Inattentive ADHD in Women
Many women struggled for years before they were diagnosed with ADHD. It can be a real moment of lightbulb when they receive a diagnosis.
Symptoms can fluctuate due to hormonal changes. Women might notice that their symptoms get worse when they are experiencing menstrual cycle or during pregnancy.
Women may also accept their ADHD traits, which can lead to depression. This makes it more difficult to get diagnosed and treat their ADHD.
Causes
Women who have inattentive ADHD often do not get diagnosed until they reach adulthood, at which point their issues begin to affect them with work, school and personal relationships. This is due to gender biases in clinical settings and in teachers' and parents perceptions. Teachers and parents are less likely than boys to recognize ADHD symptoms.
Inattentional ADHD can cause women to forget important dates, forget deadlines, and lose track of time. They also have difficulty managing their thoughts, or planning ahead. They might also find it difficult to focus on conversations and easily be distracted by external stimuli or their own internal thoughts and daydreaming. These symptoms can lead to poor performance at work or in school, which can lead to a low self-esteem.
Many women with inattentive ADHD are often misunderstood by their family, friends and coworkers. Their anger over their symptoms can increase the misperceptions they face. This can lead to tensions between people. They are often viewed as irrational and moody, which can further increase their feelings of being misunderstood.
Women with inattention ADHD can also suffer from anxiety and depression. These issues can be made more difficult by hormonal fluctuations, such as during menstruation, pregnancy, or perimenopause. In this time estrogen levels decrease, and progesterone levels rise which can worsen ADHD.
External factors can also contribute to inattentive ADHD, such as the chaos of your home or in a workplace with little structure. Women with inattentive ADHD can have difficulty staying on track and can fall behind at work, resulting in feelings of failure and low confidence. They may also find it difficult to accept criticism or negative feedback. This can further undermine confidence and lead to people avoiding social interactions.
Additionally, women who have inattention ADHD are more likely to experience difficulties in establishing and maintaining relationships with their partners. They are more likely than others to suffer from depression or anxiety and are more sensitive to rejection. This may cause them to be less willing to take on a romantic relationship. This can lead them to feel isolated, which can contribute to depression and anxiety.
Signs and symptoms
Many women who are not diagnosed with ADHD have low self-esteem as they struggle to manage the disorder. Others may comment that they are reckless or forgetful. They might develop unhealthy ways of coping like excessive drinking or use of drugs. They may also resort non-suicidal methods of self-injury like cutting, burning or scratching. ADHD symptoms can affect relationships, work, and school.
Women and girls with ADHD are often frequently misdiagnosed as having anxiety or depressive disorders. This is because many of the symptoms of these disorders overlap with the symptoms of ADHD. Furthermore women who are not diagnosed with ADHD may experience mood swings that make them appear depressed or anxious. add adult women can also be triggered by major life changes such as getting married, beginning an entirely new job or becoming a mother.
Undiagnosed inattention ADHD in adults is prevalent, and could be mistaken as bipolar disorder or borderline personality disorder. The symptoms include trouble concentrating, feelings of sadness or hopelessness, and difficulties in coping with stress and criticism. When combined with poor time management, these symptoms could cause problems at work or school and can cause issues with family and friends.
Inattentional ADHD for girls and women can cause trouble with the ability to cope, including procrastination and a tendency to underestimate the length of time tasks will take (time blindness). They can have trouble keeping track of schedules and appointments, are prone to lose or misplace their belongings, and are prone to flitting between tasks. They may also have issues with the ability to control their impulses. This can include making decisions impulsively or interrupting others.
It is crucial for women suffering from undiagnosed ADHD to recognize their symptoms and seek help. They can seek help from their primary care provider or a mental health professional. They can also attempt to improve their ability to cope by employing organizational methods like making lists or preparing in advance. Exercise releases neurotransmitters that improve concentration and attention. It is also recommended to divide the caregiving and household responsibilities with their partner or other support networks, so that they don't get overwhelmed by chores or run-of-the-mill chores.
Treatment
A combination of treatments is often required to control ADHD symptoms, which includes medication and therapy. Stimulant medications such as methylphenidate (Ritalin) and amphetamines can help to reduce the symptoms of inattention of ADHD. Non-stimulant drugs like atomoxetine (Strattera) are also available. Behavioral therapy can help with the emotional and organizational aspects of ADHD. Therapists may employ cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which teaches people to modify negative thoughts and behaviors and others provide one-on-one therapy for self-esteem and emotional regulation. Support groups can help people with ADHD connect with other people with the same condition and share strategies for managing symptoms.
A diagnosis of inattentive ADHD could be difficult for some women to accept. Some women might believe that their problems stem from a lack of discipline or a lack of parenting. This could impact their self-esteem. Additionally, they might be frustrated with their inability to keep up with work or school, which could lead to feelings of shame and embarrassment.
ADHD symptoms can be exacerbated by hormonal changes like those that occur during menstruation, pregnancy or menopause. This can make it harder to manage emotional symptoms, such as irritability and mood swings. These symptoms can also lead to issues in relationships due to how they are perceived by others.
Women who are not attentive ADHD often struggle to maintain a stable home life, and this can lead to difficulties at school or at work. For instance, they may miss important appointments or pay bills late. They might have difficulty organizing their schoolwork or materials, and they might have difficulty completing assignments. They may have difficulty understanding the social boundaries and interrupting other people while they're talking. These problems can cause conflicts in relationships and affect women's overall sense of self-worth.
Many women with inattentive ADHD aren't able to ask for help. They may think that their issues aren't severe enough to warrant attention, or that "pulling themselves up by the bootstraps" is possible. They might also be afraid of the stigma that comes with being diagnosed with ADHD which could make them less likely to seek treatment. Untreated ADHD in women can cause depression or suicidal thoughts. They may also engage in unhealthy coping strategies, such as alcohol or substance abuse, which can result in health issues and other issues, including nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI), which includes burning or cutting.
Self-Esteem
Women suffering from ADHD often struggle with feelings of unworthiness or constant stress. This makes it harder to identify and articulate symptoms and seek treatment. It's also normal for women to hide their symptoms or develop strategies to disguise them from others, particularly as they get older. Masking can lead to difficulties at school or at work and may cause relationships to suffer.
In addition, research shows that women with ADHD are more likely than males to experience symptoms relating to sensitivity to rejection, and also to be unable to find jobs. These experiences can trigger negative thoughts that lead to a lack in confidence and difficulties in interpersonal relationships.
It is crucial that women with ADHD receive the correct diagnosis and treatment. It's important that they can access a clinician or therapist that is familiar with the challenges that girls and women have to face when dealing with ADHD.
As girls and women become teenagers, they might encounter societal and cultural expectations that place the majority of the household and parenting responsibilities on them, and which differ from those imposed on fathers. These pressures can cause anxiety and depression and result in a disorganized and chaotic home environment with unfinished projects, as well as an inability for girls and women to ask for assistance.
It's also common for females suffering from ADHD to experience symptoms related to puberty and adolescence, and to struggle with premenstrual dysphoria. The fluctuations in hormone levels can make these symptoms more severe and can be mistaken for other issues like anxiety or mood shifts.
Women with ADHD often experience insufficient awareness of their condition, and they're less likely to seek treatment than males. Because of this, they have a higher rate of negative outcomes as adults which include unemployment, relationship problems and use of drugs. They are also more likely than men to be misdiagnosed and remain undiagnosed for the rest of their lives. This gap can be closed by enhancing education and advocacy efforts to assist health professionals, teachers and parents recognize the signs of ADHD in girls and women.