Inattentive ADHD in Women
Many women have to struggle for years before being diagnosed with ADHD. When they do, it could be like an epiphany.
The symptoms often change in response to hormonal changes. Women might notice that their symptoms worsen during their menstrual cycles or during pregnancy.
Women may also 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 usually not diagnosed until adulthood when their problems start to affect work at school, as well as personal relationships. This is due to gender biases in both the clinical setting as well as in teachers' and parents' perceptions, who are less likely than boys to recognize ADHD symptoms.
Inattentional ADHD can cause women to forget important dates, forget deadlines, and lose track of time. They also have difficulty managing their thoughts, or planning ahead. They might also find it difficult to focus on conversations and can easily get distracted by external stimuli or internal thoughts and daydreaming. These symptoms can lead to poor work or school performance which can cause low self-esteem and frustration.
Many women suffering from inattention ADHD are often misunderstood by friends, family and coworkers. Their anger over their symptoms can lead to confusion and mistrust and can lead to tensions in relationships. They are often dismissed by others as moody or uninformed. This can lead to a feeling of being misunderstood.
Women with inattentive ADHD are also susceptible to depression and anxiety. These issues can be made more difficult by hormonal fluctuations, such as during menstruation, pregnancy, or perimenopause. During this time estrogen levels decrease and progesterone levels rise, which can cause an increase in ADHD.
Another cause of inattentive ADHD is the influence of environmental factors, like a chaotic home environment or work life that lacks structure. Women with inattentive ADHD often have trouble staying focused at work and can fall behind quickly, which leads to a sense of inadequacy and low self-esteem. They might also find it difficult to accept criticism or negative feedback. This can further diminish confidence and cause people to avoid social interaction.
Women who are inattentive ADHD have a greater tendency to struggle in establishing and maintaining romantic relations. They are more likely to suffer from depression or anxiety that is co-existing and may be particularly sensitive to rejection, which may make them less willing to commit to a relationship. This can lead them to feel lonely, which can contribute to anxiety and depression.
Symptoms
Women with undiagnosed ADHD often suffer from low self-esteem due to their struggles to cope. Others may comment that they are reckless or forgetful. They might adopt 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. Symptoms of ADHD can cause problems with relationships, work, and school.
Girls and women who suffer from ADHD tend to be mistakenly diagnosed more often as suffering from depression or anxiety disorders. This is because a lot of symptoms of these disorders overlap with the symptoms of ADHD. Additionally women who are not diagnosed with ADHD are prone to mood swings that cause them to appear depressed or anxious. These symptoms can also be brought on by major life changes, such as getting married, starting an entirely new job, or becoming a parent.
Undiagnosed inattention ADHD in adults is prevalent, and could be mistaken as bipolar disorder or borderline personality disorder. The symptoms include trouble concentration as well as feelings of sadness or hopelessness, and difficulty handling criticism and stress. Combined with poor time management, these issues could cause problems at school or at work, and lead to difficulties with family and friends.
Inattentive ADHD in girls and women can affect the ability to cope, including procrastination and a tendency to underestimate the time tasks will take (time blindness). They may have trouble keeping an eye on their schedules and appointments and lose or misplace items quickly, and easily jump from one task to the next. They might also be struggling with the ability to control their impulses. This could mean making impulsive decisions or interrupting others.
Women who are not diagnosed with ADHD must be aware of the signs and symptoms and seek treatment. They can seek treatment from their primary care provider or a mental health specialist. They can also try to improve their coping skills by employing organizational methods like making lists or planning ahead. Exercise releases neurotransmitters that improve concentration and focus. It's also an excellent idea to share household and caregiver duties with their partner or another support network so that they do not feel overwhelmed.
Treatment
Treatments for ADHD symptoms usually include treatment and medication. The stimulant medications like methylphenidate (Ritalin) and amphetamines may help reduce the inattention symptoms of ADHD. There are also non-stimulant drugs such as atomoxetine. Behavioral therapy can aid in the emotional and organizational aspects of ADHD. Therapists may offer cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) that is where they teach people how to modify negative thoughts or behaviors. Some offer one-on-one therapy that focuses on self-esteem and emotional regulation. adhd in young women are an excellent way for people who suffer from ADHD to meet other people who share the same condition and learn about ways to manage their symptoms.
For some women, a diagnosis of inattentive ADHD is difficult to accept. Some women may believe that their issues stem from a lack of discipline or poor parenting. This could affect their self-esteem. They may be embarrassed and ashamed because they are unable to maintain their school schedule or work.
ADHD symptoms can be exacerbated by hormonal changes such as those that happen during menstrual cycle or pregnancy, or menopausal. adhd women uk can make it harder to deal with emotional manifestations like irritability or mood swings. These symptoms can also cause relationship problems due to the way they are perceived by others, especially male partners or colleagues.
Women with inattention ADHD struggle to maintain a stable family life. This can lead to difficulties at school or at work. For example, they might not remember important appointments or pay bills late. They may have trouble organizing their work or school materials and may have difficulty completing tasks. They may have difficulty in recognizing social boundaries or interrupting other people while they talk. These issues can create conflict in relationships and affect women's overall sense of self-worth.
Many women suffering from inattention ADHD are unable to seek help. They may think that their issues aren't serious enough to warrant attention or they believe that "pulling themselves up by the bootstraps" is possible. They might also be scared of the stigma that comes with being diagnosed with ADHD which could make them less likely to seek treatment. Women who have untreated ADHD can be depressed or suicidal. They can also resort to unhealthy coping behaviors like alcohol or drug abuse, which can cause health issues and other issues, such as nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) which can involve burning or cutting.
Self-Esteem
Women suffering from ADHD are often plagued by feelings of inadequacy and chronic stress. This can make it harder to identify and articulate symptoms and seek treatment. It's also common for women to cover up their symptoms or develop compensatory strategies to hide them from others, especially as they get older. Masking can lead to problems at work or at school, and it can also affect relationships.
In addition, research shows that women with ADHD are more likely than men to experience symptoms related to sensitivity to rejection, and to have trouble finding jobs. These experiences can cause negative self-talk, which can lead to anxiety and difficulties in interpersonal relationships.
For these reasons, it is crucial for women suffering from ADHD to have access to proper diagnosis and treatment. It's also crucial that they have a clinician or therapist who is familiar with the unique challenges that girls and women face with the disorder.
As girls and women grow up, they may encounter societal and cultural expectations that place the majority of household and parenting duties on them, and that differ from the expectations placed on fathers. These pressures can increase anxiety and depression and lead to chaotic, unorganized homes, unfinished projects and a lack of willingness to ask for help or admit that they have a problem.
It is also common for females suffering from ADHD to experience symptoms that are related to puberty and adolescence, and also suffer from premenstrual dysphoria. The fluctuations in hormone levels can cause these symptoms to become more severe and could be misinterpreted as a sign of other issues like anxiety or mood shifts.
Women suffering from ADHD often experience insufficient awareness of their condition, and they're less likely to receive treatment than males. They are more likely to experience negative outcomes in adulthood which include unemployment, relationship issues and addiction issues. They are also more likely than men to be misdiagnosed and remain undiagnosed for the rest of their lives. This gap can be lowered by increasing education and advocating for health professionals, teachers and parents to recognize the symptoms of ADHD in women and girls.