still and are more likely to be impulsive and take risky decisions.
These problems can strain relationships with friends, family members and colleagues. For instance, it is 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 unimportant tasks or have difficulty relaxing at home. They may also have trouble working effectively or have difficulty keep track of their finances.
Boys are more likely than girls to be identified as having ADHD in children. However, as adults, the numbers even out. It is thought that this is due to the fact that women tend to experience a greater incidence of symptoms and they are more likely to seek treatment after one of their children is diagnosed with the condition. Changing hormone levels, especially during menopause, can also impact the severity of ADHD symptoms.
3. You have a poor Memory
Women who suffer from ADHD frequently have trouble remembering important occasions, such as birthdays, anniversaries, or gatherings. They may also have trouble remembering names, which makes it difficult to keep a pace in conversations and social situations.
It's also normal for people with ADHD to have poor filters, meaning they say things without thinking them through. This can lead to numerous "foot in mouth" instances which can be a source of frustration for family members and coworkers.
A woman's difficulty maintaining and making friends is another sign of adhd. Many women with ADHD struggle to manage their emotions. This can cause them to fall into difficult relationships with their partners. This can put them at a greater risk of being pressured into unwanted sexual activity or being victims of violence from their intimate partners.
Many women suffering from ADHD struggle to meet social expectations in the areas of parenting and homemaking, relationships and work. This can cause a lot more stress in their lives, which makes it harder to identify and manage ADHD symptoms. Women develop coping mechanisms like alcohol or drugs, to disguise their symptoms. This can interfere with treatment. Being diagnosed is the first step for identifying and addressing these issues. The good news is that you can get assistance.
4. You're having trouble making decisions
Women who struggle to make decisions may procrastinate or be unable complete tasks because they aren't sure what tasks to prioritise. They also have trouble remembering their choices and following through on them. adhd in women adults of ADHD impacts performance at work, relationships and self-esteem.
The symptoms of ADHD for women are more difficult to recognize because parents and teachers do not recommend girls as frequently as boys for evaluation. Women are also more adept at hiding their symptoms. They may develop strategies for coping that enable them to appear "normal" and meet societal expectations, such as by using apps to manage their day-to-day activities.
Women can get an official diagnosis from their primary physician and they may refer them to a specialist. Based on the results, the doctor might suggest treatment or talk therapy. In therapy, your therapist will help you develop better ways to cope and help you to replace negative thoughts with positive ones. They can also assist you and your family improve communication which can be a problem when one or more of the members of the relationship suffer from ADHD. The use of medication can help manage the symptoms and increase productivity at school or at work.
5. You're having trouble multitasking
Women with ADHD may feel overwhelmed when they have to meet deadlines and work on multiple projects. They may also struggle to control their emotions and may find it difficult to keep and make friends. This is particularly true when they are unable to recognize social cues.
Women who are unable to multitask are also more likely to be adhd. They can also lose or misplace items and are easily distracted. This is especially challenging for women at work where constant interruptions make it hard to stay focused or focus.
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 are more likely to not be diagnosed with this type of ADHD because their symptoms are not as evident as those of the more typical inattentive type.
Women with undiagnosed ADHD adult may also develop coping mechanisms that mask their struggles. For example they may use self-medicating methods like alcohol or drugs to blend in. This can further exacerbate their symptoms as they struggle to cope with constant feelings of inadequacy, leading to strained relationships and an overall sense of low self-esteem.
6. You have trouble managing your time
In the workplace, ADHD time management problems can be a major issue. When you don't follow a system to complete projects, return calls or document paperwork, it's difficult to complete tasks. Even you're doing a great job, supervisors may wonder 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 also might be more likely to develop anxiety or depression that co-occurs and may have a difficult time maintaining relationships. The society expects women to be caregivers, which can exacerbate the symptoms of ADHD in a lot of women, especially if they aren't getting the proper treatment and support they need. This can cause strained relationships between family members, friends and romantic partners. The strain on relationships can lead to the frustration and cause misunderstandings and make it harder for women to seek help.
7. You Have Trouble Making Friends
Women with ADHD may find it difficult to have trouble making friends. One reason is that women are expected to be able of performing many roles. This includes raising children, maintaining a healthy relationship and performing well at the workplace. Women may be suffering from symptoms that become worse as they try to meet the requirements. They could also be at an increased chance of having a negative relationship with their peers or coexisting mood disorders and anxiety disorders. Women are more likely than men to develop coping strategies that cover ADHD symptoms. This can lead women to exercise excessively, stay up later than they should and rely on calendars or phone reminders to manage their lives.
Other issues include impulsiveness and forgetfulness which can lead to issues in both work and personal relationships. For instance, ignoring an event at a friend's house could make them feel jilted and that you don't value them. Likewise, interrupting conversations with unrelated thoughts or getting angry at the drop of a hat can lead to misunderstandings and conflicts. Being aware of the expectations you place on your friendships can prevent bad feelings, misinterpretations, or resentment. This can be accomplished by using a calendar to keep track of your friends' important events, a notepad to keep track of details about new acquaintances and delivering on promises.