Symptoms of ADHD in Adults Females
The symptoms of ADHD in females of adulthood are often misdiagnosed or missed. However, a proper diagnosis can enhance your quality of life including work and personal relationships.
The signs include forgetfulness and inability to stay organised and impulsiveness, poor emotional regulation, and trouble reading social cues. Treatment could include medication or therapy.
Lack of Focus
One of the most prominent symptoms of ADHD is the difficulty in maintaining focus. People suffering from ADHD often find it hard to focus on a task for longer than an hour regardless of whether or not the subject is interesting to them. In contrast, when they do become obsessed with something, they may become hyperfocused to the point that they neglect other tasks or responsibilities. This could lead to procrastination and missed appointments as well as a lack of completion of work projects.
Additionally, those who suffer from ADHD may have difficulty keeping track of instructions and remembering specifics. This can make it hard to accomplish tasks at the workplace or at school, which can lead to misunderstandings and frustrations between colleagues. It could also be a major factor in time management issues, such as forgetting to pay bills or showing up at meetings on time, or failing to show up altogether.
Women who suffer from ADHD might develop coping strategies to disguise their symptoms, which can result in them being perceived as unorganized or sloppy by other people. This can lead them to feel embarrassed and guilt. This can also impact their self-esteem.
Use a planner to manage this issue. You can also make use of post-it notepads or a planner to appointments and deadlines. Use a noise cancelling headset to block out distractions and listen to music to improve your concentration (make sure that the lyrics don't interfere with your concentration). Try to stay away from caffeine prior to the time you go to bed, as it can alter sleep patterns. A good sleep hygiene routine includes setting an established routine for the time you go to bed and shutting off your devices an hour prior to going to sleep. You can also try taking a warm bath or listening to soothing music, or using a blanket with weights to calm the mind before going to bed.
Inattention
Women with the inattentive type of ADHD often find it difficult to finish tasks and keep track of important deadlines and dates, remember appointments or complete daily chores. They may also miss particulars in conversations, or become distracted by the other things going on around them. Many times, they make mistakes at work or school and don't check their work prior to submitting it. Additionally, they face difficulty establishing priorities and planning.
Impulse and forgetfulness can cause frustration and misunderstandings between lovers and family members, colleagues, or even teachers. This makes it difficult for people with these issues to seek treatment for their issues. If you are often late for meetings, or struggle to keep the track of your time people might conclude that you are not concerned about them or lack commitment in the relationship. Your inability to remember or lose focus can lead to miscommunications with people who live with you.
Women with ADHD have high-functioning symptoms which don't impact their daily lives. This includes forgetting appointments, missing deadlines or delaying tasks. However, they may experience other symptoms like restlessness and a lack of organization skills.
Adult symptoms of ADHD can become more severe during the menopausal perimenopausal period (perimenopause is the period leading up to menopause). Exercise and getting enough sleep can ease the symptoms.
Inattentive ADHD is one of the most frequent kinds of ADHD. A thorough examination by a medical specialist is needed to diagnose ADHD. This may include a behavioral, cognitive or physical test as well as an interview with your doctor. Note: Sex is a biological phenomenon that includes chromosomal makeup hormones, anatomy, and physiology which determines if someone is a woman, man, or a nonbinary. Gender identity, on the other hand is a perception of who you are, including social and cultural beliefs.
Impulsivity
Women suffering from ADHD typically struggle with impulse control that is the ability to delay action or stop from taking action based on thoughts. They may be unable to self-restrain and interrupting others without thinking, and having difficulty understanding social boundaries. They also have difficulty waiting for their turn and tend to be impatient in general. These issues can lead to problems at home, school at work, and in social relationships.
It can be difficult to keep up with a variety of tasks including phone calls, emails and meetings can be particularly challenging for adults with ADHD. They may also have difficulty remembering names and their handwriting may be messy. They might also have an inability to manage their time and a tendency to delay projects, which can impact their job performance and create stress. In some cases the impulsive behavior can lead to unhealthy coping strategies like alcohol or drugs.
Many women suffering from ADHD aren't diagnosed because they aren't aware of it. Their symptoms can be difficult to detect because they can be masked by hormonal changes caused by puberty, pregnancy and menopausal changes.
At Salience Health, we help patients with ADHD manage their symptoms through a combination of therapy and medication. The use of medication can be especially beneficial in the treatment of the problem of impulse control. Contact us today to arrange a a consultation to learn more about the treatment options available for adults with ADHD.
Hyperactivity
Women suffering from ADHD might have difficulty sitting still or remain still for long periods of time. Their restlessness and fidgeting can affect their ability to concentrate on school or at work. They are unable to play or engaging in leisure activities while in silence. They may seem like they aren't interested in the things that others are interested in, and they are easily distracted. They may also have difficulty recalling details of the conversations or events that they attended.
They might also have issues staying on track with plans and commitments. As adults women who suffer from ADHD develop strategies to disguise their symptoms in order to meet expectations and keep relationships. This can result in feeling like they are overwhelmed and out of control. It is especially difficult for women who have the hyperactive/impulsive type of ADHD, which can cause mood swings. These mood fluctuations can be misinterpreted by male partners and coworkers, which can contribute to feelings of loneliness and isolation.
Women and men have different symptoms of ADHD and an extensive evaluation is required by a licensed healthcare professional. A Salience Health provider can use tools like Creyos Cognitive Testing and Brainview Advanced testing to establish diagnose and suggest treatment options.
Adult women suffering from ADHD are typically treated with a an array of therapies and medication. Therapies like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and training in interpersonal skills can assist to change negative thoughts and behaviors. The use of stimulant and non-stimulant medication can aid in managing the symptoms of ADHD among women of adulthood. A health care professional can prescribe a drug that is appropriate for you depending on your symptoms, age stage, stage of life and primary responsibilities, as well as any other illnesses or conditions you have.
Social Skills
Many people suffering from ADHD feel isolated, despite having many family members, friends, coworkers and acquaintances. They have difficulty making new friends and maintaining relationships because of their forgetfulness and focus issues, as well as impulsivity. This can result in prolonged periods without a meaningful conversations and being late for appointments and not attending social occasions.
These social issues can lead to problems at work, in the classroom and in relationships. The inability to follow through on promises or commitments creates feelings of being rejected and unloved by family members, coworkers and friends. This can cause depression and anxiety, as well as low self-esteem, and a feeling of being unworthy or losing control. In adult male ADHD symptoms , improper social behavior can lead to a separation from the relationship or marriage because the spouse or partner does not have ADHD.
Women who suffer from ADHD might hide their symptoms by altering their behavior to conform to social norms and expectations. This can make it difficult for them to get diagnosed because they may not be as open about their struggles. They may have developed a healthy repertoire of coping strategies to hide their symptoms.
For example, they might keep the track of their appointments using the calendar app or set phone reminders to pay bills or attend important events. They may be able cope with their inability to multitask by doing more than one thing at a time however, they may struggle with executive function or memory deficits which limit their ability to plan and manage time.
In addition, they can be unable to read between the lines or understanding the meaning of conversations with others, which can also contribute to social problems. Getting an accurate diagnosis is the first step toward finding solutions and building stronger connections with other people. There are a variety of solutions and resources available, including medication and therapies.