Inattentive ADHD in Women
Many women suffer for years prior to being diagnosed with ADHD. It can be a real lightbulb moment when they receive a diagnosis.
Symptoms can fluctuate due to hormonal changes. Women may notice that their symptoms worsen during their menstrual cycles or during pregnancy.
Women also have the ability to internalize their ADHD characteristics, which can lead to depression. This can make it more difficult to recognize and treat ADHD.
Causes
Women with inattentive ADHD are often not diagnosed until they reach adulthood when their problems begin to affect work, school, and personal relationships. This is partly due to gender bias in both clinical settings and in the perceptions of parents and teachers, who are less likely to recognize ADHD symptoms in girls than boys even when those symptoms are obvious (Ohan and Visser, 2009).
Inattentive ADHD causes women to forget appointments, forget deadlines and lose the track of time, making it hard for them to plan ahead and organize their thoughts. It can also be difficult to prioritize tasks. They may also have trouble staying focused during conversations, and become easily distracted by external stimuli, inner thoughts or daydreaming. These signs can lead to low performance at work or at school, which could lead to a low self-esteem.
Friends, family members and coworkers often misunderstand women who have inattention ADHD. Their anger over their symptoms can increase the misunderstandings that they experience. This can lead to tensions in relationships. They are often seen as being irrational and moody which can further aggravate their feeling of being misunderstood.
Women with inattentive ADHD also suffer from a variety of emotional difficulties such as anxiety and depression. These issues can be made worse by fluctuations in hormone levels that occur during the menstrual cycle or pregnancy, or during perimenopausal. In these instances, estrogen levels drop and progesterone rises and can cause an increase in ADHD symptoms.
The environment can also trigger inattentive ADHD like the chaos of your home or in a workplace without a clear structure. Women with inattentive ADHD are prone to having difficulty staying on track and can fall behind at work, resulting in a feeling of being unworthy and low confidence. They might also find it difficult to accept negative feedback or criticism. This can further diminish confidence and cause people to avoid social interaction.
Lastly, women with inattentive ADHD are more likely to struggle with in establishing and maintaining romantic relationships. They are more likely than others to be suffering from depression or anxiety, and they can be more vulnerable to rejection. This can cause them to be less willing to take on a romantic relationship. This can cause them to feel alone, which can contribute to anxiety and depression.
Symptoms
Many women who are not diagnosed with ADHD have low self-esteem as they struggle to deal with the condition. Others may comment that they are careless or forgetful. They might develop unhealthy coping strategies like excessive drinking or drugs. They may also resort to non-suicidal forms of self-injury such as cutting, burning or scratching. ADHD symptoms can impact relationships, work and school.
Girls and women with ADHD are more likely to be misdiagnosed with anxiety or depression. This is due to the fact that many of the symptoms of these disorders overlap with the symptoms of ADHD. Additionally, women who have undiagnosed ADHD may experience mood swings that make them appear depressed or anxious. These symptoms can be caused by major changes in your life, such as marriage, starting new jobs or having children.
Undiagnosed inattention ADHD in adults is prevalent, and could be mistaken for bipolar disorder or borderline personality disorder. These symptoms include difficulty staying focused and a feeling of despair or sadness and difficulty handling stress and criticism. These symptoms, when coupled with poor time management, can lead to difficulties at work or in school as well as with family members and friends.
Inattentive ADHD for girls and women can lead to problems with the ability to cope, including procrastination and a tendency to underestimate the length of time tasks will take (time blindness). They may struggle to keep track of appointments and schedules and may lose or misplace their belongings easily, and flit from one task to the next. They can also have problems with impulse control, such as interrupting others or making decisions impulsively.
Women with undiagnosed ADHD must be aware of their symptoms and seek help. They can seek treatment from their primary care provider or a mental health professional. Additionally they can improve their coping skills using organizational strategies, such as writing lists or preparing ahead. Exercise releases neurotransmitters, which enhance concentration and attention. It's also an excellent idea to share household and caregiver duties with their partner or a different support system to ensure they don't feel overwhelmed.
Treatment
A combination of treatments is usually required to control ADHD symptoms, including medication and therapy. Drugs that stimulate the brain, such as methylphenidate and amphetamines can aid in reducing ADHD symptoms of inattention. Non-stimulant drugs like atomoxetine (Strattera) are also available. The behavioral therapy method is a great way to help with the organizational and emotional aspects of ADHD. Some therapists offer cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) in which they instruct people on how to modify negative thoughts or behaviors. Others provide one-on-one therapy that focuses on self-esteem and emotional regulation. Support groups are an excellent way for those with ADHD to connect with others who share the same condition and to learn how to manage symptoms.
A diagnosis of inattention ADHD may be difficult for some women to accept. Some women might believe that their issues result from a lack of discipline or poor parenting. This can affect their self-esteem. In addition, they could feel frustrated by their inability to keep up with work or school, which can lead to feelings of shame and embarrassment.
ADHD symptoms can be exacerbated by hormonal changes such as those that occur during menstruation, pregnancy or menopause. This can make it difficult to manage emotional manifestations like mood swings or irritability. These symptoms can cause issues in relationships due to how they are perceived by others.
Women with inattention ADHD struggle to keep a stable home life. This can cause problems at school or at work. For example, they might miss important appointments or pay bills late. They may have issues organizing their school or work materials, and they may have difficulty completing assignments. They may have difficulty understanding social boundaries or interrupting other people while they're talking. These issues can create conflicts in relationships and can affect a woman's overall sense of self-worth.
Many women who suffer from inattention ADHD are unable to seek assistance. They may believe that their difficulties are not sufficient to warrant attention or that they should be in a position to "pull themselves up by their bootstraps." They may also be scared of the stigma that comes with getting a diagnosis of ADHD which can make it more difficult to seek treatment. If left untreated, ADHD in women can lead to depression or suicidal thoughts. They may also engage in unhealthy coping methods like alcohol or substance abuse, which can lead to health problems and other issues, including nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) that includes cutting or burning.
Self-Esteem
Women suffering from ADHD are often affected by feelings of inadequateness and constant stress. This can make it difficult to identify and articulate symptoms, and seek treatment. It's also common for women to cover up their symptoms or develop strategies to conceal their symptoms from others, particularly as they age. Masking can cause problems at work or school and may affect relationships.
Research has shown that women with ADHD have a higher chance of feeling a sensitivity to rejection and having difficulty finding a job. These experiences can lead to negative thoughts that can lead to a lack in confidence and problems with interpersonal relationships.
It is important that women with ADHD receive a proper diagnosis and treatment. It's essential that they can access a clinician or therapist that is familiar with the challenges both women and girls confront with ADHD.
As women and girls mature, they may face societal and cultural expectations which place the majority of household and parenting responsibilities on them. These expectations are different from those imposed on men. These pressures can lead to anxiety and depression and result in a messy and chaotic home environment as well as unfinished projects and a reluctance for girls and women to reach out for help.
Premenstrual dysphoria and other symptoms of the adolescent years are also common among females who suffer from ADHD. add test for women in hormone levels can make these symptoms more severe, and they might be misinterpreted as other problems like anxiety or mood shifts.
Women who suffer from ADHD often experience a lack of awareness about their condition, and are less likely to seek treatment than men. They are more likely to suffer negative outcomes in adulthood which include unemployment, relationship issues and addiction issues. They are more likely than men to be misdiagnosed, and remain undiagnosed for the remainder of their lives. This gap can be closed by enhancing education and advocacy efforts to assist health professionals as well as teachers and parents to recognize the symptoms of ADHD for women and girls.