Challenges of ADHD in Women and Girls
Women and girls often face a wide range of challenges when untreated ADHD symptoms impact their daily lives. They may feel inadequate at work, have difficulty with peer relationships and suffer from anxiety or depression.
They also do better at developing strategies to manage their ADHD symptoms. This makes it difficult to identify and treat them.
Signs and symptoms
The gender gap in ADHD is narrowing as people age. This is why it's vital that people with ADHD symptoms not feel forgotten or ostracized when they reach adulthood.
As women and girls develop into adults, they often remain troubled by their ADHD symptoms. They may have trouble managing finances and keeping their homes clean or maintaining healthy relationships. Untreated ADHD can affect their mental health and self-esteem in the long run, and they may blame themselves for their troubles.
ADHD is a chronic condition unlike other mental disorders. Girls and women tend to hide their symptoms by using coping strategies however, these strategies often fail. In addition, hormonal changes during menstrual cycles, pregnancy, and menopause can make it more difficult to manage ADHD symptoms.
Attention-deficit ADHD symptoms usually include being impulsive or forgetful, losing the track of time, having trouble paying attention during classes or at work and difficulty with daily routines such as food preparation, laundry or scheduling. Hyperactive-impulsive ADHD symptoms can include rushing through tasks, jumping from one task to another or making rash decisions. It is crucial for healthcare professionals to be aware of the many ways girls and women are diagnosed with ADHD and to determine if comorbid depression or anxiety is contributing to their difficulties.
It is also essential that those who suffer from ADHD be evaluated by a physician or other qualified healthcare provider who will evaluate their symptoms and medical history to rule out other conditions. For instance, some people with ADHD have additional mental health problems such as anxiety or depression, low self-esteem and trouble with social relationships and relationships. Adults with ADHD are also more likely to have physical health issues, such as chronic stress or tics.
Many girls and women who have ADHD are not diagnosed because their teachers, families or friends don't take them seriously. They might not think their problems are a serious enough problem to seek assistance or may think that their ADHD symptoms are the result of a poor parenting style or low self-esteem, among other external factors. In some cases, girls and women with ADHD are diagnosed only after their children are diagnosed with ADHD or they are not diagnosed until they're in their 40s or 50s and have significant difficulty with day-to-day living activities.
Diagnosis
Women are often not diagnosed with ADHD until they reach the age of adulthood. They can also be faced with challenges if discovered. For one thing, girls may not have the same hyperactive/impulsive symptoms as boys -- and this can make them less likely to be recognised by teachers and parents, who are more accustomed to seeing those signs in male children. Girls may also develop strategies to manage their symptoms, resulting in them not being noticed as often. This means that their problems with concentration, organisation and impulsivity can go unnoticed for years.
Women are more likely to be affected by high-functioning ADHD. This makes it difficult to recognize their symptoms. There are also co-occurring disorders that impact their ability to manage their lives, such as depression and anxiety. For example, they can have trouble controlling their emotions, and this can be exacerbated by hormonal changes throughout the menstrual cycle, pregnancy and menopausal.
A variety of these issues can cause low self-esteem or relationship issues. This means it is often difficult to talk about their challenges and seek assistance. This could delay the diagnosis and treatment.
It's also normal for people with ADHD not to be able to establish friendships or interact with other people. They may skip social events, not show up for appointments, and may have difficulty understanding body language. They may even be prone to wander off on tangents while talking, making it difficult for others to keep up with them.
For these reasons, it's important to get a proper diagnosis and take action as soon as possible. It could be an "lightbulb" moment for women. It can help them understand their struggles and accept themselves better. It can also assist women focus on their strengths and to adopt steps to improve their life management abilities. This could have a positive effect on their professional, personal and family lives. Huma Sheikh MD has reviewed the article.
Treatment
Untreated ADHD can impact the personal and professional life of girls and women as they enter adulthood. These symptoms can impact relationships and work performance, resulting in feelings of self-doubt and frustration. They can also make it harder to cope with the demands of adulthood like managing finances, keeping a home organized and maintaining healthy relationships.
Women and girls are less likely to receive a diagnosis of ADHD than boys and men, partly because hyperactive/impulsive symptoms tend to be more commonly associated with males. This can create gender-based stereotypes regarding the disorder, which can lead to women and girls suppressing or denying their own symptoms in order to avoid getting stigmatized by society.
There are, thankfully, effective treatments available for ADHD for girls and women. Medicines regulate brain activity and to manage symptoms. They can be prescribed by a licensed healthcare professional. The most effective medications are stimulants. option, but non-stimulants could also be beneficial for certain people. Your doctor might suggest a combination treatment to treat related conditions such as anxiety or depressive disorders.
Lifestyle changes, along with medication management, can help manage ADHD symptoms. Regular exercise can release neurotransmitters that increase concentration and focus, as well as reduce anxiety, stress and other mood disorders that are which are common in people suffering from ADHD. Group activities, such as group fitness classes or team sports classes, can be especially beneficial.
Therapy also is part of the treatment. Cognitive behavioral therapy helps people recognize and alter negative thought patterns that contribute ADHD symptoms. Couples counseling is also beneficial in improving communication and resolving conflict in relationships.
At Verywell Health, we use the terms "girls" and "women" to refer to gender at birth (AFAB) rather than a person's affirmed gender identity. To make our content more uniform and clear and to avoid confusion among readers, we use this terminology. This article applies to males assigned at birth (AMAB) and also to transgender people and nonbinary individuals. Recommended Resource site acknowledge that gender and sex are not mutually exclusive and welcome all readers to our site.
Support
Women and those with female at birth (AFAB) with ADHD are more likely to go undiagnosed or receive a false diagnosis than men. It's because women and girls tend to conceal their symptoms, making it harder for doctors to determine. They also might have symptoms that seem less obvious to others, like inattentiveness or disorganization, rather than the impulsivity or hyperactivity.
This masking is essential for women who often develop coping strategies to be normal and meet social expectations. These strategies of coping can include healthy activities such as making daily schedules or setting reminders on phones. However, they could also be harmful like binge eating or substance abuse. Women with untreated ADHD might be overwhelmed, anxious, and depressed, and they could suffer from relationship problems and chronic stress.
The difficulties that girls and women who suffer from ADHD face can contribute to feelings of low self-esteem depression, anxiety, or somatic complaints like headaches or abdominal pain. These feelings may lead to avoidance of school or work activities. They may also become dependent on their parents to assist them with their daily chores. This can result in an unhealthy cycle of dependence and reliance on others that's difficult to break.
Girls and women with ADHD are more likely to engage in sexual activities with non-consensual companions during the adolescent years. This can be due to impulsivity, poor planning, or a failure to utilize contraception. They are more likely to be forced into sexually inappropriate activities and are at a greater risk of domestic violence and exploitation.
Women with ADHD who are adults could benefit from medication to help manage symptoms and coping techniques. They can also seek therapy on their own or in a group. This will help them to identify their struggles and build more positive internal dialogs. This can also aid in improving their relationships.
Support services may include programs specifically designed for mothers and pregnant women with ADHD and coaching to help them develop parenting skills. These programs can help women suffering from ADHD to keep their jobs, take care of their household responsibilities, and take care of their children.