Adult Female ADHD Symptoms
Women with ADHD are often underdiagnosed due to symptoms that may be less evident, gender biases among healthcare providers and symptom-masking. The need for a diagnosis is essential to improve your relationships and prepare you for success, and help understand your behaviors.
To be diagnosed with ADHD, you need to have at least five ongoing symptoms of inattention and/or hyperactive/impulsive symptoms that interfere with daily life. Check this checklist to identify these symptoms:
Hyperfocus
ADHD can cause people to be so focused on a specific activity that they lose track of the world around them. This can happen even if the activity isn't productive. This is called hyperfocus. Hyperfocus that is unrestricted, though useful for some people like scientists, writers, and artists, can be a liability. It can lead to missed appointments, setbacks in school or at work and even strained relationships with family members and friends.
Hyperfocus can be extremely difficult to stop, especially when you don't know it's taking place. The most effective way to get rid of an ADHD hyperfocus phase is to establish a routine and prioritize tasks for the day, which includes daily chores such as brushing teeth or taking a shower. If you have a hard time keeping track of the time, use a clock or alarm to help you remain focused or ask a trusted friend to check in with you at specific intervals. When working on an assignment, it's important to move around and take frequent breaks.
In children, hyperfocus can be thought of as a positive trait, because it allows kids to become extremely engaged in a fun activity like skating or building with Legos. However, unrestrained hyperfocus can lead to setbacks in school, a decrease in productivity at work, and even strained relationships with siblings or parents.
Hyperfocus can make it difficult to determine if your child suffering from a mental illness such as depression or anxiety. These are common in adolescents. This is why it is important to seek medical attention if you suspect your child has symptoms of ADHD that interfere with her daily functioning.
ADHD symptoms can be more apparent in certain times of a woman's pregnancy, or menstrual cycle. This can increase the frequency and severity of emotional symptoms, such as mood swings and irritability. It can also increase the possibility that a female will be misunderstood by her romantic partner or coworkers.
The male-to-female ADHD ratio is 2:1 during the early years of childhood. However, the difference decreases as women begin to receive more ADHD diagnoses after age 14. The good news is that there are plenty of resources to assist women and girls manage their ADHD, and improve their lives.
Procrastination
Procrastination is an atypical adult female ADHD sign, and it can cause difficulties in your personal and professional life. This condition can make it difficult to complete tasks, particularly those that require self-regulation and executive function abilities. Procrastinators often fall behind in important work or school assignments, which could damage their reputation and relationships.
Forgetting appointments and missing deadlines are other common symptoms of adult ADHD for women. You may also be prone to forgetting important information in conversations or even your own personal needs such as paying bills. You might have difficulty focusing in busy or noisy environments, which can lead to missed opportunities at school or work. You could also get easily distracted by your phone or social media and have trouble staying focused when listening or reading.
People with the hyperactive/impulsive type of ADHD typically have a harder time controlling their emotions than those with the inattentive type. This can cause a range of emotional challenges that range from anxiety and depression to mood swings that affect your life in a variety of ways. It can also make it difficult to manage anger and miscommunications in your personal and work relationships.
Women are better than males at hiding their ADHD symptoms and this can make it more difficult to receive diagnosed and receive treatment. This is particularly the case for women who suffer from high-functioning ADHD. The signs of inattention are less obvious, and are often concealed by anxiety or mood disorders. School reports tend to concentrate on academic performance and behavior and not the relationship or social issues. This can lead girls and women with ADHD to be misdiagnosed and not diagnosed.
There are many treatments for adults with ADHD. These include medication, cognitive behavior treatment, and lifestyle modifications. Talk with your doctor about which treatment plan is best for you. Keep in mind that the goal of any treatment plan is to help manage your symptoms and improve your daily functioning. Make sure you discuss the benefits and side effects of any medication you're taking as well any co-occurring conditions you have.
Impulsivity
Women and girls with ADHD are more likely to have inattentive symptoms than men and boys, but they're less likely to have the hyperactive/impulsive or mixed subtypes of ADHD. However, the inattention symptom set is very frequent and can cause problems with work, school, and relationships.
Impulsivity is a symptom of the inattentive ADD/ADHD type and can lead to bad choices or risky behaviors. It is characterized by a tendency to answer questions before they are asked, interrupting conversations, or purchasing things without thinking about the consequences. These actions of impulsivity can result in embarrassing situations at the social level, problems with relationships, and financial struggles.
Emotional impulsivity may also be a common symptom in adult female ADHD. It can result in an impulsive response to anger or frustration. This impulsivity can cause mood swings, which makes it difficult to maintain healthy and supportive relationships.
Women suffering from ADHD can find it challenging to manage their emotions, which can lead to anxiety and low self-esteem. These negative emotions can affect the performance of a person at work, and can lead to missed appointments or health issues. Women suffering from an impulsive ADHD often have difficulty making decisions or plan ahead. As a result, they may become a bit dependent on others, or be unable to keep their commitments.
In the adolescent years and into adulthood, girls and women who suffer from ADHD are more likely to engage in risky sexual behavior than peers without the disorder. This is usually due to an appreciation of the importance of sexual activities for social acceptance. Risky sexual behavior in adolescents and young adults with ADHD is a risk factor that is responsible for a higher rate of unplanned, teenage or early-stage pregnancy.
ADHD symptoms adults male is that there are a variety of ways to decrease the impulsivity of your behavior. It is helpful to learn to pause and write down thoughts before taking action. Meditation or mindfulness can also aid in calming the body and mind, and eliminate distractions. Diet can also play an important role in controlling the impulsiveness. A healthy diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables along with whole grains and high-quality protein can improve focus and prevent impulse-driven behaviors. Sleep is also key to the reduction of the tendency to be impulsive. Make sure you have a regular sleep routine, utilizing a thick blanket to relax your mind and body, and limiting screen use prior to bed.
Emotional Dysregulation
Emotional dysregulation affects many adults with ADHD. It can be difficult to manage daily challenges and relationships when you are not able to control emotions. It could result in self-destructive behaviours such as eating disorders and addictions. This can make it hard to manage a school, home or work life.
You might find it difficult to identify your emotions or to understand what they mean. This can be particularly difficult for those suffering from a mood disorder, such as depression or anxiety. Emotional dysregulation can be characterized by the difficulty of calm after an argument, frequent outbursts, or being easily frustrated by small annoyances. It could also be difficult getting rid of past experiences or holding grudges.
Females who suffer from ADHD are at risk to emotional dysregulation. This is because their symptoms are typically internalized and they are less likely than males and females to get diagnosed with ADHD. Symptoms may also be harder to notice because many teachers miss subtle hyperactive-impulsive symptoms in girls, and rating scales for ADHD are still skewed toward male behavior symptoms.
In addition, girls with ADHD are often under more pressure than males and boys to live up to the expectations of society. This can be particularly difficult for teenage girls with ADHD as they go into the hormonal changes of puberty and the adolescent years. Combined with their heightened awareness of academic and social pressures, these can be a recipe for emotional dysregulation.
If your ADHD symptoms result in emotional dysregulation, treatment options include medication or therapy. Medication can aid in regulating your hormones and improve your mood, while therapy can offer the space to work through feelings of sadness, anger or anxiety.
You can enhance your sleep by implementing a routine before bed doing a meditation practice or listening to soothing music before sleeping. This can be accomplished by following a daily routine before going to sleeping, practicing meditation or listening to calming music. Good sleep hygiene can help you feel more energized throughout the day.
While every person's experience with ADHD is different It's important to keep in mind that there are solutions to manage the symptoms and live a fulfilling life. It's commonplace for people to test various therapies or medications or lifestyle changes to determine the best solution.