Challenges of ADHD in Women and Girls
Untreated ADHD symptoms can lead to various issues for women and girls. They may feel inadequate at work, experience difficulties in social relationships or suffer from depression and anxiety.
They also do better at creating coping mechanisms to hide their ADHD symptoms. This makes it difficult to diagnose and treat them.
Signs and symptoms
Although research shows that ADHD affects boys and men more often than women and girls, the gender gap narrows as people get older. This is the reason it's crucial that those suffering from ADHD sufferers don't feel neglected or abandoned as they grow older.
As girls and women mature into adulthood and become adults, they struggle with ADHD symptoms. They may struggle with managing finances and keeping their homes clean or maintaining healthy relationships. Years of untreated ADHD can also impact their confidence in themselves and mental health, as they blame themselves for their troubles.
ADHD is a chronic condition and is not like other psychiatric disorders. Women and girls are prone to hide their symptoms by using strategies for coping however, these strategies often fail. In addition, hormonal changes during menstrual periods, pregnancy, and menopause can make it more difficult to manage ADHD symptoms.
Inattentive-type ADHD can manifest as the inability to remember things or being oblivious, having trouble paying attention in class, and having difficulties with daily routines like scheduling meals, meal planning or washing. Hyperactive-impulsive ADHD symptoms can include rushing through tasks, jumping from one task to another or making rash decisions. It's important for healthcare providers to be aware of the different ways women and girls present with ADHD and to think about whether anxiety or depression are contributing to their difficulties.
It's also crucial that people who suffer from ADHD be assessed by a doctor or another qualified healthcare professional who can evaluate their symptoms and medical history to rule out any other issues. Some people with ADHD also suffer from mental health issues like depression or anxiety, low self-esteem, and issues with relationships and social interaction. It is also common for adults with ADHD to suffer from other health issues that are co-occurring such as tics, chronic stress and fibromyalgia.
Many women and girls who have ADHD are not diagnosed because their teachers, families or friends don't consider them serious. They may not think that their problems are a serious enough issue to seek help or may think that their ADHD symptoms are a result of poor parenting or low self-esteem, or any other external factors. In some cases, girls and women with ADHD are diagnosed only when their children are diagnosed with ADHD or they are not diagnosed until they're in their 40s or 50s and are experiencing difficulties with their daily activities.
Diagnosis
Women often do not get diagnosed with ADHD until they reach adulthood and may face challenges when it does happen. 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 also develop strategies to manage their symptoms, which can result in them not being noticed as often. This means that their issues with organisation, concentration and impulsivity may be ignored for a long time.
Women are also more likely to be diagnosed with high-functioning ADHD and this makes their symptoms more difficult to pick up on. Furthermore, they could have co-occurring conditions that impact their life management skills like anxiety and depression. For example, they can find it hard to control their moods, which can be caused by hormonal changes during the menstrual cycle, pregnancy and menopause.
A lot of these issues could result in low self-esteem and relationships problems. In the end, it isn't easy for them to speak up about their struggles and seek assistance. This could delay the diagnosis and treatment.
It's also typical for those with ADHD not to be able to make friends or interact with other people. They might miss social events, not show up for appointments, and may have difficulty reading body language. They may even wander off on tangents when talking, making it difficult for others to follow them.
It's crucial to receive a thorough diagnosis and take action as soon as possible. For women, this can be an "lightbulb moment" that can give them an external explanation for their difficulties and help them accept their own uniqueness. It also allows to identify their strengths and take steps to improve their life management abilities. This could be beneficial to their professional, personal and family lives. The article is medically reviewed by Huma Sheikh, MD.
Treatment
As girls and women develop into adults and adults, untreated ADHD can have a negative impact on their professional and personal lives. These symptoms can impact relationships and work performance, resulting in frustration and low self-esteem. They can also make it difficult to deal with adult demands, such as managing finances, keeping your home in order or 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 could create gender-based stereotypes regarding the disorder. This can lead to women and girls suppressing or hiding their own symptoms to avoid getting stigmatized by society.
There are effective treatments for ADHD for both genders. A licensed health professional can prescribe medications that regulate brain activity and control symptoms. The most effective medications are stimulants. choice, but non-stimulants can also be effective for certain people. Your doctor may suggest a combination treatment to treat related conditions such as depression or anxiety disorders.
Lifestyle changes, in addition to medication management, can help manage ADHD symptoms. Regular exercise releases neurotransmitters that improve concentration and focus, and reduce stress, anxiety and other issues with mood that are which are common in people suffering from ADHD. Physical activities that can be enjoyed in groups, such as group fitness classes or team sports are especially beneficial.
Therapy is also an essential component of treatment. Cognitive behavioral therapy can help patients identify and change negative habits of thinking that contribute to their ADHD symptoms. Couples counseling can be beneficial in improving communication and resolve conflicts in relationships.
We employ the words "girls", "women" and "womens" to refer to the gender that was established at birth, and not to the person's gender identity. This is to provide more consistent and clear language across our content, and to reduce confusion for readers. However, this article also applies to those who are assigned male at birth (AMAB), and to transgender and nonbinary people. We recognize that gender and sex are not mutually exclusive, and we welcome all readers to our website.
Support
Women and those with female at birth (AFAB) with ADHD are more likely to be undiagnosed or receive a false diagnosis than men. This is because women and girls tend to hide their symptoms, which makes them more difficult for doctors to spot. They may also have symptoms that are not obvious to others. For instance, inattention and disorganization instead of hyperactivity or impulsivity.
This is particularly crucial for women, who typically develop coping mechanisms that make them feel comfortable and meet societal expectations. These coping strategies may include healthy actions like keeping daily schedules or setting reminders on phones. But they could also be harmful such as binge eating or substance abuse. Women with untreated ADHD may experience anxiety or depressed, and overwhelmed and suffer from relationship issues and chronic stress.
Women and girls who suffer from ADHD may experience low self-esteem, or other symptoms like anxiety, depression or abdominal pain. These feelings may lead to avoidance of school, work, or social activities. They may also become dependent on their parents for helping them with their daily chores. This can result in an unhealthy cycle of dependence and dependence on others that is difficult to break.
Women and girls who suffer from ADHD are more likely to engage in sexual interactions with nonconsensual partners during adolescence. This can be caused by the impulsiveness, lack of organization, or a failure to make use of contraception. They are also more likely to be pushed into unwanted sexual activity, and they are more vulnerable to domestic violence and sexual exploitation.
Women suffering from ADHD who are adults may benefit from medication to help manage symptoms and coping techniques. They can also receive therapy either on their own or in a group. They can learn to understand themselves and develop a more positive internal dialogue. It will also help them improve their relationships.
navigate here could also include coaching for parenting skills and specialized programs for women with ADHD who are pregnant or parenting. These programs can help women with ADHD keep their jobs, take care of their household responsibilities, and take care of their children.