Challenges of ADHD in Women and Girls
Women and girls often face a wide range of challenges when untreated ADHD symptoms impact their daily lives. They may feel unable at work, have difficulty with relationships with peers and suffer from depression or anxiety.
They are also more adept at building coping mechanisms that mask their ADHD symptoms, which makes it harder for them to be diagnosed and treated.
Symptoms
The gender gap in ADHD is narrowing as we age. It's important that adults with ADHD symptoms don't feel isolated or forgotten.
As girls and women grow into adults, they often still struggle with their ADHD symptoms. They may struggle with managing finances and keeping their homes clean or maintaining healthy relationships. Untreated ADHD can affect their self-esteem and mental health in the long run, and they may blame themselves for their issues.
Unlike some other mental disorders, ADHD is a lifelong condition. Women and girls are prone to hide their symptoms by using coping strategies, but these often backfire. Furthermore, hormonal changes that occur during the menstrual period or pregnancy, as well as menopausal changes may make it more difficult to manage ADHD symptoms.
Inattentive-type ADHD symptoms typically include being impulsive or forgetful in the sense of losing the track of time, having trouble paying attention during class or work and trouble with daily routines such as 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 is crucial that healthcare professionals are aware of the many ways women and girls can present with ADHD and also consider whether comorbid anxiety or depression is contributing to these difficulties.
It is crucial that those with ADHD are evaluated by a qualified healthcare provider. They can look at their symptoms, medical history and rule out other conditions. Some people with ADHD also have mental health issues, such as anxiety or depression or low self-esteem, as well as difficulties with relationships and social interaction. Adults with ADHD are also more likely to suffer from physical health problems such as chronic stress or tics.
Many girls and women who suffer from ADHD are not diagnosed because their parents, teachers or friends don't consider them serious. They may not believe that their symptoms are serious enough to need help. Or they may think that their ADHD symptoms are the result of poor parenting or low self-esteem. Certain women and girls are diagnosed with ADHD only after their children receive treatment for ADHD. Some aren't diagnosed until they reach their 40s or their 50s and are experiencing problems with daily life.
Diagnosis
Women are typically not diagnosed with ADHD until they reach the age of adulthood. They can also be faced with challenges if detected. 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 develop coping mechanisms that disguise their symptoms and make them less noticed. It is possible that girls' problems with organization, concentration, and impulsivity could go unnoticed over a period of years.
Women are also more likely to have high-functioning ADHD and this makes their symptoms more difficult to detect. Moreover, they can have co-occurring illnesses that affect their ability to manage their lives including anxiety and depression. For instance, they may have trouble controlling their emotions, and this can be caused by hormonal changes during the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and menopause.
adhd in adult women treatment of these issues can lead to low self-esteem or relationship issues. In the end, it is often difficult for them to open up about their challenges and seek help. This could delay diagnosis and treatment.
Additionally, it's normal for people with ADHD to have trouble making friends and interacting with other people. They may miss social events and fail to show to appointments, and are unable to read body language or pick up on the non-verbal signals of others. They could even wander off on tangents while talking which makes it difficult for others to follow them.
It is essential to get an accurate diagnosis and act as fast as possible. For women, this could be an "lightbulb moment" that can give them an external explanation for their difficulties and help them accept themselves more fully. It can also assist women focus on their strengths and make changes to improve their life management skills. This could be beneficial to their personal, professional and family lives. The article is medically reviewed by Huma Sheikh, MD.
Treatment
As girls and women develop into adults, untreated ADHD can have a negative impact on their professional and personal lives. The symptoms can affect relationships and work performance, and result in frustration and low confidence. They can also make it difficult to cope with the demands of adult life, such as managing finances, keeping a 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 can result in gender stereotypes about the disorder. Girls and women might also try to hide or suppress their symptoms in order to avoid being branded as a victim by society.
There are effective treatment options for ADHD in girls and women. A licensed healthcare professional is able to prescribe medications that regulate brain activity and control symptoms. Stimulant medications are the first choice, but non-stimulants can also be beneficial for certain people. In addition, a combination of treatments may be recommended by your healthcare professional to treat related issues such as anxiety or depression.
Alongside medication lifestyle changes can also help manage ADHD symptoms. Regular exercise releases neurotransmitters that boost concentration and focus, and reduce anxiety, stress and other issues with mood that are which are common in people suffering from ADHD. Physical activities that can be enjoyed in groups, like group fitness classes or team sports, are particularly helpful.
Therapy is also an essential part of treatment. Cognitive behavioral therapy can help people identify and change negative thinking patterns that contribute to their ADHD symptoms. Couples counseling is also helpful in improving communication and resolving conflicts in relationships.
We employ the words "girls", "women", and "womens" to refer to the gender that was assigned at birth, and not to a person's gender identity. To make our content more uniform and clear, and to avoid confusion among our readers we use this term. This article is applicable to all people who were male at birth, including transgender and nonbinary people. We recognize that gender and sexuality are not mutually exclusive, and we welcome all readers to our site.
Support
Women and people who were assigned females at birth (AFAB), with ADHD are more likely than men to be misdiagnosed or not diagnosed. It's because girls and women tend to hide their symptoms which makes it more difficult for doctors to determine. They also might have symptoms that aren't apparent to others, like inattentiveness or disorganization, rather than excessive impulsivity or hyperactivity.
This masking is especially important for women, who typically create coping mechanisms to make them feel comfortable and conform to social norms. These strategies of coping can include healthy actions such as making daily schedules or setting phone reminders. But they can also be unhealthy like excessive eating or abuse of substances. Women who are not treated for ADHD might feel overwhelmed, anxious, and depressed. They may also suffer from relationship problems and chronic stress.
The difficulties that women and girls with ADHD have to face can lead to feelings of low self-esteem depression, anxiety or physical complaints such as abdominal pain or headaches. These feelings can lead to avoidance of school, work or social activities. They may also become more reliant on their parents to assistance with their daily tasks. This can lead to a cycle of dependence and reliance that can be difficult to break.
In adolescence, girls and women with ADHD might be at a greater risk for sexual activity with non-consensual partners. This could be due an impulsive nature, inadequate planning, or a failure to make use of contraception. They are also more likely to be pressured into unintentional sexual activity and are at a higher risk of domestic violence and sexual exploitation.
As adults, women suffering from ADHD can often benefit from medication and coping strategies to manage their symptoms. They can also get therapy, individually or in a partnership. This can help them learn to understand their challenges and build more positive internal conversations. It can also help them improve their relationships.
Support services can also include coaching to teach parenting skills, as well as specialized programs for women with ADHD who are pregnant or have children. These programs will make it easier for women with ADHD to keep their jobs, manage responsibilities at home, and care for children.