ADHD Traits in Women
Verywell Health acknowledges that sex and gender refer to biology--the hormonal makeup of the body and its chromosomal makeup. It also acknowledges that many people don't fit into a sex binary. Sexe and gender can affect the way ADHD symptoms are treated and diagnosed.
ADHD is a condition that is recognized in the early years of childhood, usually before the age of 12. Symptoms must be present before 12 years of age and cause difficulties in more than one setting to qualify for the diagnosis.
1. Problems with Focusing
Inattention is at the core of ADHD and is a problem that affects both men and women. Women may have a difficult focus, particularly since symptoms can appear differently than in men.
Women are more likely than men to be disorganized and indecisive, for example. They also are more likely to experience emotional stress and struggle to put things in perspective. These issues can lead to an inability to concentrate on tasks, leading to a decrease in productivity at work or home. They are also more likely to forget their medication and skip appointments with their doctor.
In addition to these natural variations, hormones in women can make ADHD symptoms more severe. The hippocampus of females is bigger which helps in learning and memory. Menstrual hormone fluctuations, pregnancy, breastfeeding and menopause may also affect brain function.
Women who have not been diagnosed with ADHD may struggle in their relationships, at school and at work. They might also struggle with a myriad of co-occurring conditions, such as depression, anxiety eating disorders, bipolar disorder.
online is essential that health care professionals recognize the numerous signs that females with ADHD exhibit. They must recalibrate their approaches to diagnosing and treating women suffering from ADHD to take into account hormonal fluctuations, emotional dysregulation, and other factors that affect the severity of symptoms. The patients will then receive the treatment they need.
2. Impulsivity
Females suffering from ADHD tend to have difficulty controlling their emotions, especially when interacting with others. This can lead to emotional dysregulation which is a key component of ADHD symptoms and is associated with many negative life results. This includes low self-esteem, coexisting depression and anxiety as well as problematic relationships with loved ones which can lead to conflicts between partners, problems with friendships, a messy house or personal space, inability to manage time or money and a messy home.
The gender stereotypes of women can influence how women who suffer from ADHD are treated. They could be misunderstood as they are thought to be more sensitive or susceptible to mood swings. This can exacerbate their frustrations about living with untreated ADHD.
The part of the brain that controls impulses the brain, known as the prefrontal cortex, is affected in people with ADHD. This means they have more trouble making decisions and following through in their intentions. This makes it difficult to resist the temptation to eat another piece of cake or blurt out an inappropriate comment in public.
Adults suffering from ADHD can benefit from medication that helps them control their impulses. The use of stimulants such as amphetamine or dextroamphetamine may reduce the impulsive behavior. Non-stimulants like clonidine and guanfacine are also effective. Patients with ADHD may also benefit from a treatment called behavioral therapy, which helps them change their thinking patterns and develop better strategies for coping.
Sleeping enough, eating a healthy diet, and meditating can also help to control impulsiveness and restlessness in people with ADHD. It is also a good idea to keep track of their symptoms throughout the day and communicate this data with their doctor to assess whether their treatment plan is effective.
3. Disorganization
Disorganization can be a major issue for people suffering from ADHD and can affect their work and personal lives. It could take them longer to complete tasks and decrease their productivity. They may also miss deadlines and become overwhelmed on a daily basis.
Insanity can also make it difficult to maintain healthy relationships. People may forget important events or lose things like keys or purses. This can cause them to feel lonely and isolated. They may also feel unloved by their family and friends. It is more difficult to organize during menopausal and perimenopausal cycles as hormones alter and symptoms increase.
It is not unusual for women to mask their ADHD symptoms to conform with society's norms and avoid being thought of as a problem. This can result in self-blame and feelings of guilt or shame. It can also be the reason girls and women are frequently not diagnosed with ADHD particularly during adolescence, when symptoms are more evident.
Women with untreated ADHD might have a poor performance at school or at work. This can affect their career, grades or overall reputation. It can also create problems in their personal lives like issues with romantic partners or strained relationships with friends and family members.
Women who are constantly disorganized will benefit from the one-on-1 assistance of a non-judgmental individual. They can assist women in learning to stay organized by creating lists and setting reminders. A qualified mental health professional could recommend medication or lifestyle changes to reduce ADHD symptoms. This can include eating small frequent meals to keep energy levels up and avoiding caffeine, which can trigger side effects of stimulant medications.
4. Indecisiveness
Indecisiveness influences decision-making in a variety of aspects of life. There are a variety of instruments that have been created to measure indecisiveness, including the Decision Behaviors Inventory (Barkley-Levenson and Fox) and the Indecisiveness Scale. Indecisiveness is also linked to neuroticism, as well as the tendency to imagine worst-case scenarios. This is when people perceive ambiguous situations as threat. It has also been proven to be associated with a fear of being wrong, which could be the reason why it is common for people suffering from adhd to struggle with making decisions.
In the qualitative study on adult women with adhd that were interviewed the participants said they were not in a position to make choices about their personal and professional lives. They had difficulty to manage their finances and relationships, and struggled to find jobs they enjoyed. They often were dependent on others to make decisions or were unable complete projects themselves, such as organizing childcare. They often felt like they were held back by their ADHD symptoms, like difficulties in starting, staying focused and impulsive.
They struggled to maintain relationships and had trouble relaxing and recharging their mental health. They reported high levels of anxiety and stress as well as an inability to sleep and a poor diet. They also reported feeling snubbed by their peers and the media. The diagnosis of ADHD offered them an explanation for their difficulties, which was helpful for self-esteem because it meant they weren't blaming themselves. Additionally, it gave them access to the appropriate treatment.
The interviews revealed that the women had a number of positive characteristics but were struggling to overcome the effects of their ADHD symptoms on different aspects of their life. These included a lack career or romantic opportunities as well as difficulties maintaining relationships. an unclean home.
5. Lack of self-esteem
Women can cover up their impulsivity and hyperactivity because they believe these symptoms are less acceptable than for boys and men. Some women may be able to internalize their ADHD and develop coping strategies like self-harming (cutting, burning or scratching). This can result in lower self-esteem and could cause anxiety, depression or eating disorders.
A strong sense of self-esteem and worth is the precursor to better relationships and a positive outlook on life. If someone isn't feeling a solid sense of self-worth, they tend to seek outside things - including relationships, careers as well as wealth and power to feel worthy. Licensed therapist Cheryl Clarke says this can result in an absence of communication within relationships, which could eventually end it.
In addition to a lack of self-worth, women with ADHD often struggle with feeling like they don't have enough of the good things happening in their lives. These feelings may manifest as a desire to please or to "keep up" with others. This can result in negative work environments as well as a negative image of one's body, and an addiction to foods or substances.
Despite these major challenges, women who took part in this study discovered many positive aspects of living with ADHD. They described ADHD as positive or negative according to how they feel about their ability to control it. Some of them have identified personal strengths they believe are partially due to their ADHD. These include the ability to be creative, energetic and determination as well as the ability to effortlessly become interested in new subjects. They also discuss their unique struggles in the context of a larger picture that includes biological and gender differences, as well as cultural and family issues.