Inattentive ADHD in Women
Many women struggled for years before they were diagnosed with ADHD. When they do, it may be like a lightbulb moment.
Symptoms often fluctuate with hormonal changes. Women might notice that their symptoms worsen when they are experiencing menstrual cycle or during pregnancy.
Women also can be prone to internalizing ADHD traits which leads to depression. This can make it harder to diagnose and treat ADHD.
Causes
Women who suffer from inattention ADHD often do not get diagnosed until adulthood, when their problems start to interfere with work, school and personal relationships. This is due in part to gender biases in clinical settings and in the perceptions of parents and teachers who are less likely to recognize ADHD symptoms for girls than boys, even when the symptoms are clear (Ohan and Visser 2009).
Attention-deficit ADHD causes women to forget appointments, forget deadlines and lose track of time, making it difficult to plan ahead and organize their thoughts. It can also be difficult to prioritize tasks. They may also find it difficult to keep their attention on conversations and easily be distracted by external stimuli or internal thoughts and daydreaming. These signs can lead to poor performance at work or in school, which could lead to a low self-esteem.
Friends, family members and colleagues often misunderstand women with inattention ADHD. Their anger over their symptoms can lead to more misunderstandings they experience. This can lead to tensions in relationships. They are often dismissed by others as sour or irrational. This can increase their feeling of being untrusted.
Women who have inattention ADHD also suffer from a variety of emotional difficulties such as anxiety and depression. These issues can be made more difficult due to hormonal fluctuations, for instance during menstrual cycles or pregnancy, or perimenopausal. At these times, estrogen levels decrease and progesterone levels increase and can cause an increase in ADHD symptoms.
Environmental factors can also cause inattentive ADHD like a chaotic environment at home or a work life with little structure. Women who suffer from inattentive ADHD often have trouble staying on task at work and get behind in their work. This can lead to feelings of inadequacy and low self-esteem. They might also have difficulty accepting negative feedback or criticism, which can further erode their confidence and make them avoid social interactions.
Women with inattentive ADHD are more likely to struggle with establishing and maintaining romantic relations. They are more likely to have depression or anxiety and are more prone to rejection, which may make them less willing to take a risk with a romantic relationship. This can lead to a feeling of isolation, which can also contribute to depression and anxiety.
Symptoms
Women with undiagnosed ADHD often have low self-esteem as a result of their struggle to cope. Some may say that they're careless or forgetful. They might develop unhealthy coping mechanisms like excessive drinking or drug use. They may also resort non-suicidal methods of self-injury like cutting, burning, or scratching. Symptoms of ADHD can affect relationships, work, and school.
Girls and women with ADHD are often misdiagnosed more often as having anxiety or depressive disorders. This is because a lot of symptoms of these disorders overlap with those of ADHD. Furthermore women who are not diagnosed with ADHD can experience mood swings that cause them to appear anxious or depressed. These symptoms can be brought on by major changes in life, such as marriage, starting an entirely new job, or becoming parents.
Adults who have inattention ADHD are also often misdiagnosed, and may be mistaken for borderline personality disorder or bipolar disorder. These symptoms include difficulty concentrating and feelings of sadness or hopelessness and issues handling stress and criticism. These symptoms, when combined with poor time management, could cause issues at work or school as well as with family members and friends.
Inattentive ADHD can lead to problems with coping skills for girls and women, which can include procrastination, or underestimating how long the task will take (timeblindness). They may have difficulty keeping track of appointments and schedules and may lose or misplace their belongings easily, and flit from one task to the next. They may also struggle with controlling their impulses, for example, interrupting others or making impulsive choices.
It is important for women who have not been diagnosed with ADHD to recognize their symptoms and get help. They can seek treatment from their primary care provider or a mental health professional. Additionally they can improve their coping skills making use of methods of organization, like making lists or planning ahead. They can also take part in exercise, which releases neurotransmitters that increase focus and attention. It's also a good idea for them to share household and caregiving chores with their partner or a different support system to ensure they aren't overwhelmed.
Treatment
Treatments for ADHD symptoms typically include treatment and medication. Drugs that stimulate the brain, such as methylphenidate (Ritalin) and amphetamines could aid in reducing the symptoms of inattention of ADHD. Non-stimulant drugs like atomoxetine (Strattera) are also available. Behavioral therapy is a great method to address the organizational and emotional aspects of ADHD. Certain therapists employ cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), which teaches people to modify negative thoughts and behaviors as well as offer individual therapy for self-esteem and emotional control. Support groups are a great way for people with ADHD to meet other people with the same diagnosis and to learn how to manage their symptoms.
For some women, the diagnosis of inattention ADHD is difficult to accept. Some women may think that their problems are caused by a lack discipline or a lack of parenting. This could impact their self-esteem. They might also feel embarrassed and ashamed by their inability maintain their school schedule or work.
ADHD symptoms can be made worse by hormonal changes such as those that occur during menstrual cycles and pregnancy or menopausal. This can make it more difficult to deal with emotional manifestations such as mood swings or irritability. These symptoms can cause relationship problems due to the way they are perceived by others, particularly male colleagues or partners.
Women with inattention ADHD struggle to keep an orderly family life. This can cause problems at school or at work. They might, for example forget important appointments, or pay their bills late. They might have issues organizing their work or school materials and may struggle to complete their tasks. They may have difficulty understanding social boundaries or interrupting others while they talk. These issues can cause conflict in relationships and affect a woman’s self-esteem.
Many women with inattentive ADHD are unable to ask for help. They may believe that their symptoms aren't sufficient to warrant attention, or they believe that "pulling themselves up by the bootstraps" is possible. They may also be scared of the stigma that comes with being diagnosed with ADHD which can make it harder for them to seek treatment. inattentive adhd in women who are not treated for ADHD can be depressed or suicidal. They may also engage in unhealthy strategies for coping, such as drinking or using substances. This can lead to health issues and other issues such as nonsuicidal harming themselves (NSSI), including burning or cutting.
Self-Esteem
Women with ADHD are often suffering from feelings of inadequacy and constant stress. This makes it harder to recognize and articulate symptoms and seek treatment. It is also common for women to mask their symptoms or devise strategies to disguise them from others, particularly as they age. Masking can cause difficulties at work or school, and can result in relationships being damaged.
Furthermore, research suggests that women with ADHD are more likely than males to experience symptoms relating to rejection sensitivity, and also to be unable to find jobs. These experiences can lead to negative self-talk, which can lead to an insecurity and difficulties in interpersonal relationships.
For these reasons, it is crucial for women suffering from ADHD to have access to appropriate diagnosis and treatment. It's also essential that they work with a doctor or therapist who understands the unique challenges that females and girls confront with the disorder.
As women and girls grow older, they could encounter cultural and social norms that place the bulk of the household and parenting responsibilities on them, and differ from those imposed on fathers. These pressures can increase anxiety and depression, and result in chaotic, messy home environments, unfinished projects and a lack of willingness to ask for help or admit that they have a problem.
Premenstrual dysphoria and other symptoms of the adolescent years are also common among females suffering from ADHD. The monthly fluctuations in hormone levels can cause these symptoms to become more severe, and they might be mistaken for other issues such as anxiety or mood shifts.
Women with ADHD are often unable to communicate their condition because of an absence of awareness of their condition, and they're less likely to seek treatment than men. They are more likely to suffer negative outcomes as they age, such as unemployment, relationship issues, and substance abuse. They are more likely than men to be misdiagnosed, and remain undiagnosed for the remainder of their lives. This gap can be reduced by increasing education and arguing for health professionals as well as teachers and parents to recognize the signs of ADHD in women and girls.