Challenges of ADHD in Women and Girls
Women and girls often face many challenges when untreated ADHD symptoms impact their lives. They may feel incompetent at work, have difficulty in social relationships or experience depression and anxiety.
They also tend to be better at building coping mechanisms that conceal their ADHD symptoms, which makes it difficult for them to be diagnosed and treated.
Symptoms
The gender gap in ADHD is shrinking as we age. This is why it's vital that those suffering from ADHD sufferers don't feel neglected or ostracized when they reach adulthood.
As girls and women grow into adulthood They continue to struggle with ADHD symptoms. They may struggle with managing their finances and keeping their home clean or maintaining healthy relationships. Untreated ADHD can impact their mental health and self-esteem in the long run, and they might blame themselves for their troubles.
ADHD is a chronic condition, unlike some other mental disorders. Girls and women are more likely to mask symptoms with coping techniques, but they often fail to work. Additionally, hormonal changes during menstrual cycles as well as menopausal and pregnancy can make it harder to manage their ADHD symptoms.
Attention-deficit ADHD symptoms typically are characterized by being forgetful or numb, losing the track of time, having trouble paying attention in class or work and trouble with daily routines like meal planning, laundry or scheduling. Hyperactive-impulsive ADHD symptoms can include rushing through tasks, jumping from one task to another or making rash decisions. It's crucial that healthcare providers are aware of the many ways that girls and women present with ADHD and think about whether comorbid anxiety or depression is contributing to these difficulties.
It is also essential that those who suffer from ADHD be assessed by a doctor or another qualified healthcare professional who can assess their symptoms and medical history to rule out any other conditions. Some people with ADHD have mental health issues like depression or anxiety or low self-esteem, as well as problems in social interactions and relationships. Adults with ADHD are also more likely to have physical health issues like anxiety or chronic stress.
Many girls and women suffering from ADHD do not receive a diagnosis because they're not taken seriously by their teachers, families or friends. They may not think that their issues are serious enough to seek help or may think their ADHD symptoms are a result of poor parenting or low self-esteem, among other external factors. In some instances, girls and women with ADHD are diagnosed only when their children are treated for ADHD, or they do not receive a diagnosis until they reach their 40s or 50s and are experiencing difficulties with their daily activities.
Diagnosis
Women are often not diagnosed with ADHD until later in life and can have issues when it does happen. 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 can also develop strategies to cope with their symptoms, which can result in them not being noticed as much. It is possible that girls' problems with organization, concentration, and impulsivity might go unnoticed over a period of time.
Women are also more likely to have high-functioning ADHD, which makes their symptoms harder to recognize. Moreover, they can have co-occurring conditions that impact their life management skills like depression and anxiety. For example, they can struggle to manage their emotions, which can be worsened by hormonal changes during the menstrual cycle, pregnancy and menopausal.
Many of these conditions may lead to low self-esteem or relationship issues. In the end, it is often difficult for them to speak up about their challenges and seek help. This could delay diagnosis and treatment.
It's also common for people with ADHD to have trouble making friends and engaging with other people. They might miss social events, not attend appointments, and have difficulty reading body language. They could even wander off on tangents during conversations and make it difficult for others to follow their lead.
It is crucial to receive a proper diagnose and act as fast as you can. For women, this could be an "lightbulb moment" that can give them an external explanation of their problems and allow them to accept their own uniqueness. It can also help them focus on their strengths and take steps to improve their life management skills. This could have a positive effect on their professional, personal and family lives. The article has been reviewed medically by Huma Sheikh, MD.
adhd in women
As women and girls develop into adults untreated ADHD can have a devastating effect on their professional and personal lives. These symptoms can impact relationships and work performance, resulting in feelings of self-doubt and frustration. They can make it difficult to deal with adult demands, such as managing finances and keeping a home in order or 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 could lead to gender-based stereotypes regarding the disorder. This can lead to women and girls avoiding or hiding their own symptoms in order to avoid being branded as a victim by society.
There are a variety of effective treatments available for ADHD both in girls and women. A licensed health professional can prescribe medication to regulate brain activity and reduce symptoms. Stimulant medications are the first option, but non-stimulants could also be effective for some people. In addition, a combination of treatments might be recommended by your physician to address related conditions like depression or anxiety.
Lifestyle changes, in addition to medication management, can aid in managing ADHD symptoms. Regular exercise can release neurotransmitters that improve concentration and focus and reduce anxiety and stress. Physical activities that can be enjoyed in groups, such as group fitness classes or team sports are particularly helpful.
Therapy is also a crucial element of treatment. Cognitive behavioral therapy can help people identify and change negative thinking patterns that cause ADHD symptoms. Couples counseling can be beneficial to improve communication and resolve conflicts in relationships.
At Verywell Health, we use the words "girls" and "women" to refer to the gender at birth (AFAB) instead of the person's gender-specific identity. To ensure that our content is consistent and clear, and to avoid confusion among our readers we use this term. This article is applicable to all those who were male at birth, which includes transgender people and those who are nonbinary. We recognize that gender and sex are not mutually exclusive and welcome all our readers.
Support
Women and people assigned female at birth (AFAB) with ADHD are more likely to go undiagnosed or have a misdiagnosis than men. It's because women and girls tend to conceal their symptoms which makes it difficult for doctors to identify. They may also have symptoms that are not apparent to others. For instance, inattention and disorganization, instead of hyperactivity or impulsivity.
This is particularly important for women, who often develop coping strategies that make them feel comfortable and meet societal expectations. These coping mechanisms can include healthy things like setting phone reminders or keeping a schedule for the day. adhd in women can also be unhealthy like binge eating or substance abuse. Women with untreated ADHD might feel overwhelmed, anxious, and depressed. They may also suffer from relationship problems and chronic stress.
Women and girls with ADHD can experience low self-esteem and other symptoms, such as anxiety, depression or abdominal pain. These feelings may lead to avoidance of school, work, or social activities. They may also be more dependent on their parents for help with daily tasks. This could lead to an addiction and reliance that is hard to break.
Women and girls who suffer from ADHD are more likely to engage in sexual interactions with nonconsensual partners during the adolescent period. This can be due to impulsivity, poor planning, or a failure to use contraception. They are also more likely to be pressured into sexual activities that are not desired, and they are at a higher risk of domestic violence and exploitation.
Women with ADHD who are adults can benefit from medications to treat symptoms and coping techniques. They can also seek therapy either on their own or in a partnership. They can begin to understand themselves and develop a more positive internal dialogue. This can also aid in improving their relationships.
Support services could also include coaching for parenting skills and specialized programs for women with ADHD who are pregnant or have children. These programs can help women with ADHD to work and household responsibilities and take care of children.