Shella Howse

Challenges of ADHD in Women and Girls

Women and girls are often faced with many challenges when untreated ADHD symptoms impact their lives. They may feel unable at work, struggle with relationships with peers and suffer from anxiety or depression.

They also do better at developing strategies to manage their ADHD symptoms. This makes it difficult to recognize and treat them.

Signs and symptoms

Although research has proven that ADHD affects men and boys at a higher rate than women and girls however, the gap between the genders shrinks as people get older. It is crucial that people with ADHD symptoms don't feel isolated or forgotten.

As girls and women mature into adulthood and become adults, they struggle with ADHD symptoms. They may have trouble managing finances and keeping their home clean and maintaining healthy relationships. Years of untreated ADHD can also affect their self-esteem and mental health, as they blame themselves for their issues.

ADHD is a chronic condition and is not like other psychiatric disorders. Girls and famous women with adhd tend to mask symptoms with coping techniques, but they often fail to work. Furthermore, hormonal changes that occur during the menstrual period, pregnancy, and menopause can make it more difficult to manage ADHD symptoms.

Inattentive-type ADHD symptoms typically are characterized by being forgetful or numb and losing track of time, difficulties paying attention during class or work and trouble with daily routines like food preparation, laundry or scheduling. Hyperactive-impulsive ADHD symptoms can include rushing through tasks, jumping from one task to another or making rash decisions. It is essential for healthcare providers to be aware of the various ways that girls and women present with ADHD and to consider whether anxiety or depression are contributing to their difficulties.

It's also crucial that people with ADHD be assessed by a physician or other qualified healthcare provider who can assess their symptoms and medical background to rule out other medical conditions. Some people with ADHD also suffer from mental health issues like anxiety or depression or low self-esteem, as well as problems with relationships and social interaction. Adults with ADHD are also more likely to experience physical health issues like anxiety or chronic stress.

Many girls and women with ADHD aren't diagnosed because they're not taken seriously by teachers, family or friends. They might not think their issues are serious enough to seek help, or they may believe that their ADHD symptoms are a result of poor parenting or low self-esteem, or any other external factors. In some cases, girls and women with ADHD are only diagnosed when their children are diagnosed with ADHD or do not receive a diagnosis until they're in their 40s or 50s and are experiencing significant difficulty with day-to-day living activities.

Diagnosis

Women are often not diagnosed with ADHD until later in life, and they can face challenges when it does occur. For one thing, girls may not have the same hyperactive/impulsive symptoms as boys -- and this can make them less likely to be recognised by teachers and parents, who are more accustomed to seeing those signs in male children. Girls develop coping strategies that disguise their symptoms which allows them to be less noticed. This means that their problems with organisation, concentration and impulsivity may remain unnoticed for a long time.

Women are more likely to be affected by high-functioning ADHD. This makes it difficult to recognize their symptoms. There are also co-occurring disorders that affect their ability to manage their lives, such as depression and anxiety. For instance, they may struggle to manage their emotions, which can be worsened by hormonal changes during the menstrual cycle, pregnancy and menopause.

Many of these conditions may cause low self-esteem or relationships problems. It can be difficult for these people to talk about their problems and seek help. This could lead to a delay in diagnosis and treatment.

It's also common for people with adhd in women symptoms (http://gtrade.cc) to have trouble making friends and engaging with others. They may miss social events, not show up for appointments, and have trouble reading body language. They could even wander off on tangents during conversations and make it difficult for others to follow them.

In these circumstances, it's important to get a proper diagnosis and act as soon as possible. For women, this could be a "lightbulb moment" that can give them an external explanation of their problems and help them accept themselves more fully. It can also help women focus on their strength and take steps to improve life management abilities. This can positively impact their personal, professional and family lives. Huma Sheikh MD has reviewed the article.

Treatment

Untreated ADHD can affect the professional and personal lives of women and girls as they reach adulthood. The symptoms can affect relationships and work performance and result in anxiety and a lack of confidence. They may also make it more difficult to handle the demands of adulthood, such as managing finances, keeping the home clean and in good relationships.

Women and girls are less likely to receive a diagnosis of ADHD than boys and men, partly because hyperactive/impulsive symptoms tend to be more commonly associated with males. This could lead to gender-based stereotypes about the disorder, which can result in women and girls avoiding or hiding their own symptoms to avoid getting stigmatized by society.

There are a variety of effective treatment options for ADHD in women and girls. A licensed health professional can prescribe medication to regulate brain activity and reduce symptoms. The most effective medications are stimulants. option, however non-stimulants may also be beneficial for certain people. Your healthcare professional may also suggest a combination therapy to address related conditions like depression or anxiety disorders.

Alongside medication lifestyle changes can also aid in managing ADHD symptoms. Regular exercise releases neurotransmitters that boost concentration and focus and reduce anxiety and stress. Group activities, such as team sports or group fitness classes, can be particularly beneficial.

Treatment also includes therapy. Cognitive behavioral therapy can help people recognize and alter negative thinking patterns that cause their ADHD symptoms. Couples counseling can be beneficial to improve communication and resolve conflict in relationships.

At Verywell Health, we use the words "girls" and "women" to refer to gender determined at birth (AFAB) instead of an individual's affirmation of gender identity. To make our content more uniform and clear, and to avoid confusion among readers we use this term. However, this article also applies to people assigned male at birth (AMAB), and to transgender and nonbinary people. We recognize that gender and sexuality are not mutually exclusive and welcome all readers to our site.

Support

Women and people assigned adult female adhd symptoms at birth (AFAB) with ADHD are more likely to be undiagnosed or receive a false diagnosis than men. This is because women and girls tend to hide their symptoms, so they're more difficult for doctors to recognize. They also might have symptoms that aren't obvious to others, such as inattention or disorganization instead of the impulsivity or hyperactivity in women.

This masking is essential for women who often develop coping strategies to feel normal and meet social expectations. These coping mechanisms may include healthy things like setting reminders for phone calls or keeping a daily calendar. However, they can also be harmful such as binge eating or a drug abuse. Women who are not treated for ADHD might be overwhelmed, anxious, and depressed, and may have relationship issues and chronic stress.

The challenges that women and girls who suffer from ADHD have to face can lead to feelings of low self-esteem and depression, anxiety or even somatic complaints such as abdominal pain or headaches. These issues can cause avoiding school, work or social activities. They may also become more dependent on their parents to help them with their daily chores. This can result in an unhealthy cycle of dependence and reliance on others that is difficult to break.

In adolescence, girls as well as women and attention deficit disorder who suffer from ADHD might be at a greater risk for sexual activity with non-consensual partners. This could be due to the impulsiveness of their lives, insufficient planning, or a lack of ability to use contraception. They are also more likely to be pressured into sexual activities that are not desired, and are more vulnerable to domestic violence and exploitation.

As adults, women who suffer from ADHD can often benefit from coping strategies and medication to manage their symptoms. They can also seek therapy in a couple or on their own with an individual or with a partner. They can begin to understand themselves and develop a more positive internal dialogue. It can help them improve their relationships.

Support services may also include special programs for pregnant and parenting women with ADHD and coaching to help them develop parenting skills. These programs will make it easier for women with ADHD to maintain jobs and manage their home responsibilities, and care for children.