Undiagnosed ADHD in Women
Women with undiagnosed ADHD suffer from low self-esteem. They struggle to live up to society's expectations, and often feel their discontent with life.
They can also suffer from emotional stress including sensitivity to rejection. They are more likely to engage in risky behavior.
ADHD symptoms can also vary with hormonal changes like the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and menopausal changes. This can make it difficult to diagnose.
Symptoms
Women may be unable to recognize their ADHD symptoms since they tend to mask them. This could lead to an incorrect diagnosis, and the wrong treatment could cause more issues than it solves. Women also have trouble getting diagnosed, especially when they reach adulthood. This could be due to the fact that diagnostic criteria are based on research conducted on males. Some experts are working to improve the criteria.
Symptoms of undiagnosed ADHD for women may be similar to those in men. Many people suffering from ADHD have trouble concentrating and listening. They may forget important tasks or misplace things. They can spend hours organizing their home or office space, but not keep up. They are easily distracted by sounds or other activities. People with ADHD may have difficulty settling down and are often anxious about themselves or others.
Undiagnosed ADHD can affect women and girls in all aspects of their lives. They may experience difficulties at school or at work and have issues with their relationships with their friends and romantic partners. They may be depressed and anxiety, so they may turn to unhealthy coping strategies such as alcohol or drugs.
Undiagnosed ADHD may cause frustration and misunderstandings in relationships between family members, friends and coworkers. Teachers and coaches could criticize them or be unfairly treated at work. Having ADHD can make it harder to focus on work and meet deadlines.
Many people who are not diagnosed with ADHD come up with strategies for coping over time. They may work late into the night to stay ahead of their work schedule or hide their struggles from loved ones. It's like turning on a lightbulb when they realize that their issues are due to ADHD. They can then understand how to overcome their obstacles and leverage their strengths (like creativity and high energy levels) to their advantage.
Undiagnosed ADHD can have a lasting impact on the person's career, life and relationships. It can cause financial instability, social isolation, and even depression. Certain people who have not been diagnosed with ADHD develop an addiction to stimulants, such as cocaine and amphetamines. This can cause serious health issues, such as heart disease and stroke.
Diagnosis
Women suffering from ADHD are more likely to be undiagnosed than males because the symptoms are harder to recognize. This could be because women are more reluctant to disclose to health professionals about their struggles and are more likely to resort to strategies to hide their ADHD symptoms. These strategies can involve changing their behavior, for example, working long hours at school or work to make up for their inability to focus or using productivity tools to stay on top of and on track with their projects. adhd symptoms women for coping might work in the short term however they are usually exhausting and unsustainable.
Additionally, due to gender stereotypes about what women ought to be as, a lot of people don't know that the woman they know might have ADHD. Some symptoms can be worsened by hormonal changes like those that happen during pregnancy, menstruation or menopausal. This can cause women to be misunderstood and dismissed as a moody or emotional, which may increase their anger.
The most commonly undiagnosed symptoms of ADHD among women are memory loss, trouble concentrating, impulsivity, a tendency to jump from one task to another, and difficulties maintaining relationships. Undiagnosed ADHD is more common among women. They are also more likely than other people to suffer from co-existing disorders like depression or anxiety. Symptoms of these conditions could be confused with symptoms of ADHD and could result in incorrect diagnosis and treatment.
It isn't easy to distinguish between anxiety and ADHD because they share many symptoms. Anxiety symptoms include restlessness, difficulties in concentration and a constant feeling that something is wrong. The impulsivity and inattention that are characteristic of ADHD are not present in the anxiety disorders.
For women who have not been diagnosed with ADHD having an official diagnosis could be a game changer. In several studies, women reported that their symptoms reduced when they received a professional diagnosis. They stopped blaming themselves for their struggles and began to see their challenges as something that they could manage.
It takes time to identify ADHD, but it is worth the wait. Treatment of ADHD by utilizing therapy and medication can improve relationships, set women up for success at work and school and give them an understanding of themselves.
Treatment
Girls and women often have different symptoms of ADHD than men, making it more difficult to receive a diagnosis and treatment. It is also possible that girls are more adept in hiding their symptoms, making it harder to receive assistance or support. It can be difficult to remember appointments or complete work at school or work and may have issues with relationships. They could also be at a higher risk of being pushed into sexual activities that are not desired or being the victim of violence from their intimate partners due to their difficulty recognizing and resolving their own emotions.
Early diagnosis and a successful treatment can make a significant difference for these women. A study in 2020 found that a missed or late diagnosis can have long-lasting negative effects on a woman's social-emotional well-being and ability to establish and maintain relationships. It can also affect her confidence in her life and self-esteem. These studies found that many women reported feeling more relaxed and more confident in themselves after receiving a diagnosis of ADHD and receiving treatment.
This is especially important as research has shown that women with undiagnosed ADHD have lower self-esteem and are less likely to seek treatment than male counterparts. They are more likely to blame their impulsivity, attention and organizational issues on personal or social factors rather than their ADHD.
Aside from medication, there are various treatments available to adults suffering from ADHD. The most well-known are cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT). CBT assists people in identifying and overcome negative behavior and thoughts, whereas DBT teaches skills to increase mindfulness and self-acceptance. Neurocognitive psychotherapy that combines aspects of these therapies with training in strategies to increase focus and concentration, is another alternative. This treatment is available in groups or individually, and it is specifically targeted towards adults suffering from ADHD. *Note in this article, the term "women" is used to describe those who were assigned female at birth, regardless of gender identity. It also refers to people born male as "men" to be inclusive of all gender identities.
Support
Many people who suffer from ADHD feel a sense of anxiety or a lack of understanding about their symptoms. Women are often misdiagnosed or underdiagnosed because of the manner in which ADHD manifests in women. This is due to societal pressures and hormonal changes as well as other factors. This can result in inappropriate or ineffective treatment as well as a greater likelihood of mood-related disorders such as anxiety and depression.
In contrast to men, who might suffer from impulsive and hyperactive symptoms more frequently, women tend to be more adept at masked their symptoms at work or school. They can become adept at working late into the night and rely on productivity apps to cover up their inattention. The problem is, these coping mechanisms take their impact on self-esteem, and ultimately impact the quality of life.
The diagnostic process for women with ADHD can be confusing and frustrating. The traditional ADHD criteria were developed in men, so they may not accurately reflect the full range of symptoms that women experience. Many women with undiagnosed ADHD have been misdiagnosed as having other disorders, such as anxiety or depression.
Clara was not an exception. She was smart, hardworking and committed to her work. She was unable to meet her deadlines and felt overwhelmed with the demands of her work. She saw her mistakes as her own fault, and felt that she wasn't sufficient. Her shattered confidence was a knock-on effect of a nebulous ADHD.
It was a shock when she was diagnosed having adult ADHD. Clara realized that her issues were not the result of her own faults. She could stop looking at them as a sign of laziness and start to see her ADHD thread as a thread which can be tied into an authentic professional and personal life.
As women's ADHD becomes more well-known and more well-known, it will be increasingly important to include women in treatment and research initiatives. This is particularly important in the area of specific treatments for sex, as new research is geared towards understanding the impact of gender on the disorder and developing medications that are effective for women. Hopefully, this will lead to a better treatment and diagnosis for women with undiagnosed ADHD.