Signs of ADHD in Women
Women are subject to lots of pressure to be the caretaker, keep up with kids and maintain a healthy relationship and be successful at work. ADHD symptoms can make all of these tasks feel impossible.
It is essential to be diagnosed and treated if you suffer from ADHD. It can help you deal with these symptoms and improve the quality of your life.
1. You're always late
Being late for work is a common sign that you could have ADHD. This is because people who suffer from ADHD frequently have difficulty managing their time, and are easily distracted by other tasks. This can cause problems at school or work, such as forgetting homework or avoiding important meetings. This can cause stress for you and the people who depend on your presence. Set a reminder in your phone or on your calendar to help avoid being late. Also, be prepared the night prior. Also, you should give yourself some extra time to reach your destination.
In addition to that, some women with ADHD are unable to make friends because they're constantly missing out on social occasions. They might also have a hard time reading social cues and recognizing body language. They may also have trouble concentrating on conversations and getting lost in thoughts.
Lastly, some girls with ADHD go undiagnosed because their symptoms are more difficult to notice than the hyperactive/impulsive ones seen in boys and men. Also, teachers and parents are more likely to recommend a man or a boy for an ADHD assessment than to do the same with a girl.
2. You have difficulty focusing
People with ADHD are easily distracted and lose focus of their tasks. When they are in conversation with others they are likely to go off in a different direction or talk about things that do not have anything to do with the subject in question. They can also have trouble sitting still, and are more likely to be impulsive and make dangerous decisions.
These issues can affect relationships between family members as well as friends and coworkers. For instance, it is common for people with ADHD to not remember appointments or to miss deadlines. They may also be disorganized, spend too much time on tasks that are not important or have a hard time relaxing at home. They may also have trouble focusing at work or have trouble manage their financial obligations.
Boys are more likely than girls to be diagnosed as having ADHD in children. As adults they are more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD. It is thought that this is because women tend to experience a greater recurrence of symptoms, and are more likely to seek treatment once one of their children is diagnosed with the disorder. Changes in hormone levels, particularly during menopausal change, can influence ADHD symptoms.
3. You have a poor Memory
Women suffering from ADHD often have difficulty remembering important events, like birthdays, anniversaries and meetings. They may also have trouble remembering names, which makes it difficult to keep pace in conversations and social situations.
People suffering from ADHD tend to have poor judgment. They speak things without really thinking about them. This can result in a lot "foot in mouth" instances that can be frustrating for family members and coworkers.
Another indication of adhd in women is having trouble creating and maintaining friendships. adhd in adult women symptoms suffering from ADHD struggle to manage their emotions and this can lead to difficult relationships with their partners. This can put them at a higher risk of being pressured into unwanted sexual activity or being victims of violence from their intimate partners.
Many women with ADHD struggle to meet social expectations in areas such as parenting, homemaking, relationships, and work. This can cause a lot more stress in their lives, which makes it harder to identify and treat ADHD symptoms. Some women have developed coping strategies to mask their symptoms, such as drinking or using drugs that can hinder treatment. Being diagnosed is the first step to identify and addressing these issues. The good news is that you can find help.
4. You're having difficulty making decisions
Women who are struggling to make decisions may end up putting off or not able to finish tasks because they have difficulties deciding which tasks should take priority. They also have trouble remembering and keeping track of decisions they have made. This kind of ADHD can impact work performance as well as relationships and self-esteem.
The signs of ADHD in women are harder to recognize because teachers and parents do not refer girls as often as boys for evaluation. Women are also more adept at concealing their symptoms. They may develop strategies for coping that enable them to appear "normal" and meet societal expectations, such as relying on apps to manage their daily activities.
Women can get an official diagnosis from their primary physician and they may refer them to an expert. Based on the results, the doctor might recommend treatment or talk therapy. Therapy sessions with your therapist will teach you better coping skills and encourage you to replace negative thoughts with positive ones. They can also help you and your family improve communication, which can be a challenge when one or more of the people in a relationship have ADHD. The medication can help to manage the symptoms and increase productivity at work or in school.
5. You struggle with multitasking
Women suffering from ADHD often feel overwhelmed when they attempt to meet deadlines or work on multiple tasks at the same time. They may also have difficulty trying to manage their emotions and find it difficult to make and keep friends. This is especially true when they fail to detect social cues.
Having trouble with multitasking is another sign of adhd in women as is their tendency to become distracted easily and misplace or lose things. This is an issue for women working in a workplace where they are constantly interrupted.
In addition, if you have the hyperactive/impulsive type of adhd, having trouble staying quiet and being able to control your emotions can lead to frequent outbursts that are not only disruptive to others but can be damaging to your career. This type of ADHD is more likely to be misdiagnosed by women since the symptoms are less apparent than those that are associated with the inattention type.
Women who are not diagnosed with ADHD adulthood might also develop coping strategies to disguise their difficulties. For example they may use self-medicating methods like alcohol or drugs to blend into the mainstream. This can further exacerbate symptoms as they struggle with constant feelings inadequacy. This can result in uneasy relationships and a general sense of low self esteem.
6. You're having difficulty managing your Time
In the workplace, ADHD time management problems can pose a serious problem. It's difficult to get work accomplished when you don't have a system for filing documents, returning phone calls, or completing tasks within the timeframes you set. Even you're doing a great job your supervisors might be concerned about your professionalism when you repeatedly miss deadlines.
Women with ADHD are more likely to have the inattentive subtype of symptoms, which can make it harder for them to be diagnosed and treated than men or boys with the hyperactive/impulsive type of symptoms. This is because doctors and teachers are more likely to recognize the hyperactive/impulsive symptoms in boys and men, and may be less familiar with the inattentive-type symptoms of women with ADHD.
Women who aren't treated for ADHD might also be more likely than others to experience co-occurring anxiety and depression, and have trouble maintaining relationships. Women are expected to be caregivers, and this can exacerbate the symptoms of ADHD, especially when they don't have access to the right treatment or assistance. This can lead to tensions between family members, friends, and romantic partners. These strained relationships can heighten tension and miscommunication and make it harder for women to seek assistance.
7. You're having a hard time making friends
Finding it difficult to make friends can be a real challenge for women suffering from ADHD. One reason is that societal expectations place high emphasis on women to be competent at various roles, such as caring for children, maintaining a relationship, and performing well at work. When they attempt to meet these expectations, their symptoms may exacerbate. They also may be at an increased risk of having a negative relationship with their peers or having co-existing anxiety disorders and mood disorders. Moreover women are more likely to develop coping strategies that cover up their ADHD symptoms. This can lead women to exercise excessively, stay up later than they should and rely on calendars or phone reminders to manage their lives.
Forgetfulness and impulsiveness are also undesirable behaviors that can create problems at work and in personal relationships. For instance, ignoring an event at a friend's house can cause them to feel jilted and that you do not value them. Disrupting conversations or becoming angry at the smallest hint could also cause conflict and misunderstandings. Manage your expectations about your relationships to avoid negative feelings, misinterpretations and resentment. This can be accomplished by using a calendar to keep track of your friends' important dates, a notepad to record details about new friends, and delivering on commitments.