Challenges of ADHD in Women and Girls
Girls and women often face a wide range of challenges when untreated ADHD symptoms impact their daily lives. They may feel unsatisfied at work, struggle with peer relationships, and suffer from depression or anxiety.
They are also better at creating coping mechanisms to hide their ADHD symptoms. This makes it difficult to identify and treat them.
Signs and symptoms
While research confirms ADHD affects boys and men at a higher rate than girls and women but the gap between genders narrows as people get older. It's important that adults who suffer from ADHD symptoms don't feel abandoned or ignored.
As girls and women grow into adults, they often still struggle with their ADHD symptoms. They may have difficulty managing their finances and keeping their home clean, or maintaining healthy relationships. Years of untreated ADHD can also impact their self-esteem and mental health, as they blame themselves for their issues.
Contrary to other mental disorders, ADHD is a lifelong condition. Girls and women tend to hide their symptoms by using methods of coping, but these often fail to work. Additionally, hormonal changes throughout the menstrual cycle, menopausal cycle, and pregnancy can make it harder to manage their ADHD symptoms.
Attention-deficit ADHD symptoms typically are characterized by being forgetful or numb, losing track of time, difficulty paying attention in class or work and trouble with daily routines such as laundry, meal planning or scheduling. Hyperactive-impulsive ADHD symptoms can include rushing through tasks, jumping from one task to another or making rash decisions. It is essential that healthcare professionals are aware of the different ways girls and women be diagnosed with ADHD and think about whether comorbid anxiety or depression can be a contributing factor to these issues.
It's important that people with ADHD are assessed by a qualified healthcare provider. They can look at their symptoms as well as their medical history and rule out any other medical conditions. For instance, some individuals with ADHD suffer from additional mental health problems such as depression or anxiety, a low self-esteem and trouble with social relationships and relationships. Adults with ADHD are also more likely to have physical health issues, such as tics or chronic stress.
Many girls and women suffering from ADHD don't receive a diagnosis because they're not considered serious by family members, teachers or friends. They might not believe that their symptoms are serious enough to need help. Or, they might think that their ADHD symptoms are a result of poor parenting or a lack of self-esteem. Some girls and women are diagnosed with ADHD only after their children receive treatment for ADHD. Some aren't diagnosed until they are in their 40s or 50s, and are experiencing difficulty with daily living activities.
Diagnosis
Women are often not diagnosed with ADHD until they reach adulthood and may be faced with 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 also have strategies to cope with their symptoms, which can result in them not being noticed as much. It is possible that girls' problems with organization, concentration, and impulsivity could be unnoticed for a period of years.
Women are also more likely to have high-functioning ADHD and this makes their symptoms harder to pick up on. Moreover, add and adhd in women can have co-occurring illnesses that affect their ability to manage their life like depression and anxiety. They may have difficulty to manage their emotions. This is often because of hormonal changes during menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and menopause.
A lot of these issues could lead to low self-esteem or relationship problems. In the end, it can be difficult for them to open up about their struggles and seek help. discover this can cause delays in diagnosis and treatment.
It's also normal for people with ADHD not to be able to make friends or communicate with others. They might not attend social events or fail to show on time for appointments, and fail to discern body language or read other people's nonverbal signals. They may even be prone to going off on tangents while talking, making it harder for others to keep up.
In these circumstances, it's crucial to receive a thorough diagnosis and act as soon as possible. For women, this could be an "lightbulb moment" that gives them an external explanation for their difficulties and allow them to accept themselves more fully. It can also help women focus on their strengths and take steps to improve life management skills. This can have a positive effect on their personal, professional and family lives. The article is reviewed medically by Huma Sheikh, MD.
Treatment
As girls and women develop into adults and adults, untreated ADHD can take a toll on their professional and personal lives. The symptoms can affect relationships and work performance. They can cause frustration and low confidence. They can also make it difficult to cope with the demands of adult life, such as managing finances, keeping a home clean and in good 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, which can result in women and girls suppressing or denying their own symptoms to avoid being branded as a victim by society.
There are effective treatments for ADHD for both genders. The medications regulate brain activity and control symptoms, and can be prescribed by a licensed health professional. The first choice is stimulant medication, but non-stimulants can also be beneficial for some people. Your doctor may suggest a combination therapy to address related conditions, such as depression or anxiety disorders.
In addition to medication, lifestyle changes can help manage ADHD symptoms. Regular exercise can release neurotransmitters that improve concentration and focus, and also reduce stress and anxiety. Group activities, such as team sports or group fitness classes, can be especially beneficial.
Therapy is also part of the treatment. Cognitive therapy for behavior can help patients recognize and alter negative thinking patterns that contribute to their ADHD symptoms. Couples counseling can be beneficial for improving communication and resolving conflict in relationships.
At Verywell Health, we use the terms "girls" and "women" to refer to gender assigned at birth (AFAB) rather than a person's affirmed gender identity. This is to ensure clearer and more consistent terms across our content and to make it easier for our readers. This article is applicable to all individuals 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 readers to our site.
Support
Women and those with female at birth (AFAB) with ADHD are more likely to go undiagnosed or get a misdiagnosis than men. That's because girls and women tend to conceal their symptoms, making them more difficult for doctors to spot. They also might have symptoms that aren't obvious to others, like inattentiveness or disorganization, rather than excessive impulsivity or hyperactivity.
This is particularly important for women, who typically develop coping mechanisms that make them feel comfortable and conform to social norms. These strategies of coping can include healthy activities like making daily schedules or setting reminders for phone calls. However, they could also be harmful like excessive eating or abuse of substances. Women with untreated ADHD may feel overwhelmed, anxious, and depressed, and may suffer from relationship problems and chronic stress.
Women and girls with ADHD are often afflicted with low self-esteem, or other symptoms such as depression, anxiety, or abdominal pain. These feelings may lead to being unable to attend school or work activities. They may also become more dependent on their parents to assist them with their daily chores. This can result in an unhealthy cycle of dependence and dependence on others that is difficult to break.
In adolescence, girls and women with ADHD are at a higher risk of having sexual relations with non-consensual partners. This could be due impulsivity, poor planning, or an inability to use contraception. They are also more susceptible to being pushed into unwanted sexual activity, and they can be at a higher risk of domestic violence and the exploitation of.
Women with ADHD who are adults could benefit from medication to manage symptoms and coping techniques. They can also get therapy, individually or in a group. They can gain a better understanding of themselves and develop a more positive internal dialogue. This will also help improve their relationships.
Support services can also include special programs for mothers and pregnant women with ADHD and coaching to help them develop parenting skills. These programs can help women with ADHD to keep their jobs, take care of their responsibilities at home and take care of their children.