ADD and Women in Women
Women and girls with ADHD develop coping strategies to disguise their symptoms. This could include creating an everyday schedule and setting reminders for phone calls. They could also employ bravado as a buffer against social isolation.
However, their coping mechanisms may become ineffective. They could also develop comorbid disorders like anxiety, mood disorders and self-harming behaviors such as cutting.
Hyperactive or hypoactive?
Women with ADHD tend to have the inattentive subtype, which makes it harder for them to stay focused on their work and more likely to forget things. They can also have trouble with organizing their professional and personal lives, which could affect their work performance. They might miss appointments, fail to pay their bills and may be susceptible to procrastination. They might have difficulty understanding or completing math. These problems may get worse when, prior to and after menopausal symptoms.
Experts believe that women and girls are more adept at concealing their symptoms, making it harder to identify ADHD. This may be because of gender stereotypes that view boys and men as more boisterous than girls and women, according to Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD). These behaviors are often viewed as being less acceptable to society particularly if they're unorganized or impulsive.
The good news is that it's possible for women suffering from ADHD to lead happy, healthy and fulfilled lives. It is important to select an expert who is well-versed in the disorder and knows how it affects women. Treatment options include cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), which helps patients identify negative thoughts and beliefs that can trigger problematic behavior. Neurocognitive psychotherapy combines CBT together with other therapies to improve self-regulation. Dialectical behavior therapy can help individuals develop skills for managing emotions and improve their interpersonal interactions.
Women suffering from ADHD are often plagued with sensitivity to rejection. This is a strong emotional reaction to rejection, whether real or perceived. This makes it difficult for them keep relationships. This could mean that they are more likely to pursue intimate partners and engage in risky sexual behaviors or have unplanned pregnancies.
In addition, women with ADHD may have trouble making friends and interacting naturally with others, especially if they have hyperactive/impulsive ADHD symptoms. This can make it difficult to make friends with other people at work, at school or in other social environments. It is also difficult for them to read body language and pick up on social cues.
Impatient
Women with ADHD often find it difficult to wait for something or feel the urgent need to complete the task. This can make it difficult for them to accomplish tasks like cooking dinner, cleaning the house or paying bills. It can also be difficult for women to stay focused on their commitments as well as social interactions. They also have to deal with emotional outbursts as well as a lack of self-control.
It is essential for women suffering from ADHD to seek help when they experience symptoms of the disorder. Treatment can help improve their life and increase confidence and self-esteem. It is also possible to minimize or eliminate symptoms with modifications to lifestyle treatment, therapy and medications.
A good night's rest can help reduce ADHD symptoms. The way you sleep can be improved with a good bedtime routine and limiting the amount of screen time at night and eating according to an established schedule. A woman with ADHD could also benefit from using blankets that are weighted or soothing music to help them fall asleep.
Depression is common among women with ADHD although it's not a symptom of the condition. It can be a result of the debilitating effects caused by untreated ADD or due to underlying issues like low self-esteem, low work performance and difficulty with relationships. Women with ADD frequently struggle with self-esteem as they don't perform like other women and girls their older. Inability to discern social signals and have difficulty with social interactions can cause feelings of self-worthlessness.
It is more difficult for women to get diagnosed with ADD than males. This is because doctors often mistake the symptoms of ADD in women as signs that are more typical of bipolar disorder. This is especially true during puberty and pregnancy and also during menopausal or perimenopausal cycles as hormones change.
Women can also hide their symptoms better than boys or men. It can be difficult to balance the demands of society with ADHD symptoms. This can cause anxiety, depression, and stress. It may also be a factor in the development of self-injury that is non-suicidal (NSSI) which is a common occurrence in teens and young women suffering from ADHD.
Impulsive
If you suffer from impulsive-type ADHD symptoms you're quick to make decisions without thinking. You're not able to wait for your turn to speak in a conversation, and you're more likely to interrupt or end other people's sentences. You also have difficulty judging the social adequacy of your actions. These behaviors can impact your ability to sustain relationships or even a job and make it hard to meet the expectations of family friends, colleagues and other family members.
Women with impulsive-type ADHD frequently have difficulty controlling their emotions and this can lead to more conflict in relationships and at work. They may feel like others are unkind or apathetic because they are unable to keep up or focus. They might not be able to finish tasks at work or home or lose their keys or wallet. They might be inclined to spending money on things that aren't valuable, or they may forget important dates or appointments.
Some women with ADHD can hide their symptoms. This is especially true in their professional lives. They may have assistants, a secretary or cleaning services who can help them deal with the chaos that can cause them to miss deadlines, forget appointments or pay their bills. adhd in adult women treatment might be easier for them to manage their impulsive ADHD symptoms at home with their family and friends than at the office.
Gender bias may be one of the reasons women with impulsive type ADHD aren't recognized as having the disorder. Doctors and teachers tend to look for the hyperactive/impulsive symptoms that are more common in boys and men when making diagnoses, so they're more likely to overlook or dismiss a woman's symptoms as anxiety or mood-related rather than ADHD.
Depression, which is often caused by or coexists alongside ADD It could also be one of the reasons for why a woman suffering from an impulsive type of ADHD might not be diagnosed. The impulsive behavior that comes with ADD is often difficult for people suffering from depression to control, and it's difficult to treat depression while struggling with an impulsive personality. The impulsive behavior can contribute to the feelings of self-doubt and worthlessness that women suffering from ADD suffer from, which can be compounded by the lack of support from loved ones.
Depression
Women who suffer from ADHD may experience symptoms similar to those that are seen in depression. These can include feeling low and worthless, having trouble sleeping or concentrating, or being irritable and easily angered. A lot of times, these two conditions are combined and treated together by a physician. Depression and ADD may also affect your relationships. Your inability to concentrate and pay attention can result in frustrations and miscommunications which can lead you to conflict. These issues can result in colleagues or coworkers misinterpreting your behavior in work or school situations as a lack of interest, commitment or hostility.
Depression and ADHD in women are harder to diagnose than in men because women are better at hiding their symptoms. They change their behavior to conform to social expectations and avoid being seen as fragile or emotionally unstable. In some instances, they resort to unhealthy ways of coping, such as excessive alcohol consumption and use of drugs especially during the adolescent years. This could make it difficult for them to understand that their ADHD is the root of their problems, and may delay getting a diagnosis.
The severity of symptoms can vary from individual to individual, even within the same family. Certain people have milder symptoms, referred to as high-functioning ADHD. Some suffer from severe symptoms that interfere with their daily activities.
There are many treatment options available for adults suffering from ADHD. These include cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and neurocognitive therapy (NCP) and dialectical behavior therapy. These treatments can aid in improving self-regulation and impulse control and teach you how to manage your emotions.
There are also a variety of medications that can be prescribed to treat ADHD in adults. Stimulants are typically prescribed, such as methylphenidate (Ritalin), dextroamphetamine/amphetamine salts (Adderall), and lisdexamfetamine (Vyvanse). Non-stimulants include atomoxetine, clonidine, and guanfacine. Your doctor will be able to tell you more about the benefits and dangers of these medications. They might be able to offer you other recommendations for coping with your symptoms. Planners can be used to stay organized and take notes during meetings and make reminders. You could also benefit by joining an ADHD support group for women.