Signs of ADHD in Women
Women are under the pressure to take care of and stay on top of their kids, maintain a healthy relationship and perform well at work. ADHD symptoms can make these tasks seem overwhelming.
It's important to get diagnosed and treated for ADHD. It will help you manage these symptoms and improve the quality of your life.
1. You're always late
Being always late is one of the most prevalent signs that you might have ADHD. This is because those with ADHD frequently have a difficult time managing their time and are easily distracted by other tasks. This can lead to problems at work or school like forgetting to complete homework or ignoring important meetings. It can cause a lot stress for you and the people who depend on you. To stop being late, try setting an alarm on your calendar or phone, and make sure to prepare your bedroom the night prior to. Also, you should give yourself an extra few minutes to travel to your destination.
In addition there are women who suffer from ADHD struggle to make friends due to their constant absence out on social events. They might also have trouble reading social cues and understanding body language. They might also have difficulty in focusing on conversations and get 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. Parents and teachers are more likely to refer boys or men for an ADHD assessment than they are for girls.
2. You have trouble focussing
It is easy for people with ADHD to get lost in what they are doing. In a conversation, they could frequently drift off topic or talk about other topics. They may also have difficulty being still and are more likely to be impulsive and make dangerous decisions.
These issues can affect relationships between family members as well as friends and coworkers. For example, it is common for people with ADHD to not remember appointments or to miss deadlines. They may also be disorganized or spend too much time on things that aren't important. They may also have problems focusing at work or have trouble keep up with their financial obligations.
When it comes to children the boys are more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD than girls. However, as they grow older they are more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD. It is thought that this is due to the fact that women tend to experience a greater frequency of symptoms, and they are more likely to seek treatment when one of their children is diagnosed with the disorder. Changing hormone levels, especially during menopause, can also influence the severity of ADHD symptoms.
3. Home have a weak memory
Women with 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 pace in social situations and conversations.
People suffering from ADHD often have poor filters. They say things without really considering them. This can result in lots of "foot-in-mouth" moments that can be a source of frustration for loved ones and coworkers.
Another indication of adhd in women is difficulty making and maintaining friendships. Many girls with ADHD have difficulty managing their emotions, which can lead to difficulties in romantic relationships. This increases the chances of being pressured to engage in inappropriate sexual activity or become victims of abuse from their intimate partners.
Many women suffering from ADHD struggle to meet societal expectations in areas such as parenting, homemaking, relationships, and work. This can cause a lot more stress in their lives, making it difficult to recognize and treat ADHD symptoms. Women may develop coping strategies like drinking or using drugs to disguise their symptoms. This can hinder treatment. Diagnoses are a crucial first step in identifying and managing the challenges. The good news is that you can seek help.
4. You're having difficulty making decisions
Women who are struggling to make decisions can delay or not be able to finish tasks because they aren't sure of what tasks to prioritise. They also have a difficult time remembering their decisions and following through on them. This kind of ADHD can impact the performance of work, relationships and self-esteem.
The signs of ADHD in women can be more difficult to identify than in children due to the fact that teachers and parents don't refer girls for evaluation as often as they do for boys. Furthermore, women are better in masked symptoms. They can develop strategies to cope that allow them to appear "normal" and to meet social expectations, such as using apps to manage their day-to-day activities.
Women can be given an official diagnosis by their primary physician, who might refer them to a specialist of specialization. Depending on the results of the test, the doctor might prescribe medication or talk-therapy. In therapy, your therapist will help you develop better coping skills and encourage you to replace negative thoughts with positive ones. They can assist you and your family improve communication. This can be a challenge when one or both partners in a relationship have ADHD. The use of medication can help manage the symptoms and boost productivity at school or at work.
5. You struggle with multitasking
Women who suffer from ADHD often find themselves feeling overwhelmed when they try to meet deadlines or work on 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 are unable to pick 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 be easily distracted and to lose or misplace items. This is a problem 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 are more likely to go undiagnosed with this kind of ADHD because their symptoms aren't as evident as those of the typical inattentive type.
Women who have not been diagnosed with adult ADHD might also develop strategies to disguise their struggles by using drugs or alcohol to take care of themselves, in order to fit in with other people. This can further aggravate their symptoms when they struggle with the constant feeling of inadequate, which can lead to strained relationships and an overall sense of low self-esteem.
6. You have trouble managing your time
ADHD issues with time management can be a big issue in the workplace. It's difficult to get work completed when you don't have a system for filing paperwork, returning calls, or finishing projects in time. Even if you do 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 may also be more likely than other individuals to experience co-occurring anxiety or depression, and may have difficulty maintaining relationships. Women are expected to be caregivers, and this can exacerbate the symptoms of ADHD particularly when they don't have access to the right treatment or support. This can also lead broken relationships between family members, friends, and romantic partners. These strained relations can increase frustration and misunderstandings which can make it difficult for women to seek out help.
7. You're having a hard time making friends
Women with ADHD are likely to find it difficult to have trouble making friends. Because of this, social expectations demand women to be competent at various roles, such as raising children, sustaining relationships, and performing well at work. Women may be suffering from symptoms that become worse as they try to meet the expectations. They could also be at a higher chance of developing poor social relationships with peers or co-existing anxiety and mood disorders. Women are more likely than men to develop coping strategies that cover ADHD symptoms. This can result in over-exercising and staying up later than necessary, and relying on phone reminders or daily schedules to help manage their lives.
Other undesirable behaviors include impulsiveness and forgetfulness, which can lead to problems in both work and personal relationships. For example, forgetting to mention a friend's birthday party could make them feel unloved and don't value them. Interrupting conversations or becoming angry at the slightest provocation can lead to conflicts and miscommunications. Set your expectations for your friendships to avoid bad emotions, misinterpretations and resentment. You can accomplish this by keeping a calendar that tracks the important dates of your friends, using a notepad to jot down information you learn about new friends and delivering on promises.