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ADHD Traits in Women
Verywell Health acknowledges that sex and gender are a reflection of biology, the body’s chromosomal makeup and hormones–and that many people do not fit into a sex binary. Sexe and gender can affect the way ADHD symptoms are diagnosed and treated.
ADHD is usually diagnosed in childhood prior to the age of 12. ADHD symptoms must be present before 12 years of age and cause problems in multiple settings to qualify for a diagnoses.
1. Trouble focusing
Inattention is at the heart of ADHD, and it’s a problem for all genders. However, women may have more difficulty to get the attention they require particularly since symptoms typically manifest differently for men.
Women are more likely to experience indecisiveness and disorganization, for example. They are also more likely than men to be emotional and have a difficult time putting things in perspective. These issues can cause an inability to concentrate on work, resulting in a lack of productivity at work or at home. They’re also more likely skip doctor appointments and neglect to take their medications.
The hormones of women, in addition to these innate differences can exacerbate ADHD symptoms. Females have a larger hippocampus that aids in memory and learning, and hormonal changes during menstrual cycles and during pregnancy, breastfeeding and menopausal cycles can affect brain’s function.
Women who are not diagnosed with ADHD might struggle with their relationships, at school, and at work. They could also struggle with a host of comorbid conditions, including depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and bipolar disorder.
It is essential that health professionals are aware of the numerous signs that females with ADHD display. They must recalibrate their approaches for diagnosing and treating females suffering from ADHD in order to recognize emotional dysregulation and hormonal fluctuations. The patients will then receive the treatment they need.
2. Impulsivity
Females with ADHD are more likely to have trouble controlling their emotions, especially when interacting with others. This can lead to emotional dysregulation which is a major element of ADHD symptoms and is linked to a variety of negative life consequences. These include poor self-esteem, co-occurring depression and anxiety, difficult romantic relationships which can lead to intimate partner violence, trouble with friendships and a messy home or personal space, and an inability to manage time or money.
Gender stereotypes can also affect the way women with ADHD are treated. They could be misunderstood as they are viewed as being more sensitive or prone a mood swings. This can exacerbate their frustrations about being a victim of untreated ADHD.
Individuals with ADHD have impaired impulse control, also known as the prefrontal cortex. This means they have a difficult time making decisions and following up with their intentions. This makes it difficult to resist the temptation to eat another piece of cake or to make an inappropriate comment in public.
Adults with ADHD may benefit from medication that helps them manage their impulsivity. Stimulants such as amphetamine and dextroamphetamine are able to reduce impulsive behavior. Nonstimulants like clonidine or guanfacine are also effective. Patients with ADHD might also benefit from a treatment called behavioral therapy, which can help them change their thinking patterns and develop better methods of coping.
A good night’s sleep and eating a balanced diet, and practicing meditation can also help in reducing the impulsiveness and restlessness of people with ADHD. It’s also a great idea to monitor their symptoms throughout the day, and to share the information with their doctor in order to assess whether their treatment is working.
3. Disorganization
Disorganization can be a problem for people with ADHD and impact their professional and personal life. It may take them longer to complete their tasks and decrease their productivity. They may also miss deadlines or feel overwhelmed every day.
A lack of organization can make it difficult to maintain healthy relationships. They might forget important dates or lose belongings like keys or purses. They might feel lonely and isolated because of this. They may also feel that they are not understood by family and friends. The disorder is more prevalent in menopausal and perimenopausal women when hormones are changing and symptoms become more severe.
Women often hide their ADHD symptoms in order to conform to the norms of society or to avoid being thought of as a problem. This can lead women to blame themselves and feel guilt or shame. It can also be a reason why women and girls are often not diagnosed with ADHD, particularly in adolescence when symptoms become more apparent.
In the end, women with untreated ADHD may have trouble with their work or school performance. This can affect their work, grades, or their image. It could also cause issues in their personal lives, such as difficulties with romantic partners or strained relationships with family members and friends members.
Women who are chronically unorganized will benefit from the one-on-1 assistance of a non-judgmental individual. They can teach women how to stay organized by making an agenda and establishing reminders. In addition, a qualified mental health professional can recommend medications and lifestyle changes to help minimize ADHD symptoms. This may include eating smaller meals throughout the day to maintain stable energy levels and avoiding caffeine which can cause an increase in the side effects of stimulant medication.
4. Indecisiveness
Indecisiveness is one of the traits that affects decision making across a wide range of aspects of our lives. Indecisiveness can be measured using various instruments, such as the Decision Behaviors Inventory by Barkley-Levenson and Fox and the scale for Indecisiveness. Indecisiveness has also been linked to neuroticism, as well as the tendency to think of worst-case scenarios. This is because people interpret ambiguous circumstances as threatening. It was also discovered to be associated with a fear of making a mistake, which could help explain why people with adhd have difficulty making decisions.
In the qualitative study of adult women with adhd, interviewees described being not able to make decisions regarding their work and personal lives. They had a difficult time finding a job they liked or stayed in, and also found it difficult to manage their finances as well as their relationships, and health. They often had to wait for others to take decisions, or were unable complete projects like arranging childcare. They believed that their ADHD symptoms such as the inability to focus and impulsivity, or beginning projects were holding them back.
They struggled to maintain friendships and were unable to relax and recharging their mental health. They reported having high levels of stress and anxiety as well as sleeping less and a poor diet. They also expressed feeling slighted by the media and adults. They were able explain their struggles with ADHD, which helped them boost their self-esteem as they weren’t blaming themselves. Additionally, it gave them access to appropriate treatment strategies.
The interviews revealed that women were very positive however, they struggled to overcome the effects of ADHD on various aspects of their lives. This included a lack of career or romantic opportunities, difficulty maintaining relationships and a messy home.
5. Lack of Self-Esteem
Women may conceal their impulsivity and hyperactivity because they believe that their behavior is less acceptable for boys and men. They also may be able to internalize their ADHD symptoms and develop coping strategies such as self-harm (cutting burns, scratching, cutting). attention deficit disorder in women can lead to feelings of low self-esteem that contribute to depression, anxiety, or eating disorders.
A high sense of inner worth is the basis for more positive relationships and a positive outlook on life. If someone isn’t feeling a solid sense of self-worth and feel they are not worthy, they will seek external things – such as careers, relationships as well as wealth and power to feel a sense of worthiness. Cheryl Clarke, a licensed therapist, says that this can also result in the lack of communication in a relationship.
Alongside a feeling of lack of self-worth, those with ADHD often struggle with feeling like they don’t have enough of the good things happening in their lives. These feelings can manifest themselves as a desire for others to “keep up with” or to please. This can cause toxic workplaces and a negative self-image and an addiction of substances or food.
Despite these significant issues the women who participated in this study discovered a number of positive aspects to living with ADHD. They described ADHD as positive or negative according to how they feel about their ability to manage it. Some of them have identified their own strengths that they believe are partially due to their ADHD. They have high energy, creativity and determination as well as the ability to effortlessly become fascinated by new subjects. They also describe their individual struggles as part of a larger picture that encompasses family and cultural issues, as also gender and biological differences.