ADHD Symptoms in Adult Women

Women who aren't diagnosed with ADHD may face challenges at work or in their relationships. It is crucial to identify the signs and seek out treatment that works for you.

Symptoms of ADHD in adults are more likely to be the inattentive type than hyperactivity/impulsive. A proper diagnosis can aid in improving your life by addressing your symptoms and focusing on the things that matter most.

1. Difficulty paying attention

Women may struggle with their inability to pay attention to details or remember deadlines and appointments or underestimate the time it will take to complete tasks. They may also struggle to keep track of their obligations in relationships or work and are easily distracted and fail to keep their promises. They may also have a tendency to be impulsive, have difficulty managing their emotions, and may blurt out thoughts without thinking them through.

The inability to pay attention experienced by ADHD symptoms in women who are older can lead to problems with friendships and relationships and relationships. That's why it's important to recognize the symptoms and seek treatment. Women may find it difficult to make new friends, or may struggle in their current relationships due to frequent fights and missed opportunities for fun activities and being left out. Women can also struggle to manage the demands of home, work and childcare.

It can be a challenge for health professionals and therapists alike to diagnose ADHD in a lot of people. But that doesn't mean that it's not true or that the person has to work harder to keep on track. Rather, a diagnosis is based on how the symptoms affect daily functioning across multiple areas of life.

It's more common for females to experience inattention and not hyperactive or impulsive symptoms and this could be the reason why this population often goes undiagnosed. Additionally, many women with ADHD feel a sense of shame about their symptoms because they don't fit into the stereotypes of someone with ADHD. This can make it difficult for people with ADHD to seek help or seek treatment.

In some instances women suffering from ADHD go undiagnosed for a long period of time because they're trying to manage and conceal their symptoms. Additionally, they are more likely to suffer from multiple comorbidities that may mask their ADHD symptoms, like depression, anxiety and digestive issues. They are also more likely to have hormonal fluctuations that could cause their symptoms to flare up or fade away, for instance during menstrual cycle, pregnancy and perimenopause.

2. Organizational Problems

Inattention, forgetfulness, disorganization and emotional dysregulation are typical ADHD symptoms for women. These symptoms can make it difficult for women with ADHD to complete their everyday tasks, keep up with their responsibilities and maintain relationships. They might also suffer from low self-esteem or anxiety. Women with undiagnosed ADHD may feel that they're not achieving society's expectations. They may also experience anxiety and low self-esteem.

In addition to disorganization and forgetfulness, ADHD in adult symptoms of adhd women can be manifested as hyperfocus or procrastination. These issues can cause women to skip appointments, not pay bills on time and feel overwhelmed. Hyperfocus can result in a lack of attention to other things that are important and a poor sense of time, which could make it difficult to switch from one activity to another. Procrastination can cause stress, anxiety and a constant feeling of being behind.

Communication issues both non-verbal and verbal are a common manifestation of ADHD. This can include talking excessively, interrupting others or saying inappropriate words. It can also indicate the inability to wait for her turn or trouble understanding social boundaries. It is important to keep in mind that these behavior patterns don't necessarily mean a lack of intelligence or ability.

Many women with ADHD develop coping mechanisms to mask their symptoms. These strategies can have both positive and negative consequences. Some of these coping strategies could be healthy. For example using a calendar for the day or making reminders for important dates. Some aren't for example, using alcohol or drugs to hide symptoms or ignoring them altogether. It is crucial that women who suspect they have ADHD seek help from a professional.

Women suffering from ADHD are able to benefit from medication treatment, lifestyle modifications, therapy and a variety of other treatment options. These include cognitive behavioral therapy, which addresses the underlying negative thoughts and beliefs such as mindfulness and relaxation, exercising and a balanced diet and adequate rest. A medical professional may also recommend adjustments to help make work or school more manageable.

3. Disruptive Behaviors

Women with ADHD may struggle with emotional dysregulation. This is why they often become unhappy and depressed when the challenges of life aren't resolved. This can make it difficult for them to keep relationships with friends, romantic partners, and co-workers. For example, forgetfulness and insanity can increase the frustration or confusion in romantic relationships and lead to feelings of loneliness, loss, or depression. A tendency to seek thrills on the spur of the moment could be mistaken by others as a lack of interest or indifference.

This is why ADHD symptoms are often missed or under-diagnosed in women and girls. It is possible that they are unable to recognize their issues due to ADHD due to stereotypes and social norms that define gender and sexuality.

Girls and women with ADHD can disguise their symptoms to avoid embarrassment. This can result in them being diagnosed less frequently than men and boys who have the same symptoms. This could be due to gender bias in the research that determines diagnosis criteria. In a recent study Hartung and Widiger found that girls and women are more likely to be misdiagnosed and not diagnosed than men and boys with similar ADHD symptoms. This could be due to the fact that doctors are trained to view hyperactive and impulsive ADHD as being more common in both men and boys. This can make them easier to identify and to refer for assessment.

Adult ADHD symptoms can manifest themselves as anxiety and a struggle to settle down. These are common ADHD symptoms however, they can also have a major impact on the life of an adult. People who suffer from ADHD what are adhd symptoms in adults often anxious and have difficulty sitting still, particularly if they're anxious or stressed. They also tend to fidget, and are overly active. They often interrupt or complete sentences of others, without realizing that they're being rude.

If you think you have ADHD, your GP or registered psychologist can refer you to a psychiatrist to conduct an assessment. You can also self-refer. This content was reviewed by Madeline Dykes (clinical psychologist) and members of the Thriving Madly network in Christchurch in October 2024. It was updated in November 2022.

4. Social Skills

Women who suffer from ADHD may have difficulties managing their emotions or effectively communicating at work. This can cause problems that interfere with personal relationships and professional goals. For example, they might have trouble recognizing and responding to feedback, which can result in frustration and displeasure. They may also have trouble maintaining healthy eating and sleeping habits, which could lead to feelings of anxiety. Many women with ADHD employ unhealthy methods of coping to cope with their issues. These include eating disorders, addiction to substances and non-suicidal harming oneself (NSSI) which includes cutting, burning, or scratching.

As women grow older, those who suffer from ADHD are more likely to seek treatment than men because they are more likely to hide their symptoms. They often come up with strategies to cope in order to conform to social expectations, which may make their ADHD symptoms more difficult to be recognized by others. These strategies for coping could be as simple as creating lists and establishing reminders, or more complex methods, like learning to control their emotions or developing mindfulness techniques.

However, these coping methods could backfire and make symptoms worse. They can also make it difficult to get good sleep, which is vital to manage ADHD symptoms. Additionally, women with ADHD often feel overwhelmed by life's demands and this can increase stress and exacerbate ADHD symptoms.

It's true that boys are more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD than girls. However the gap gets smaller as they grow older. This is because women typically experience a variety of symptoms throughout the course of their lives. This can result in different diagnoses.

Changing hormone levels can also impact ADHD symptoms in women. If they have a higher estrogen level during pregnancy, for example their symptoms could get better. This is because estrogen levels that are higher help regulate the brain chemicals that influence attention. If their estrogen levels drop due to perimenopausal or aging, ADHD symptoms may worsen.

Adults suffering from ADHD can get a correct diagnosis and get effective treatment. This includes cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) and neurocognitive psychotherapy, which will help people with adhd symptoms in adults females build essential skills to improve their everyday functioning. In addition, they may also attend support groups for ADHD to discuss their experiences with other people with similar experiences and gain valuable insight from their colleagues.