Signs of ADHD in Women
Women are subject to a lot of pressure to take care of and keep track of children and maintain a healthy relationship and be successful at work. ADHD symptoms can make these tasks seem impossible.
If you think you may have ADHD, it's important to be treated and diagnosed. It can assist you in dealing with these symptoms and enhance the quality of your life overall.
1. You Are Always Late
Being always late is among the most frequent signs that you might be suffering from ADHD. This is because those with ADHD frequently have a difficult time managing their time, and can be easily distracted by other tasks. This can cause problems at school or work, such as not attending important meetings or forgetting to complete homework assignments. It can cause a lot stress for you and those who depend on you. To stop being late, set a reminder on your phone or calendar and be sure to prepare your bedroom the night before. Also, try to allow a few extra minutes for yourself to get there wherever you're going.
Some women who suffer from ADHD also have trouble making friends as they constantly miss social occasions. They may also have difficulty learning to discern social cues or understand body language. They may also have trouble in focusing on conversations and get lost in thoughts.
Lastly, some girls with ADHD go undiagnosed because their symptoms are more difficult to notice than the hyperactive/impulsive ones seen in boys and men. Parents and teachers are more likely to refer males or boys for an ADHD assessment than they do for girls.
2. You Have Trouble Focusing
People with ADHD are easily distracted and lose focus of their work. When they are in a conversation with others they can often wander off on a tangent or talk about things that don't pertain to the topic in question. They might also have a difficult time staying still and may be more reckless.
These problems can strain relationships with family, friends and colleagues. For instance, it's common for people with ADHD to forget appointments or miss deadlines. They may also be disorganized or spend too much time on things that aren't important. They may also have difficulty being able to focus at work or manage their finances.
Boys are more likely than girls to be diagnosed as having ADHD in children. However, as adults, the numbers even out. It is thought that this is due to the fact that women are more likely to experience a higher recurrence of symptoms, and they are more likely to seek treatment when one of their children is diagnosed with the condition. The fluctuation in hormone levels, particularly during menopausal changes, may affect the severity of ADHD symptoms.
3. You have a weak memory
Women with ADHD are often unable to remember important events, such as birthdays, anniversaries, and meetings. They may also have trouble remembering names, which could make it difficult to keep track of in social situations and conversations.
It's also normal for people with ADHD to have poor filters which means they speak their thoughts without thinking them through. This can result in a lot of "foot-in-mouth" moments that can be a source of frustration for family members and colleagues.
Another indication of adhd in women is difficulty making and maintaining friendships. Many women with ADHD struggle to manage their emotions. This can lead them into difficult relationships with their partners. This can put them at chance of being pushed into sexually inappropriate activities or being victims of violence from their intimate partners.
Many women suffering from ADHD find it difficult to meet the societal expectations of parenting and homemaking, as well as relationships. This can cause a lot of stress to their lives, making it difficult to recognize and manage ADHD symptoms. Some women have developed coping strategies to disguise their symptoms, such as using alcohol or drugs that can hinder treatment. Getting diagnosed is an important first step to identify and managing these challenges. The good news is that you can get help.
4. You have trouble making decisions
Women who are struggling to make decisions might find themselves putting off or unable to complete tasks due to difficulty deciding which tasks should be prioritised. They also have difficulty remembering and following through with decisions they have made. This kind of ADHD affects performance at work, relationships and self-esteem.
The signs of ADHD in women are harder to recognize because parents and teachers don't refer girls as often as boys for evaluation. In addition, women are more adept at masking their symptoms. They can develop strategies to cope that help them appear "normal" and to meet social expectations, such as using apps to manage their daily activities.
Women may receive an official diagnosis by their primary care physician who can refer them to a specialist of specialization. Depending on the results, the doctor might suggest medication or talk therapy. Therapy sessions with your therapist can help you learn healthier coping skills and assist you in swapping negative thoughts with positive ones. They can help you and your family to improve communication. This can be a challenge when one or both partners in a relationship suffer from ADHD. The medication can help manage the symptoms and improve productivity at work or at school.
5. You're having trouble multitasking
Women suffering from ADHD may feel overwhelmed when they must meet deadlines and complete multiple projects. They may also have difficulty controlling their emotions and may find it difficult to find or keep friends, particularly when they are unable to pick the social signals and may be susceptible to impulsive behavior.
Women who are unable to multitask are more likely to suffer from adhd. They may also lose or misplace items, and become easily distracted. This can be a problem for women working in a workplace where they are constantly interrupted.
In addition, if you have the hyperactive/impulsive type of adhd, having trouble staying quiet and being able to control your emotions can lead to frequent outbursts that are not only disruptive to others but can be damaging to your career. This kind of ADHD is more likely to be misdiagnosed by women as the symptoms are less obvious than those associated with the inattentive form.
Women who have not been diagnosed with ADHD adulthood might also develop coping mechanisms that cover up their struggles. For example, they may self-medicate with alcohol or drugs to blend into the mainstream. This can further aggravate their symptoms as they struggle to cope with chronic feelings of inadequate, which can lead to uneasy relationships and a general feeling of low self-esteem.
6. You are having trouble managing your time
ADHD time management issues can be a big issue in the workplace. If you don't adhere to a system to complete projects, return phone calls or file paperwork, it's difficult to accomplish your tasks. Even if you're doing great work, your boss will doubt your competence if you regularly do not meet deadlines.
Women with ADHD are more likely to have the inattentive subtype of symptoms, which can make it harder for them to be diagnosed and treated than men or boys with the hyperactive/impulsive type of symptoms. This is because doctors and teachers are more likely to recognize the hyperactive/impulsive symptoms in boys and men, and may be less familiar with the inattentive-type symptoms of women with ADHD.
Women with untreated ADHD may also be more likely than other people to suffer from co-occurring anxiety or depression, and have difficulty maintaining relationships. conversational tone are expected to be caregivers which can increase the symptoms of ADHD in a lot of women, especially if they aren't getting the right treatment and support they need. This can lead to strained relationships with friends, family and romantic partners. These strained relations can increase tension and confusion, making it harder for women to seek assistance.
7. You're having trouble forming friendships
Women with ADHD are likely to find it difficult to have trouble making friends. For one thing, societal expectations put a lot of emphasis on women to be able in multiple roles, including raising children, sustaining relationships, and doing well at work. As they attempt to fulfill these expectations their symptoms can get worse. They also may be at an increased chance of developing poor relationships with their peers or coexisting mood disorders and anxiety disorders. Women are more likely than men to develop coping mechanisms that cover ADHD symptoms. This can result in over-exercising and staying up later than needed, and relying on phone reminders or daily schedules to help them manage their lives.
Other undesirable behaviors include impulsiveness and forgetfulness which can create issues in both work and personal relationships. For instance, ignoring an event at a friend's house could make them feel jilted and that you don't value them. In the same way interrupting conversations with unrelated thoughts or becoming angry at any moment can cause confusion and conflict. Manage your expectations about your friendships to avoid bad feelings, misinterpretations and anger. This can be accomplished by using a calendar to keep track of your friend's important dates, a notepad to record information about new friends and keeping promises.