Signs of ADHD in Women
Women are under a lot pressure to care for their families and maintain healthy relationships and be productive at work. ADHD symptoms can make these tasks feel impossible.
If you suspect you have ADHD, it's important to be treated and diagnosed. It can help you deal with these symptoms and improve the quality of your life.
1. You are always late
Being late for work is a common sign that you could be suffering from ADHD. This is because people with ADHD frequently have a difficult time managing their time and tend to be distracted by other tasks. This can lead to problems at school or at work and can result in missing important meetings or forgetting to complete homework assignments. It can also cause a lot of stress for you and those who depend on you. To avoid being late, set an alarm on your phone or calendar, and make sure to prepare your bedroom the night prior to. Also, make sure to leave some extra time for yourself to get to wherever you're headed.
Some women who suffer from ADHD also have difficulty making friends as they are constantly missing social gatherings. They might be unable to read social cues or comprehend body language. They may 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 for an ADHD assessment than to do the same for girls.
2. You're having difficulty focusing
People with ADHD are easily distracted and lose focus of their activities. In a conversation, they could frequently drift off topic or discuss other topics. They might also have trouble staying still and may be more impulsive.
These problems can strain relationships between family members as well as friends and coworkers. For instance, it's common for those with ADHD to not remember appointments or to miss deadlines. They may also be unorganized and can spend a lot of time on tasks that are not important or have trouble relaxing at home. They might also have difficulty staying focused at work or find it difficult to 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. This is believed to be due to the fact that women are more likely than males to experience recurrences of symptoms and seek treatment when a child has been diagnosed with ADHD. The changes in hormone levels, particularly during menopausal change, can affect ADHD symptoms.
3. You have poor memory
Women suffering from ADHD have a hard time remembering important dates, such as birthdays and anniversaries. They also lose track of the dates of meetings. They may also have difficulty remembering names, which could make it difficult to keep up in social situations and conversations.
People with ADHD tend to have poor judgment. They say things without thinking about them. This can lead to many "foot in mouth" moments that can be frustrating for coworkers and family members.
A woman's difficulty in maintaining and making friends is a different sign of adhd. Many girls with ADHD struggle to manage their emotions and this can lead to difficult romantic relationships. This can increase their chance of being pushed to engage in unwanted sexual activities or be the victim of abuse by their intimate partners.
Many women with ADHD struggle to meet the societal 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 deal with ADHD symptoms. Women may develop coping strategies like alcohol or drugs, to mask their symptoms. This can impede treatment. Getting diagnosed is an important first step for identifying and managing these challenges. You can find help.
4. You are having trouble making decisions
Women who have trouble making decisions may find themselves procrastinating or finding it difficult to complete tasks due to difficulty deciding which tasks should be prioritized. They also have a difficult time recalling their choices and following through on their decisions. This kind of ADHD impacts work performance, relationships, and self-esteem.
The symptoms of ADHD in women are more difficult to diagnose because teachers and parents don't refer girls as often as boys for evaluation. Furthermore, women are better at masking their symptoms. They can develop strategies to cope that allow them to appear "normal" and to meet social expectations, such as by relying on apps to manage their daily activities.
Women can receive an official diagnosis by their primary care physician who can refer them to a specialist of specialization. Depending on the results, the doctor might recommend therapy or medication. In therapy, your therapist can help you learn better coping strategies and assist you in swapping negative thoughts for positive ones. They can help you and your family improve communication. This can be challenging when one or both partners in a relationship has ADHD. Medications can help reduce the symptoms and increase the efficiency at school or at work.
5. You have trouble multitasking
Women with ADHD are often overwhelmed when they have to meet deadlines and work on multiple projects. They may also experience difficulty managing their emotions and find it difficult to make or keep friends, especially when they struggle to pick the social cues and may be susceptible to impulsive behaviors.
Women who have difficulty multitasking are also more likely to develop at risk of developing adhd. They can also lose or misplace items, and become easily distracted. This is particularly problematic for women working in a workplace, where constant interruptions can make it hard to stay focused or 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 go undiagnosed with this kind of ADHD because their symptoms aren't as evident as those of the more frequent inattention type.
Women who have not been diagnosed with adult ADHD might also develop coping strategies that disguise their struggles, such as using drugs or alcohol to self-medicate, in order to fit in with other people. This can further exacerbate their symptoms when they struggle with the constant feeling of being inadequate, resulting in tension in relationships and a general sense of low self-esteem.
6. You're having difficulty managing your Time
ADHD problems with time management can be a major issue in the workplace. If you don't adhere to an organized system to finish your projects, return calls or keep records, it can be difficult to get things done. Even if you're doing great work, your boss will doubt your competence if you repeatedly 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 may also be more likely than other individuals to experience co-occurring anxiety or depression, and have trouble maintaining relationships. adhd symptoms in women adults are expected to be caretakers which can increase the symptoms of ADHD in a lot of women, especially when they don't receive the proper treatment and assistance they require. This can result in difficult relationships with friends, family and romantic partners. The strain on relationships can lead to frustration and misunderstandings, making it harder for women to seek assistance.
7. You're having trouble making friends
Women with ADHD may find it difficult having a difficult time making friends. Because of this, social expectations place high emphasis on women to be able in multiple roles, including raising children, sustaining a relationship, and performing well at work. When they attempt to meet these expectations their symptoms can become more severe. They could also be at a higher chance of developing poor relationships with their peers or having coexisting mood disorders and anxiety. Women are more likely than men to develop coping strategies that cover ADHD symptoms. This can lead to over-exercising or staying up later than necessary and relying on phone reminders or daily schedules to help them manage their lives.
Inattention and forgetfulness are problematic behaviors that can cause issues at work and in personal relationships. For example, forgetting about an event at a friend's house could make them feel unloved and do not value them. Disrupting conversations or becoming angry at the smallest hint can lead to conflict and misunderstandings. Managing your expectations of your relationships can avoid negative feelings, misinterpretations, and anger. You can achieve this by using a calendar to keep track of your friend's important dates, a notepad to record details about new friends, and following through with commitments.