Signs of ADHD in Women
Women are under the pressure to take care of and stay on top of their kids, maintain a healthy relationship and be successful at work. ADHD symptoms can make these tasks seem impossible.
It is crucial to be diagnosed and treated for ADHD. It can assist you in dealing with these symptoms and improve your overall quality of life.
1. You Are Always Late
Always being late is a typical sign that you could have ADHD. People with ADHD are often unable to manage their time and are easily distracted by other tasks. This can cause problems at work or school and can result in not attending important meetings or not remembering homework assignments. adhd traits in women can also create a lot of stress for you and those who depend on you. To avoid being late, consider setting an alarm on your calendar or phone, and make sure to prepare your bedroom the night before. Also, try to leave some extra time for yourself to get to where you're headed.
Women who suffer from ADHD also have trouble making friends, as they constantly miss social events. They may also have difficulty reading social cues and picking up on body language. They may also have trouble staying focused on conversations and becoming 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. Teachers and parents are more likely to refer boys or men to an ADHD assessment than they are for girls.
2. You have trouble in focusing.
It is common for people suffering from ADHD to get lost in what they are doing. If they are engaged in a conversation with others they are likely to wander off into a tangent or speak about things that do not have anything to do with the subject in question. They might also have difficulty sitting still, and are more likely to be impulsive and make dangerous decisions.
These issues can affect relationships with friends, family members and colleagues. For example, it is common for people suffering from ADHD to forget appointments or miss deadlines. They could also be unorganized or spend too much time doing unimportant tasks. They might also have difficulty being able to concentrate at work or keep track of their finances.
Boys are more likely than girls to be diagnosed as having ADHD in children. As adults they are more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD. This is believed to be due in part to the fact that women are more likely than men to experience recurrences of symptoms and to seek treatment when one of their children has been diagnosed with ADHD. The changes in hormone levels, particularly during menopause can also affect ADHD symptoms.
3. You Have Poor Memory
Women suffering from ADHD frequently have trouble remembering important events, like birthdays, anniversaries and gatherings. They may also have trouble remembering names, which makes it difficult to keep up in conversations and social situations.
It's also typical for those with ADHD to have a poor filter which means they speak their thoughts without thinking about them. This can lead to a lot of "foot-in-mouth" moments which can be very frustrating for family members and colleagues.
Another sign of adhd in women is difficulty making and keeping friendships. Many women with ADHD struggle to manage their emotions. This can cause them to fall into challenging relationships with their romantic partners. This increases the risk of being pressured to engage in inappropriate sexual activities or be the victim of abuse from their intimate partners.
Many women suffering from ADHD struggle to meet societal expectations in areas such as parenting and homemaking, relationships and career. This can add a lot of stress to their lives, making it difficult to recognize and manage ADHD symptoms. Women may develop coping strategies that include alcohol or drugs, to disguise their symptoms. This can interfere with treatment. Getting diagnosed is an important first step to identify and managing these challenges. The good news is that you can find assistance.
4. You're having difficulty making decisions
Women who struggle to make decisions may procrastinate or not be able to finish tasks because they are unsure of what tasks to prioritize. They also have difficulty remembering and keeping track of decisions they have made. This kind of ADHD can impact the performance of work as well as relationships and self-esteem.
The symptoms of ADHD in women are harder to diagnose than they are in children, as parents and teachers don't make girls the focus of evaluation as often as they do for boys. In addition, women are more adept at masking their symptoms. They may develop strategies for coping that enable them to appear "normal" and meet societal expectations, such as relying on apps to manage their daily activities.
Women may receive an official diagnosis from their primary care physician who might refer them to a doctor of specialization. Depending on the results of the test, the doctor might prescribe medication or talk-therapy. In therapy, your therapist can help you learn healthier coping skills and help you swap negative thoughts with positive ones. They can also help you and your family members improve communication, which can be difficult when one or more of the members of the relationship suffer from ADHD. The medication can help to control the symptoms, and boost productivity at work or in school.
5. You have trouble multitasking
Women suffering from ADHD are often overwhelmed when they have to complete deadlines and perform multiple projects. They may also have difficulty trying to control their emotions and have a difficult time trying to make and keep friends. This is particularly true when they are unable to detect social cues.
Women who are unable to multitask are more likely to suffer from at risk of developing adhd. They may also find or lose 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 apparent than those associated with the inattention-deficit type.
Women who have not been diagnosed with adult ADHD might also develop coping strategies that cover up their issues by using alcohol or drugs to take care of themselves, in order to fit in with other people. This can worsen symptoms as they struggle with constant feelings inadequacy. This can result in strained relationships and a general feeling of self-worth deficiency.
6. You are having trouble managing your Time
ADHD problems with time management can be a big issue in the workplace. If you don't adhere to a system to complete tasks, answer phone calls, or document paperwork, it's difficult to get things done. Even if you are doing excellent work, your boss will doubt your competence if you repeatedly 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 also might be more likely to suffer from anxiety or depression that co-occurs and may have a difficult time maintaining relationships. Women are expected to be caregivers which can increase the symptoms of ADHD, especially in the absence of access to the appropriate treatment or assistance. This can cause tensions between family, friends and romantic partners. These strained relations can increase frustration and miscommunication which can make it difficult for women to seek assistance.
7. You're having a hard time making friends
Women with ADHD may find it difficult to be unable to make friends. Because of this, social expectations demand women to be competent at various roles, such as raising children, sustaining relationships, and performing well at work. They might be suffering from symptoms that become worse when they attempt to meet the demands. They also may be at an increased risk of having a negative relationship with their peers or coexisting anxiety disorders and mood disorders. Women are more likely than men to develop coping strategies that conceal ADHD symptoms. This could lead women to exercise excessively, stay up later than they should, and rely on phone reminders or schedules to manage their lives.
Other issues include impulsiveness and forgetfulness, which can lead to issues in both work and personal relationships. For example, forgetting to mention the birthday celebration of a friend could make them feel depressed and do not value them. Disrupting conversations or becoming angry at the smallest hint can lead to conflicts and miscommunications. Set your expectations for your friendships to avoid bad feelings, misinterpretations and resentment. You can accomplish this by keeping a calendar to track the important dates with your friends, using a notepad to record information you learn about new acquaintances and keeping your promises.