ADHD Traits in Women
Verywell Health acknowledges the fact that gender and sexuality are based on biology, including the body's chromosomal makeup and hormones. A lot of people do not fit neatly into an unisexual sex. Gender and sexes can impact how ADHD symptoms are diagnosed and treated.
ADHD is diagnosed in childhood, usually before age 12. ADHD must present symptoms before 12 years of age and cause problems in multiple settings to qualify for a diagnoses.
1. Trouble focusing
Inattention is the primary cause of ADHD and it's an issue for everyone. Women may have a tougher focus, particularly since symptoms can appear differently than males.
Women are more likely than men to be unorganized and impulsive, as an example. They're also more likely to be emotionally triggered and have trouble putting things in perspective. These issues can cause an inability to focus on work, which can lead to a lack of productivity at work or home. They are also more likely to forget their medication and skip doctor's appointments.
Women's hormones, in addition to these natural differences, can contribute to ADHD symptoms. Females have a larger hippocampus, which aids in learning and memory, and hormonal changes during menstrual cycles, pregnancy, breastfeeding, and menopausal cycles can affect brain's function.
Women who have not been diagnosed with ADHD might struggle with their relationships, at school, and at work. They may also have a variety of comorbid disorders, such as depression, anxiety, and eating disorders.
For these reasons, it's critical for health care professionals to recognize the many indications that females with ADHD frequently exhibit. They must recalibrate their approaches to diagnosing and treating women suffering from ADHD to account for hormonal fluctuations, emotional dysregulation, and other factors that influence the severity of symptoms. That way, these patients will receive the treatment they need.
2. Impulsivity
Females with ADHD are more likely to have trouble managing their emotions, particularly when interacting with others. This can lead to emotional dysregulation which is a major aspect of ADHD symptoms and is linked to a variety of negative life consequences. These include poor self-esteem, depression and anxiety, difficult relationships that can result in intimate partner violence, problems with friendships, a messy house or personal space, and an inability to manage time or money.
The gender stereotypes of women can influence how women who suffer from ADHD will be treated. Because they are typically perceived as being more sensitive or susceptible to mood swings, they can be misinterpreted or dismissed as emotionally unstable. This can lead to their frustration in living with untreated ADHD.
The portion of the brain that controls impulses the brain, known as the prefrontal cortex is impaired in people suffering from ADHD. This means that they have more trouble making decisions and executing in their intentions. This can make you want to take a bite more cake or to make a rude comment.
For those who suffer from ADHD medications can help to enhance their ability to manage their impulsivity. Stimulants such as amphetamine (Adderall) and dextroamphetamine (Ritalin) can help decrease the impulsive behavior while nonstimulant medications such as Guanfacine and clonidine can be effective too. Behavioral therapy may also be suggested, which can help people with ADHD change their thinking patterns and develop more effective ways of coping.
Meditation and eating a balanced, healthy diet and getting enough sleep can all be helpful in reducing anxiety and impulsiveness among people suffering from ADHD. It's also a good idea to keep track their symptoms throughout the day and share this information with their physician to determine whether the treatment is working.
3. Disorganization
Disorganization can be a problem for people with ADHD and can affect their work and personal lives. They may have difficulty to complete their tasks and their productivity could be reduced. They may also fail to meet deadlines and find themselves overwhelmed on a regular basis.
Lack of organization can also make it hard to maintain healthy relationships. People may forget important events or lose things like keys or purses. Consequently, they may feel lonely and alone. great site may also feel that they are not understood by family and friends. Disorders are more common during menopausal or perimenopausal cycles when hormones change and symptoms increase.
It is not unusual for women to cover up their ADHD symptoms to conform with the norms of society and avoid being thought of as a problem. This can cause women to blame themselves and feel shame or guilt. It may be a reason why women and girls are not diagnosed with ADHD. This is particularly during adolescence, when symptoms are more apparent.
As a result women suffering from untreated ADHD might experience poor work or school performance. This can have a negative impact on their work, grades, or reputation. It can also cause problems in their personal lives like issues with romantic partners or strained relationships with friends and family members.
Women who are chronically disorganized will benefit from the one-on-1 assistance of a non-judgmental individual. They can provide strategies to get and stay organized, such as making lists of daily tasks and setting reminders for them. Additionally, a certified mental health professional can recommend medication and lifestyle changes to reduce ADHD symptoms. This may include eating small, frequent meals to maintain energy levels and avoiding caffeine which can increase side effects of stimulant medications.
4. Indecisiveness
Indecisiveness is one of the traits that affects decision making in many areas of our lives. A variety of instruments have been developed to measure indecisiveness, including the Decision Behaviors Inventory (Barkley-Levenson and Fox) and the Indecisiveness Scale. Indecisiveness is also associated with neuroticism, and the tendency to apply worst case scenario thinking, in which people interpret uncertain situations as potentially dangerous. It was also discovered to be related to the fear of making a mistake, which could explain why people with adhd have trouble making decisions.
In the qualitative study of women who have adhd in their adult lives participants, they said they were not able to make decisions regarding their work and personal lives. They had a difficult time finding an occupation they enjoyed or to stay in, and also found it difficult to manage their finances, relationships and health. They often were dependent on others to take decisions, or were unable to complete tasks like scheduling childcare. They felt that their ADHD symptoms such as impulsivity and difficulty focusing or getting started on projects were holding them back.
They had a difficult time in establishing and maintaining friendships, which led to mental health issues. They described high levels of anxiety and stress, lack of sleep and poor nutrition. They also described feeling stigmatized by their peers and the media. They were able explain their struggles with ADHD, which helped them increase their self-esteem since they were not blaming themselves. They also had access to treatment strategies that were appropriate.
The interviews revealed that the women were extremely positive however, they struggled to overcome the effects of ADHD on various aspects of their lives. These included a lack possibilities for romance or work and difficulties in maintaining relationships. an unclean home.
5. Lack of self-esteem
Women may hide their hyperactivity and impulsivity because they believe their behavior is less acceptable for men and boys. They may also be able to internalize their ADHD symptoms and develop coping mechanisms like self-harm (cutting, burning, scratching). This can cause feelings of self-esteem issues which can lead to anxiety, depression, or eating disorders.
A high sense of inner worth is the basis for more positive relationships and an optimistic outlook on life. People who lack self-worth tend to look beyond themselves for validation, like careers, relationships as well as money and power. A licensed therapist Cheryl Clarke says this can cause an absence of communication within relationships, which could eventually end it.
Women with ADHD might also feel they do not deserve good things in their lives. These feelings can manifest themselves as a desire for others to "keep up" or to please. This can result in an unhealthy work environment and a negative image of the body and a dependence on foods or substances.
While these are major challenges but the women who participated in this study discovered many positive aspects of living with ADHD. They generally describe their ADHD as a blessing or a curse, depending on whether they feel they can control it. Several of them also identify their own strengths that they believe are a result of to their ADHD such as the ability to be creative, high energy, determination and the ability to get easily interested in new subjects. They also talk about their unique struggles in the context of the larger picture, which includes biological and gender differences, as well cultural and family issues.