Be On The Lookout For: How ADHD In Adults Women Is Taking Over And What Can We Do About It
ADHD in Women and Girls
Girls and women who suffer from ADHD have a different set of societal expectations than males, and those expectations can cause shame and self-blame. Treatment needs to account for gender constructs, hormone changes and the severity of symptoms.
Medication, lifestyle adjustments and therapy can help improve relationships, school and work performance, and self-esteem.
Symptoms
Women with ADHD often experience symptoms like trouble staying organized, trouble remembering details, difficulty working in noisy or crowded environments. They may also experience emotional dysregulation and feel overwhelmed. These feelings are often exacerbated by the expectations women are faced with, such as family and social roles.
Women with ADHD might have a tougher to be diagnosed and treated because of these challenges. Many people with ADHD have been misdiagnosed, because they don't fit the criteria. The symptoms must have been present since childhood and must last at least six months in order to be considered ADHD. It is important to be aware that stress and certain medications may cause symptoms that are similar to ADHD.
Women suffering from ADHD tend to cover up their symptoms, which is one of the primary reasons they aren't diagnosed. They may use coping strategies to hide their symptoms, such as pretending they are not feeling stressed or overcompensating with symptoms that are easy to see in males and females. Moreover they are more likely to have a mental health condition that affects their mood and emotions, like anxiety or depression, which is often dismissed as an ADHD sign.
A bias against ADHD in the medical profession could also be the reason for why women suffering from ADHD aren't recognized as having ADHD. The diagnosis of ADHD is based on scales of rating and interviewing that tend to favor male behavior and symptoms. Many women suffering from ADHD suffer from internalized stigma and low self-esteem and are less likely to seek treatment or an evaluation for their symptoms.
Some women with ADHD have the inattentive subtype, and this type is more difficult to diagnose due to its more internal naturelike wandering off or not being focused on their tasks. However, with increased awareness of ADHD among women, aided by influential women and celebrities like Mia Freedman and Em Rusciano many women are seeking tests and seeking help.
Women who suffer from ADHD are more likely to develop rejection sensitivity, which is a heightened and often uncontrollable reactivity to real or perceived rejection more than women with ADHD. This can affect interpersonal relationships and can lead to an absence of support networks and the inability to seek help.
Diagnosis
Women often go undiagnosed for ADHD throughout their adulthood. This could be due to their capacity to conceal their symptoms and gender bias. Gender bias refers to a set of assumptions and practices in clinical settings that can negatively impact how clinicians identify women and girls with ADHD. This could take the form of ratings scales that are biased towards male behavior, or by internalized feelings that can lead to incorrect diagnosis. Girls and women who are inattentive ADHD might have difficulty focusing in meetings at work or during college lectures, and may also struggle to stay on task in their personal relationships or at home. They might have messy homes or forget appointments, and fail to pay bills on time. They may be easily distracted by social gatherings and have trouble controlling their emotions when faced with rejection or failure.
The symptoms can also change at different stages of life. For instance, they could worsen during a woman's menstrual cycle or during the transition to menopausal, when hormone changes can trigger irritability as well as mood swings. Women with ADHD may also have issues in their relationships with partners because of their impulsivity and lack of planning, or they may struggle to keep friendships going due to social rejection sensitivity. They are more likely to be pressured to engage in sexual activity or to have unplanned pregnancy when they are unable to insist on their partners using contraception.
Making an accurate diagnosis is crucial to manage ADHD symptoms. The use of medication, for example stimulants such as amphetamine and methylphenidate, can reduce symptoms. Non-stimulants like atomoxetine, can be helpful too. Your doctor will consider any other health issues you suffer from and your history of medication when deciding an appropriate treatment plan. You may also require counseling or changes to your lifestyle. You can aid your doctor by keeping an eye on your symptoms and letting them know about any changes you observe. You can also discuss any issues you have with your family members and friends members, as they could be able to detect things that you might miss. A diagnosis can help you build self-esteem and feel more in control.
adhd in young women with ADHD who are not treated may have difficulties managing their home or maintaining healthy relationships or doing well at work. The symptoms can also trigger feelings of self-esteem issues or shame, especially since women are typically expected to be caregivers. In addition, due to their impulsivity, girls and women with untreated ADHD are more prone for engaging in dangerous sexual actions or being victims of violence from intimate partners than those who do not suffer from the disorder.
Adults suffering from ADHD are typically treated with medication. The stimulant medications, such as methylphenidate or amphetamines, help to regulate brain activity and reduce symptoms. If they aren't efficient or appropriate, doctors can prescribe non-stimulant drugs like atomoxetine or guanfacine. A healthcare professional will evaluate the woman's symptoms, needs and medical history to determine the most effective course of action.
While women are diagnosed with ADHD at the same rate as males however, they are often under-diagnosed due to the way they conceal their symptoms or mask them with other illnesses like depression and anxiety. In addition, the scales of rating and interview methods for ADHD tend to be biased towards male behavior, which means that women's symptoms can be misinterpreted or under-identified.
Receiving a diagnosis of ADHD in adulthood can be a crucial moment of acknowledgment for a lot of women. It can offer an external explanation for their difficulties and restore their sense of self-worth. Additionally knowing that they can improve their condition and develop life skills that will serve them well into old age can boost confidence in women.
Combining behavioral strategies and mental health treatments is the best way for many women to overcome their struggles with ADHD. Therapy can assist a woman develop coping mechanisms and create realistic goals that she can achieve in each area of her life. This can be accomplished through cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to aid her in identifying and change negative behavior and thoughts as well as dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) to improve mindfulness and the ability to establish and respect personal boundaries. Additionally, some women might benefit from joining an ADHD support group to make connections with others who understand the disorder.
Self-help
Women with ADHD are often left undiagnosed for long periods of time because their symptoms don't look like those of boys. They may mask their ADHD symptoms by implementing ways of coping that permit them to appear "normal" and conform to societal norms. These coping mechanisms could be healthy or unhealthy, but they can hinder women from seeking an diagnosis.
In addition to self-help methods It is important to consult an experienced healthcare professional who is specialized in treating ADHD in females. They can help diagnose and treat the condition and help you understand its effects on girls and women.
Females suffering from ADHD often develop depression and anxiety, and they can also struggle to maintain relationships with their loved ones. These issues are complicated by their propensity to become sexually active at a younger age, which could put them at risk for unwanted sexual interactions or violence from intimate partners. Mood changes are also common in women suffering from ADHD, which can make it difficult for their family members to understand or support them.
Antidepressants and psychostimulants are the most frequently used treatments for ADHD. Psychostimulants can help improve concentration and focus by speeding up the messages sent to your brain. Antidepressants alter the way the brain utilizes certain chemicals, such as neurotransmitters, to manage moods and emotions. A healthcare provider can adjust these medications to ensure that they're effective throughout the lifetime of a woman.
Girls and women with ADHD may benefit from self-help techniques like regular exercise, maintaining a daily schedule, or setting reminders, or practicing mindfulness. They can also find out about accommodations for work or school that can alleviate their symptoms.
It is essential that women and girls with ADHD seek out a therapist or therapist with experience in the condition. They can assist with other symptoms such as emotional distress, low self-esteem and difficulties in maintaining or establishing relationships. They can also teach coping techniques that include breathing techniques and relaxation to ease symptoms and improve their quality of life. Verywell Health acknowledges that sex refers to biology, such as hormones and chromosomes. However, it is also acknowledged that gender is an internal perception of self that can be assigned at birth or determined by the person's behavior and appearance.