Challenges of ADHD in Women and Girls
Untreated ADHD symptoms can lead to various issues for women and girls. They may feel unable at work, struggle with peer relationships and suffer from anxiety or depression.
They are also better at creating coping mechanisms to hide their ADHD symptoms. This makes it more difficult to diagnose and treat them.
Symptoms
The gender gap in ADHD is narrowing as people age. This is the reason it’s crucial that people suffering from ADHD sufferers don’t feel neglected or abandoned when they reach the age of adulthood.
As girls and women mature into adulthood and become adults, they struggle with ADHD symptoms. They may have difficulty managing their finances as well as keeping their homes tidy or maintaining healthy relationships. Untreated ADHD can impact their mental health and self-esteem over time, as they may blame themselves for their issues.
ADHD is a chronic illness, unlike some other mental disorders. Girls and women tend to cover up their symptoms using strategies to cope, but they often backfire. Additionally, hormonal changes throughout the menstrual cycle, menopausal cycle, and pregnancy can make it harder to manage their ADHD symptoms.
Attention-deficit ADHD symptoms usually include being impulsive or forgetful and losing the track of time, having trouble paying attention in classes or at work and difficulty with daily routines such as food preparation, laundry or scheduling. Hyperactive-impulsive ADHD symptoms can include rushing through tasks, jumping from one task to another or making rash decisions. It is essential for healthcare providers to be aware of the different ways that girls and women present with ADHD and to consider whether comorbid depression or anxiety is the cause of their struggles.
It is crucial that those with ADHD are assessed by a qualified healthcare provider. They can assess their symptoms, medical history and rule out other conditions. For instance, some people with ADHD suffer from additional mental health problems such as depression or anxiety, low self-esteem, and difficulties with relationships and social interactions. It’s also common for adults with ADHD to suffer from other health issues that are co-occurring such as chronic stress, tics and fibromyalgia.
Many girls and women suffering from ADHD don’t receive a diagnosis because they’re not taken seriously by family members, teachers or friends. They may not think that their issues are serious enough to seek help, or they may believe that their ADHD symptoms are the result of a poor parenting style, low self-esteem or other external factors. In some cases, girls and women with ADHD are diagnosed only after their children are treated for ADHD or are not diagnosed until they reach their 40s or 50s and have major difficulties with daily activities.
Diagnosis
Women are often not diagnosed with ADHD until later in life, and they can have issues when it does occur. 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 may also develop coping strategies that mask their symptoms and lead to them not being noticed as much. This means that their problems with organisation, concentration and impulsivity may remain unnoticed for a long time.
Women are also more likely to suffer from high-functioning ADHD which makes their symptoms more difficult to recognize. Furthermore, they could have co-occurring illnesses that affect their ability to manage their life, such as anxiety and depression. They may be unable to manage their emotions. This can be exacerbated by hormonal changes that occur during menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and menopause.
A variety of these issues can result in low self-esteem and relationship problems. It is often difficult for people with these conditions to openly discuss their issues and ask for help. This can lead to delay in diagnosis and add treatment for women.
It’s also typical for those with ADHD not to be able to make friends or interact with other people. They may miss social events, not attend appointments, and may have difficulty understanding women with adhd body language. They may also be inclined to go off on tangents when they’re talking, making it difficult for others to keep up with them.
It’s crucial to receive a thorough diagnosis and get it immediately. For women, this may be an « lightbulb moment » that gives them an external explanation for their difficulties and help them accept their own uniqueness. It can also assist to identify their strengths and make steps to improve their life management skills. This could positively impact their work, family and personal lives. The article has been reviewed medically by Huma Sheikh, MD.
Treatment
As women and girls develop into adults, untreated ADHD can have a devastating effect on their personal and professional lives. The symptoms can affect relationships and work performance, and result in frustration and low confidence. They can also make it difficult for people to cope with add adult women demands like managing finances and keeping your home in order 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, in turn, can create gender-based stereotypes about the disorder, which can result in girls and women suppressing or hiding their own symptoms to avoid being stigmatized by society.
There are effective treatments for ADHD in girls and women. A licensed healthcare professional can prescribe medication to regulate brain activity and control symptoms. The first option is a stimulant, however nonstimulants are also effective for certain individuals. Your healthcare professional may also suggest a combination therapy to treat related conditions such as depression or anxiety disorders.
Lifestyle changes, in addition to medication management, can help manage ADHD symptoms. Regular exercise can release neurotransmitters that improve concentration and focus as well as reduce anxiety and stress. Group activities, like group fitness classes or team sports classes, can be especially beneficial.
Therapy also is part of the treatment for adhd in women. Cognitive behavioral therapy can help people identify and change negative thinking patterns that cause ADHD symptoms. Couples counseling can be helpful in improving communication and resolving conflict in relationships.
We use the words « girls », « women », and « womens » to refer to the gender assigned at birth, rather than to a person’s gender identity. To ensure that our content is consistent and clear and to avoid confusion among our readers we employ this term. This article is applicable to all people who were assigned male at birth, which includes transgender people and those who are nonbinary. We recognize that gender and sex are not mutually-exclusive, and welcome all our readers.
Support
Women and people assigned female at birth (AFAB) with ADHD are more likely to be undiagnosed adhd in adult women or get a misdiagnosis than men. That’s because girls and women tend to conceal their symptoms, so they’re more difficult for doctors to recognize. They also might have symptoms that seem less obvious to others, like inattentiveness or disorganization instead of hyperactivity or impulsivity.
This masking is important for women who typically develop coping strategies to feel normal and to meet social expectations. These strategies for coping may include healthy actions like maintaining a daily schedule or setting phone reminders. They can also be harmful like binge eating or substance abuse. Women with untreated ADHD may experience anxiety over, depressed, or overwhelmed and have issues with relationships and chronic stress.
women adhd diagnosis and girls who suffer from ADHD are often afflicted with low self-esteem and other symptoms, such as depression, anxiety, or abdominal pain. These issues can lead to avoidance of school, work, or social activities. They may also be more dependent on their parents to help with daily tasks. This can lead to a cycle of dependence and reliance that is hard to break.
Girls and women who suffer from ADHD are more likely to engage in sexual activity with non-consensual partners in adolescence. This can be due to impulsivity, poor planning, or an inability to use contraception. They are more likely to be pushed into sexual activities that are not desired, and can be at greater risk of being victims of domestic violence and abuse.
As adults, women who suffer from ADHD can often benefit from coping strategies and medications to manage their symptoms. They can also receive therapy on their own or in a group. This can help them learn to identify their struggles and develop more positive internal dialogues. It can also help them improve their relationships.
Support services can also include coaching to teach parenting skills and programs for women with ADHD who are expecting or parenting. These programs can help women suffering from ADHD keep their jobs, handle their home responsibilities and care for their children.