Adult Female ADHD Symptoms
Women who suffer from ADHD are often underdiagnosed due to symptoms that are less obvious, gender bias among healthcare providers and symptom-masking. The need for a diagnosis is essential to improve relationships and prepare you for success, and assist you to recognize your behavior.
To be diagnosed with ADHD, you need to have at least five ongoing symptoms of inattention and/or hyperactive/impulsive symptoms that interfere with daily life. Use this checklist to check for these signs:
Hyperfocus
ADHD can cause people to be too focused on one particular task that they lose sight of the world around them. This happens even if the activity isn't productive. Hyperfocus is the term used to describe this. While certain individuals, such as writers, artists, and scientists utilize this ability to do their best work, unrestrained hyperfocus can be a risk. It can cause you be late for appointments, suffer problems at work or school and can cause tension with your family and friends.
Hyperfocus can be a challenge to stop, particularly when you don't even realize it's taking place. Create a schedule for the day and prioritize daily tasks like brushing your teeth or taking a bath. Set an alarm or a clock to help you keep track of time. You could also ask a friend or family member to check in on you at regular intervals. When working on an assignment, it's also helpful to move around frequently and take frequent breaks.
In children, hyperfocus can be considered to be positive, since it allows children to be extremely engaged in a fun activity like skating or building with Legos. However, uncontrolled hyperfocus can lead to problems at school, decreased productivity at work, and frayed relations between siblings and parents.
Hyperfocus can make it harder to see whether a child is suffering from a mental illness like anxiety or depression, which is common among adolescents. This is why it is important to seek medical attention if you suspect your child exhibits symptoms of ADHD that interfere with her daily activities.
ADHD symptoms can be more prevalent during certain phases of a woman's pregnancy, or menstrual cycle. This can increase the severity and frequency of emotional symptoms, such as irritability or mood swings. It can also increase the possibility that a female is misunderstood by her spouse or colleagues.
The male-to-female ADHD ratio is approximately 2:1 during the early years of childhood. However, the difference becomes less pronounced when women start receiving more ADHD diagnoses after age 14. There are a variety of sources that can help women and girls manage their ADHD and improve their lives.
Procrastination
Procrastination is a typical adult female ADHD symptom, and it can cause problems in both your professional and personal life. This symptom can make it difficult to complete tasks, particularly those that require self regulation and executive function skills. Procrastinators often fall behind in important work or school assignments, which could damage their reputation and damage relationships.
Other signs of adult ADHD include the inability to remember appointments and missing deadlines. You might also be prone to forgetting important details in conversations or even your own personal requirements, like paying bills. You may have trouble concentrating in busy or noisy environments, which can cause you to miss opportunities at school or work. You could also get distracted by your mobile or social media accounts and find it difficult to stay focused when listening or reading with someone else.
People with the hyperactive/impulsive type of ADHD typically have a harder time controlling their emotions than those with the inattentive type. This can lead to a variety of emotional challenges including anxiety and depression as well as mood fluctuations that can have a major impact on your life. It can also make it hard to manage frustrations and misunderstandings within personal and professional relationships.
ADHD symptoms in adult women are better at concealing their ADHD symptoms than men, which can cause difficulty in getting a diagnosis and accessing treatment. This is especially true for women who have high-functioning ADHD. The symptoms of inattention are less obvious, and can be concealed by anxiety or mood disorders. Reports on school typically do not include any comments about social or relationship difficulties and concentrate more on academic performance and behavior, which may result in under-diagnosis and under-identification of women and girls suffering from ADHD.
There are many treatments for adults with ADHD. These include medication, cognitive behavioral treatment, and lifestyle adjustments. Speak to your doctor about the best treatment plan for you. Remember that the goal of the treatment plan is to improve your daily functioning and help you manage your symptom. Make sure you discuss the advantages and side effects of any medication you're taking, as well any co-occurring conditions you may have.
Impulsivity
Women and girls with ADHD are more likely to have inattentive symptoms than men and boys, but they're less likely to have the hyperactive/impulsive or mixed subtypes of ADHD. The symptoms of inattention are common, and can cause problems at work, school or in relationships.
The tendency to be impulsive is an attribute of the inattention subtype of ADD/ADHD and can cause trouble when it leads to reckless choices or risky behavior. Symptoms of impulsivity can include blurting out answers before questions are asked, interrupting other people in conversations, and buying things on impulse without considering the consequences. These impulsive behaviors can lead to embarrassing situations in social settings, relationship issues, and financial issues.
Emotional impulsivity is another frequent sign of adult female ADHD. It can result in acting out in the face of anger or frustration, which may be difficult to manage. This impulsivity can also cause mood swings, which makes it difficult to maintain healthy and supportive relationships.
Women with ADHD might have trouble managing their emotions, which can lead to depression and anxiety. These negative emotions can impact the performance of a person at work and cause absences from appointments and health issues. Women with an impulsive ADHD often have difficulty making decisions or plan ahead. They may become overly reliant on others or have trouble staying on track with their commitments.
Through adolescence and through adulthood, women and girls with ADHD are more likely to engage in risky sexual behavior than peers who do not suffer from the disorder. This is due to the fact that sexual activity is viewed as a sign of social acceptance. Sexual risky behavior among adolescents and young adults with ADHD is a factor that contributes to the higher incidence of teenage, unplanned or early pregnancies.
The good news is that there are many ways to decrease the impulsivity of your behavior. It is beneficial to learn to pause and record thoughts prior to making a decision. Meditation or mindfulness exercises can also be helpful in relaxing the body and mind by blocking out distractions and controlling the impulsiveness. Diet is a factor in managing the impulsiveness. A balanced diet that includes vegetables, fruits and whole grains, as well as high-quality proteins, can improve concentration and reduce the risk of the impulsive behavior. Sleep is another key element in reducing impulsiveness. Set up a regular sleeping routine, using a heavy blanket to calm your body and mind, and limiting screen use during the time before going to bed.
Emotional Dysregulation
The disorder of emotional regulation affects a lot of adults with ADHD. It is difficult to manage everyday challenges and relationships when you are not able to control emotions. This can lead to self-destructive behavior like addictions and eating disorder. This could make it difficult to maintain the demands of school, work or even your home life.
It can be difficult to pinpoint your emotions or to understand what they mean. This is especially difficult for those suffering from a mood disorder such as anxiety or depression. Emotional dysregulation can be characterized by a difficulty in calm after an argument, frequent outbursts, or becoming easily annoyed by small inconveniences. You might also have trouble let go of past experiences or retaining grudges.
Females suffering from ADHD are more prone to emotional dysregulation. The reason for this is because their symptoms are internalized and they are less likely to be diagnosed with ADHD than boys or men. Symptoms may also be harder to notice because many teachers miss subtle hyperactive-impulsive symptoms in girls, and rating scales for ADHD are still skewed toward male behavior symptoms.
Girls who suffer from ADHD typically feel more pressure to conform to social expectations than men and boys. This can be particularly challenging for teenagers suffering from ADHD as they go into the hormonal changes that accompany puberty and adolescence. This can lead to emotional dysregulation, particularly combined with the increased sensitivity of girls with ADHD to social and academic pressures.
If you suffer from issues with your emotions due to ADHD symptoms, medication or therapy may be the best choice for treatment. The use of medication can boost your mood and regulate your hormones, while therapy provides a safe space to process emotions like sadness, anger and rejection. It can also help with anxiety.
Whether you opt for therapy or medication the best way to treat this disorder is to implement steps to improve your sleep. This can be achieved by following a routine before sleeping, practicing meditation, or listening to soothing music. A good night's sleep can help you get more energy throughout the day.
While every person's experience with ADHD is different It's important to keep in mind that there are solutions to manage symptoms and lead a happy life. It's not uncommon for people to encounter the combination of medications, therapies or lifestyle changes to determine the best solution.