Challenges of ADHD in Women and Girls
Girls and women often face a variety of issues when untreated ADHD symptoms affect their lives. They may feel unprepared at work, struggle in social relationships or experience anxiety and depression.
They also do better at creating coping mechanisms to hide their ADHD symptoms. This makes it harder to recognize and treat them.
Symptoms
The gender gap in ADHD is narrowing as people age. It's important that adults who suffer from ADHD symptoms don't feel abandoned or ignored.
As girls and women mature into adulthood They continue to struggle with ADHD symptoms. They may have trouble managing finances and keeping their home clean and maintaining healthy relationships. Untreated ADHD can affect their self-esteem and mental health in the long run, and they might blame themselves for their problems.
ADHD is a chronic illness, unlike some other psychiatric disorders. Girls and women tend to cover up their symptoms using methods of coping, but these often fail to work. In addition, changes in hormones throughout the menstrual cycle, menopausal cycle, and pregnancy can make it more difficult for women to manage their ADHD symptoms.
Attention-deficit ADHD symptoms usually include being impulsive or forgetful and losing track of time, difficulties paying attention in classes or at work, and having trouble with daily routines, such as laundry, meal planning 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 different ways girls and women are diagnosed with ADHD and to think about whether comorbid depression or anxiety is the cause of their struggles.
It's important that people with ADHD are examined by a certified healthcare provider. They can evaluate their symptoms, medical history and rule out any other medical conditions. For example, some individuals with ADHD are also suffering from 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 suffer from physical health issues, such as anxiety or chronic stress.
Many women and girls with ADHD aren't diagnosed because they're not considered serious by teachers, family or friends. They might not believe that their symptoms are serious enough to require assistance. Or, they might think that their ADHD symptoms are a result of a poor parenting style or a lack of self-esteem. In some instances women and girls with ADHD are only diagnosed when their children are treated for ADHD or do not receive a diagnosis until they reach their 40s or 50s and are experiencing significant difficulty with day-to-day living activities.
Diagnosis
Women are not often diagnosed with ADHD until they reach the age of adulthood. They can also face challenges if it is recognized. 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 develop coping mechanisms that disguise their symptoms, allowing them to be less well-known. This means that their issues with concentration, organisation and impulsivity may be ignored for a long time.
Women are more likely to suffer from high-functioning ADHD. This makes it difficult to recognize the signs. They can also have co-occurring disorders that impact their ability to manage their lives, like depression and anxiety. For instance, they might have trouble controlling their emotions, which can be worsened by hormonal changes during the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and menopausal.
A variety of these issues can result in low self-esteem and relationships problems. It can be difficult for these people to talk about their problems and seek help. This can result in a delay in the diagnosis and treatment.
It's also common for people with ADHD to have trouble making friends and engaging with others. They may skip social gatherings, or not attend appointments, and have difficulty understanding body language. They might even be inclined to go off on tangents when they're talking, making it harder for others to keep up with them.
It's essential to obtain a correct diagnosis and get it as soon as you can. For women, this could be an "lightbulb moment" which can provide them with an external explanation for their difficulties and allow them to accept their own uniqueness. It can also assist to identify their strengths and take steps to improve their life management skills. This can be beneficial to their family, work and personal lives. Huma Sheikh MD has reviewed the article.
Treatment
Untreated ADHD can impact the professional and personal lives of women and girls as they grow into adulthood. The symptoms can affect relationships and work performance, and lead to frustration and low confidence. They can also make it more difficult to cope with the demands of adulthood like managing finances, keeping the 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, in turn, can create gender-based stereotypes regarding the disorder, which can result in women and girls suppressing or denying their own symptoms in order to avoid being stigmatized by society.
There are, thankfully, effective treatment options for ADHD in women and girls. The medications regulate brain activity and help manage symptoms. They can be prescribed by a licensed healthcare professional. The first choice is stimulant medications, however nonstimulants may also be effective for certain individuals. Additionally, a combination of treatments could be suggested by your physician to treat related issues such as anxiety or depression.
In addition to medication, lifestyle changes can help manage ADHD symptoms. Regular exercise releases neurotransmitters that boost concentration and focus, and also reduce anxiety and stress. Physical activities that can be enjoyed in groups, such as group fitness classes or team sports, are especially beneficial.
Therapy is also part of the treatment. Cognitive therapy for behavior can help patients recognize and alter negative habits of thinking that contribute to their ADHD symptoms. Couples counseling can also help improve communication and resolve conflict in relationships.
We use the words "girls", "women", and "womens" to refer to the gender that was assigned at birth, rather than to the person's gender identity. To ensure that our content is more consistent and clear and to avoid confusion among our readers, we use this terminology. This article is applicable to all individuals who were male at birth, which includes transgender and nonbinary people. We acknowledge that gender and sex are not mutually exclusive, and welcome all readers to our site.
Support
Women and people who were assigned female at birth (AFAB) and suffer from ADHD are more likely than males to be misdiagnosed or never diagnosed. That's because girls and women tend to conceal their symptoms, so they're more difficult for doctors to spot. There are also signs that aren't apparent to others, like inattentiveness or disorganization, rather than the impulsivity or hyperactivity.
This is crucial for women who typically develop coping strategies to feel normal and meet social expectations. These coping mechanisms can include healthy things like setting phone reminders or keeping a schedule for the day. They could also be harmful, like binge-eating or drug abuse. Women with untreated ADHD may feel anxious, depressed, overwhelmed, and have issues with relationships and chronic stress.
Girls and women with ADHD are often afflicted with low self-esteem or other symptoms such as anxiety, depression or abdominal pain. These feelings may lead to avoidance of school or work activities. They may also become more dependent on their parents to help them with daily tasks. This can result in a cycle of dependency and reliance on others that is difficult to break.
In adolescence, girls and women with ADHD are at a higher risk for sexual activity with non-consensual partners. This could be due to an impulsive nature, inadequate planning, or a lack of ability to utilize contraception. They are also more likely to be pushed into sexual activities that are not desired, and they can be more vulnerable to domestic violence and exploitation.
Women suffering from ADHD who are adults can benefit from medication to help manage symptoms and strategies for coping. They can also seek therapy on their own or in a group. add symptoms in women can help them to recognize their issues and develop more positive internal dialogs. It will also help them improve their relationships.
Support services could also include coaching to teach parenting skills and specialized programs for women with ADHD who are pregnant or have children. These programs can help women with ADHD to keep their jobs, take care of their household responsibilities, and care for their children.