ADD and Women in Women
Girls and women who suffer from ADHD frequently develop coping mechanisms to mask their symptoms. Some of these include establishing routines for their day and setting up phone reminders. adhd traits in women could also employ bravado as a buffer against social isolation.
The coping strategies they employ could become ineffective. They could also develop co-occurring conditions like mood disorders, anxiety and self-harming behaviors like cutting.
Hyperactive or Hypoactive
Women suffering from ADHD are more likely to be distracted and are more difficult to stay focused and tend to forget things. They may also have trouble organizing their personal and work lives, which can affect their performance at work. They might miss appointments, or fail to pay bills and can be prone to procrastination. They might have difficulty understanding or completing math. These difficulties can worsen in the months prior to, during or after menopause.
Many experts believe that it is more difficult for women and girls to get diagnosed with ADHD because they are better at hiding their symptoms. This may be because of gender stereotypes that view boys and men as more boisterous than girls and women, according to Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD). These behaviors are often viewed by others as less acceptable especially if they are impulsive or disorganized.
The good news is that it is possible for women with ADHD to lead happy, full and satisfying lives. It's important to choose a provider that is familiar with the disorder and understands how it affects women. There are a variety of treatment options, including cognitive behavioral therapy, which assists patients identify negative beliefs and thoughts that result in problematic behavior neurocognitive psychotherapy, which is a blend of CBT and other therapeutic methods designed to enhance self-regulation and impulse control and dialectical behavioral therapy, which assists people learn skills to assist them in managing their emotions and improve their interpersonal interactions.
Women with ADHD are often plagued with rejection sensitivity. This is an intense emotional reaction to rejection, whether real or perceived. This makes it difficult for them to keep relationships. This can lead to women who suffer from ADHD being more likely than others to engage in sexually risky actions, become pregnant unintentionally or seek out casual sexual partners.
In addition, women with ADHD may have trouble making friends and interacting naturally with others, especially if they have hyperactive/impulsive ADHD symptoms. This could make it difficult to make friends with other people at school, at work or in other social environments. They might be unable to understand body language and recognize social cues.
Impatient
Women with ADHD often struggle to wait for something or feel the urgent need to get moving. This can make it hard to complete tasks like cooking dinner, cleaning the house or paying the bills. Women may also have difficulty to stick to their social obligations or keep their commitments. They may also be afflicted by emotional outbursts as well as a lack of self-control.
When women experience symptoms of ADHD It is essential to seek out help. Treatment can improve their lives and increase their confidence and self-esteem. With lifestyle changes, medication and therapy it is possible to reduce or eliminate the symptoms.
A restful night's sleep can help to reduce ADHD symptoms. The way you sleep can be improved with a good bedtime routine by limiting screen time at night and eating according to a schedule. A woman suffering from ADHD can also benefit from using a blanket that is weighted or relaxing music to help them sleep.
Depression, although not a symptom of ADHD is a common occurrence in women with the condition. It is often caused by the debilitating effect of untreated ADD or deeper issues like low self-esteem or relationship issues. Women who suffer from ADD often struggle with self-esteem because they don't perform in the same way as other women and girls their older. Having difficulty with social interaction and an inability to recognize social cues can also cause feelings of self-worthlessness.
It is more difficult for women to get diagnosed with ADD than it is for males. This is because doctors frequently make the mistake of interpreting the symptoms of ADD in women for signs that are more typical of bipolar disorder. This is particularly relevant during pregnancy and puberty and also during menopausal or perimenopausal cycles, when hormones are changing.
It is also more easy for women to conceal their symptoms than it is for males and males. Additionally there are a lot of expectations for women, which can be difficult to manage with the symptoms of ADHD. This can lead stress, depression and anxiety. It may also contribute to self-injury that is not suicide-related which is a common occurrence in young women and teens with ADHD.
Impulsive
When you have impulsive-type ADHD symptoms you're quick to make decisions without thinking. You're not able to wait for your turn to speak during a conversation, and you're more likely to interrupt or complete sentences of others. You may also find it difficult to judge appropriateness of your behavior in a social setting. These behaviors can impact your ability to maintain a job or a relationship and they can make it difficult to live up to the expectations of family, colleagues and friends.
Women with impulsive-type ADHD frequently have difficulty controlling their emotions, which can lead to more conflict in relationships and at work. They might feel that other people are judging or ignoring them due to their inability to concentrate or keep up. They might be unable to finish tasks at the office or at home or even lose their wallet or keys. They could be at risk of spending money on items that aren't worth the money or they could lose track of important dates or appointments.
Women with ADHD may conceal their symptoms. This is especially true in their professional lives. They might have secretaries, assistants or cleaning services to help them deal with the disorganization that can make them forget appointments, pay bills or miss deadlines. They might find it easier to deal with their impulsive ADHD symptoms when they're at home with their loved ones than in the workplace.
Gender bias is a reason why women with impulsive-type ADHD are underdiagnosed. Doctors and teachers tend to look for the hyperactive/impulsive symptoms that are more common in boys and men when making diagnoses, so they're more likely to overlook or dismiss a woman's symptoms as anxiety or mood-related rather than ADHD.
Other reasons women suffering from an impulsive type of ADHD might go undiagnosed include depression, which often coexists with or is caused by ADD. The impulsive behavior that comes with ADD can be difficult for depression sufferers to manage, and it's a challenge to treat depression while struggling with impulsive behavior. Those impulsive behaviors can also cause feelings of self-doubt, and a sense of worthlessness that women who suffer from ADD experience. This can be exacerbated by a lack support from loved ones.
The following are some of the ways to reduce your risk:
Women suffering from ADHD may exhibit symptoms that resemble depression. This can include feeling depressed and worthless, having trouble in concentrating or sleeping, or being irritable and easily angered. Doctors often combine both disorders and treat them in conjunction. Depression and ADD could also impact your relationships. In romantic or platonic partnerships your struggles with focus and attention can heighten frustrations and misunderstandings which can lead to conflict. These issues can lead to colleagues or coworkers misinterpreting your behaviour in school or work settings as lack of commitment, disinterest or hostility.
Women are better at hiding their symptoms, which makes it harder to diagnose depression and ADHD. They alter their behavior in order to conform to social expectations and avoid being labelled as weak or emotionally unstable. In some instances, they turn to unhealthy coping strategies like excessive drinking and drug abuse, particularly during the adolescent years. This could make it difficult for them to recognize that their ADHD is the cause of their problems, and delay getting a correct diagnosis.
The severity of symptoms can vary from one person to another, even within the same family. Certain people have milder symptoms that are called high-functioning ADHD. Others have severe symptoms that affect their lives.
There are a variety of treatment options available for adults suffering from ADHD. These include cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and neurocognitive therapy (NCP) and dialectical behavior therapy. These treatments can help improve self-regulation, impulse control, and help you manage your emotions.
There are also a variety of medications that can be prescribed to treat ADHD in adults. Stimulants are typically prescribed, such as methylphenidate (Ritalin), dextroamphetamine/amphetamine salts (Adderall), and lisdexamfetamine (Vyvanse). There are also non-stimulants available, including atomoxetine (Strattera) and viloxazine (Qelbree), Clonidine (Kapvay), and guanfacine (Intuniv). Your doctor will be able to provide more information about the advantages and risks of these medications. They may be able to offer you other recommendations for coping with your symptoms. For instance, you can consider using an organizer, writing down reminders, and taking notes at meetings to keep your schedule organized. You may also benefit from joining an ADHD support group for women.