Signs of ADHD in Women
Women are subject to lots of pressure to be the caretaker, keep up with children, maintain a healthy relationship, and do well at work. ADHD symptoms can make these tasks seem impossible.
If you suspect that you be suffering from ADHD It is crucial to get it diagnosed and treated. It can help you manage these symptoms and improve the quality of your life.
1. You Are Always Late
Being constantly late is one of the most common indications that you might be suffering from ADHD. People suffering from ADHD are often unable to manage their time and are easily distracted by other activities. This can cause issues at school or work 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 stop being late, set a reminder on your calendar or phone, and make sure to prepare for the night before. It is also recommended to take a few minutes extra to reach your destination.
Additionally to that, some women with ADHD struggle to make friends because they're constantly missing out on social occasions. They may also have difficulty reading social cues and picking up on body language. They may also have trouble staying focused on conversations and becoming 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. Teachers and parents are also more likely to refer men or boys for an ADHD assessment than they do for girls.
2. You have trouble focusing
People suffering from ADHD are easily distracted and lose focus of their work. In a conversation, they could frequently drift off-topic or discuss other things. They may also have difficulty staying in one place, and are more likely to be impulsive and take reckless decisions.
These issues can cause problems with family, friends and colleagues. People who suffer from ADHD tend to forget appointments or ignoring deadlines. They might also be unorganized or spend too much time on non-essential tasks. They may also have difficulty being able to focus at work or keep up with their finances.
When it comes to children boys are more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD than girls. However, as adults the prevalence of ADHD evens out. It is believed that this is due to the fact that females are more likely to experience a higher recurrence of symptoms, and are more likely to seek treatment when one of their children is diagnosed with the disorder. Changes in hormone levels particularly during menopause can also influence ADHD symptoms.
3. You've Got a Poor Memory
Women who suffer from ADHD have trouble remembering important dates, like birthdays and anniversary dates. They also lose track of meetings. They may also have trouble remembering names, which makes it difficult to keep up in social situations and conversations.
People with ADHD often have poor filters. They talk about things without really considering them. This can result in many "foot in mouth" moments that can be stressful for coworkers and family members.
A woman's difficulty in maintaining and forming friendships is another sign of adhd. Many girls with ADHD struggle to manage their emotions. This can lead them into challenging relationships with their romantic partners. This puts them at a greater risk for being pressured into unwanted sexual activity or becoming victims of violence from their intimate partners.
Many women suffering from ADHD struggle to keep up with the social expectations of parenting and homemaking, as well as relationships. This can add a lot stress to their lives, which makes it harder to recognize and deal with ADHD symptoms. Women have developed coping strategies to hide their symptoms, such as using alcohol or drugs which may interfere with treatment. Being diagnosed is the first step to identify and addressing these issues. The good news is that you can seek assistance.
4. You are having trouble making decisions
Women who struggle to make decisions may procrastinate 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 kind of ADHD can affect work performance, relationships and self-esteem.
The symptoms of ADHD for women are more difficult to diagnose because parents and teachers don't send girls as often as boys for evaluation. Moreover, women are better in hiding their symptoms. They may develop coping strategies that enable them to appear "normal" and to meet the expectations of society. For instance they may rely on apps to manage their daily activities.
Women can receive an official diagnosis from their primary care physician, who might refer them to a specialist. Depending on the results of the test, the doctor may recommend medication or talk-therapy. Therapy sessions with your therapist will help you develop more effective coping strategies and help you to replace negative thoughts with positive ones. They can also help you and your family members improve communication, which can be a problem when one or more of the people in a relationship have ADHD. The medication can help reduce symptoms, and boost productivity at work or in school.
5. You Have Trouble Multitasking
Women suffering from ADHD often find themselves feeling overwhelmed when they attempt to complete deadlines or perform multiple tasks at the same time. They may also have trouble managing their emotions and find it difficult to make or keep friends, particularly when they struggle to pick the social signals and may be susceptible to impulsive behaviors.
Trouble with multitasking is another sign of adhd in women as is their tendency to get distracted easily and lose or misplace things. This is especially problematic for women at work, where constant interruptions can make it hard to stay on task 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. This kind of ADHD is more likely to be misdiagnosed by women as the symptoms are less obvious than those associated with the inattention type.
add test for women with undiagnosed adult ADHD might also develop strategies to disguise their struggles by using drugs or alcohol to help themselves, or to fit in with other people. This can further exacerbate symptoms as they struggle with chronic feelings inadequacy. This can result in uneasy relationships and a general feeling of low self esteem.
6. You are having trouble managing your time
ADHD time management issues can be a major concern in the workplace. It's hard to get things done when you don't have a system for filing paperwork, returning phone calls, or completing tasks on time. Even if you are doing excellent work, supervisors will question your competence if you regularly 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 are also more likely to suffer from anxiety or depression with co-occurring disorders and may have a difficult time maintaining relationships. Women are expected to be caregivers, which can increase the symptoms of ADHD particularly if they do not have access to the right treatment or support. This can also lead tensions between family members, friends and romantic partners. These relationships that are strained can increase the frustration and cause misunderstandings which makes it harder for women to seek assistance.
7. You're having trouble making friends
Being unable to make friends can be particularly frustrating for women suffering from ADHD. One reason is that women are expected to be able of balancing multiple roles. This includes caring for children, maintaining a healthy relationship and thriving at the workplace. As they try to meet these demands, their symptoms may exacerbate. They could also be at an increased risk of developing poor relationships with their peers or coexisting 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 schedules or reminders on their phones to manage their lives.
Other undesirable behaviors include impulsiveness and forgetfulness which can cause problems in both work and personal relationships. For instance, not remembering an event with a friend can make them feel jilted. They might also believe that you don't care about them. Also interrupting conversations with irrelevant thoughts or getting angry at the drop of a hat can cause confusion and conflicts. Being aware of the expectations you place on your friends can help avoid bad feelings, misinterpretations, and frustration. You can achieve this by using a calendar to keep track of your friend's important dates, and a notebook to keep track of details about new friends, and following through with commitments.