How ADHD Traits In Women Became The Hottest Trend In 2024
ADHD Traits in Women
Verywell Health acknowledges the fact that gender and sex are based on biology, including the body's chromosomal make-up and hormones. Many people don't fit neatly into the binary sexuality. However, gender and sex can influence how symptoms of ADHD are identified and treated.
ADHD is diagnosed in childhood, usually before the age of 12. Symptoms must be present before 12 years of age and cause difficulties in more than one setting to be able to receive a diagnosis.
1. Trouble focusing
Inattention is the root of ADHD and can affect both genders. However, women may find it more challenging to achieve the attention they require due to the fact that symptoms usually manifest differently in men.
Women are more likely than men to be disorganized and impulsive, as an example. They are also more likely to be emotionally triggered and struggle to put things into perspective. These issues can lead to an inability to concentrate and can result in a lack productivity at work or at home. They're also more likely skip doctor appointments and forget to take their medication.
In addition to these natural differences, women's hormones can make their ADHD symptoms worse. Females have a bigger hippocampus, which helps with memory and learning, and hormonal fluctuations during the menstrual cycle as well as during pregnancy, breastfeeding and menopausal changes can affect their brain's function.
Women who have not been diagnosed with ADHD might struggle with their relationships, at school, and at work. They could also struggle with a variety of comorbid disorders, including anxiety, depression eating disorders, bipolar disorder.
This is why it's critical for health care professionals to recognize the many indications that females with ADHD often show. They need to rethink their methods to diagnose and treat females with ADHD in order to account for emotional dysregulation and hormonal fluctuations. These patients can then finally receive the treatment they require.
2. Impulsivity
Women who suffer from ADHD often struggle to control their emotions. This is especially true when they interact with others. This can result in emotional dysregulation, which is a major component of ADHD symptoms and is associated with a range of negative life results. These include poor self-esteem, co-occurring depression and anxiety, difficult relationships which can lead to violence between intimate partners, issues with friends and a messy home or personal space, and an inability to manage time or money.
Gender stereotypes can affect the way women who suffer from ADHD are treated. Because they are often considered to be more sensitive or susceptible to mood swings, they may be misinterpreted or dismissed as emotionally unstable. This can increase their frustration in living with untreated ADHD.
The portion of the brain that controls impulses the brain, known as the prefrontal cortex, is impaired in individuals with ADHD. This means that they have a harder time making decisions and executing with their intentions. This could cause you to want to take a bite more cake or to make a rude comment.
Adults with ADHD may benefit from medications that help them control their impulsivity. Stimulants such as amphetamine (Adderall) and dextroamphetamine (Ritalin) can help to decrease the impulsive behavior while nonstimulant medications such as Guanfacine and clonidine can be efficient too. People suffering from ADHD may also benefit from behavioral therapy, which can help to change their thinking patterns and develop healthier coping techniques.
Meditation and eating a balanced, healthy diet, and getting enough sleep can all help control the impulsiveness and restlessness of people with ADHD. It is also a great idea to monitor their symptoms throughout the day and share the information with their doctor to determine whether or not their treatment is working.
3. Disorganization
Disorganization is a common issue for people suffering from ADHD and affect their professional and personal life. They may have trouble to complete their tasks and their productivity could be diminished. They could also miss deadlines and find themselves overwhelmed on a regular basis.
Lack of organization can also make it hard to maintain healthy relationships. They might forget important dates or lose possessions such as keys or purses. Consequently, they may feel isolated and lonely. Friends and family members may confuse their feelings. Disorganization can be worse during menopausal and perimenopausal cycles when hormones shift and symptoms intensify.
Women often cover up their ADHD symptoms to conform to the norms of society or to avoid being considered a failure. This can lead to self-blame and feelings of shame or guilt. It could also be the reason girls and women are frequently not diagnosed with ADHD, particularly in adolescence when symptoms are more evident.
Women with untreated ADHD may not perform as well at school or at work. This could have a negative impact on their career, grades, or their image. This can also cause problems in their personal lives. For instance, it may lead to problems with their romantic partners or strained relationships with family and friends.
Women who are chronically unorganized can benefit from the one-on-one support of a non-judgmental friend. They can assist women in learning to stay organized by creating an agenda and establishing reminders. A licensed mental health professional may recommend medication or lifestyle changes to aid in reducing ADHD symptoms. This could include eating smaller frequent meals to maintain energy levels and avoiding caffeine, which can trigger side effects from stimulant medications.
4. Indecisiveness
Indecisiveness affects decision-making in many aspects of our lives. A variety of instruments have been developed to measure indecisiveness, such as the Decision Behaviors Inventory (Barkley-Levenson and Fox) and the Indecisiveness Scale. Indecisiveness can also be linked to neuroticism and with the tendency to use worst-case scenario thinking, where people interpret ambiguous situations as potentially dangerous. attention deficit in women was also found to be related to the fear of making a mistake which could be the reason people suffering from adhd have difficulty making decisions.
In the qualitative study of adult women with adhd the participants described being incapable of making decisions regarding their work and personal lives. They struggled to find an occupation they enjoyed or stayed in, and found it difficult to manage their finances, relationships and health. They often were dependent on others to make decisions for them, or were unable to complete tasks like arranging childcare. They believed that their ADHD symptoms like the inability to focus and impulsivity, or beginning projects were holding them back.
They struggled to maintain friendships and had difficulty relaxing, leading to problems with their mental health. They described having high levels of anxiety and stress, a lack of sleep and a poor diet. They also reported feeling stigmatized by media and adults. They were able to explain their struggles with ADHD and helped increase their self-esteem since they weren't blaming themselves. They also had access to appropriate treatments.
The interviews revealed that women were extremely positive, but struggled to overcome the effects of ADHD on different aspects of their lives. These included a lack of romantic or career opportunities as well as difficulties maintaining relationships. an unclean home.
5. Lack of self-esteem
Certain of the symptoms that make up ADHD are seen as less acceptable socially for women and girls than they are for men and boys and so women may hide their hyperactivity, impulsivity and disorder. They may also be able to internalize their ADHD symptoms and develop coping mechanisms like self-harm (cutting, burning, scratching). This can cause feelings of self-esteem loss which can lead to anxiety, depression or eating disorders.
A high sense of inner worth is the precursor to better relationships and an optimistic outlook on life. People who lack a strong self-worth tend to look beyond themselves to find validation, including relationships, careers, money, and power. Cheryl Clarke, a licensed psychotherapist, says this can lead to an absence of communication within a relationship.
Women suffering from ADHD may also feel they are not worthy of good things in life. These feelings can manifest themselves as a desire for others to "keep up with" or to please. This can result in negative work environments and a negative image of the body, and an addiction to food or other substances.
Although these are significant challenges, the women who participated in this study found many positive aspects of living with ADHD. They generally say that they view their ADHD as a blessing or a curse, depending on whether they believe they can control it. A few of them also point out their own strengths that they believe are due to their ADHD which include high energy, creativity, determination and the ability to become easily interested in new topics. They also talk about their unique struggles in the context of a larger picture that includes biological and gender distinctions, as well as cultural and family issues.