Undiagnosed ADHD in Women
Women with undiagnosed ADHD experience low self-esteem. They struggle to live up to social expectations and internalize their frustration.
They also may experience emotional distress, including the sensitivity to rejection. This makes them more likely to engage in risky behavior.
ADHD symptoms can also change during hormonal changes, such as menstrual cycle, pregnancy, or menopause. This can make it difficult to diagnose.
Signs and symptoms
Women may have difficulty identifying their ADHD symptoms since they tend to cover them up. This could lead to an incorrect diagnosis, and a misguided treatment could cause more issues than it solves. Many women have difficulty getting diagnosed, especially in adulthood. This is due to the diagnostic criteria are based upon research conducted in males. Some experts are working to improve these criteria.
Signs of undiagnosed ADHD in women can be similar to those in men. Many people with ADHD have trouble concentrating and listening. They might lose important items or misplace items. They can spend hours organizing their home or work space, but not keep up. They often get distracted easily by noise or activities around them. People with ADHD can have trouble relaxing, and they may worry over their health and the safety of others.
Undiagnosed ADHD can affect women and girls in every aspect of their lives. They may have difficulty at work or school and may also experience difficulties with their relationships with their partners and friends. adhd in adult women might suffer from low self-esteem or anxiety. They may also use unhealthy coping strategies like alcohol or drugs.
Undiagnosed ADHD can result in frustration and miscommunications in relationships between family members, friends and coworkers. They can be criticized by coaches and teachers or feel they are being treated unfairly at work. Having ADHD can make it more difficult to focus on tasks and meet deadlines.
Many people who have not been diagnosed with ADHD develop strategies to cope with their problems over time. They might work until the early morning hours to stay on top of their work or hide from their loved ones the struggles they face. It's like turning on a lightbulb when they realize that their problems are caused by ADHD. They can then utilize their strengths to overcome problems (such as creativity and high levels of energy).
Having 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. Some people with undiagnosed ADHD develop a dependence on stimulants, such as amphetamines and cocaine. This can cause serious health problems, like heart disease and stroke.
Diagnosis
Many women suffering from ADHD are not diagnosed because the symptoms are more difficult to spot in women than they are in men. This may be due to the fact that women have a harder time communicating with health professionals about their issues and are more likely to employ coping strategies to mask their ADHD symptoms. These strategies for coping could require changing their behaviour, for instance, working extra hours at school or work to help compensate for their inability to focus or using productivity tools to stay organized and on task with projects. These coping methods might work in the short run but they can be draining and unsustainable.
Many people are unaware that women they know might have ADHD because of gender stereotypes. Certain symptoms can be worsened due to hormonal changes, such as those during menstruation or pregnancy. This can cause women to be viewed as a moody or emotional, which can further increase their angst.
The most commonly undiagnosed signs of ADHD among women are inattention, forgetfulness as well as impulsivity, a tendency to jump from one task to the next and have difficulty keeping relationships. Women who are not diagnosed with ADHD are more likely to have co-existing disorders, like depression and anxiety. These conditions may have symptoms that are similar to ADHD and can lead to an incorrect diagnosis and treatment.
The overlapping symptoms of anxiety and ADHD can make it difficult to identify the condition. The symptoms of anxiety include feeling of anxiety, irritability, trouble concentration and a constant feeling that something is not right. The impulsivity and inattention that are characteristic of ADHD are not present in anxiety disorders.
For women who have not been diagnosed with ADHD having an assessment from a professional can be a game changer. In several studies, women reported that their symptoms diminished when they received an official diagnosis. They stopped blaming themselves for their own difficulties and began to view their struggles as something they could manage.
Finding a diagnosis of ADHD takes time but the rewards are amazing. Treatment of ADHD with medication and psychotherapy can improve relationships, assist women succeed in school and work, and help them gain a better understanding of themselves.
Treatment
Girls and women often have different symptoms of ADHD than men, making it harder to obtain diagnosis and treatment. It is also possible that girls are better at hiding their symptoms, making it more difficult to get help or support. This can include: having trouble remembering appointments, failing to finish tasks at school or at work, or experiencing difficulties in relationships. They could also be at higher chance of being pushed to engage in sexually inappropriate activities or being victims of intimate partner violence because they aren't able to recognize and resolving to their own emotions.
The good news is that early diagnosis and effective treatments can have a positive impact on these women. A study in 2020 found that a late or missed diagnosis can have long-lasting negative effects on women's emotional and social well-being as well as her ability to build and keep relationships. It can also affect her self-esteem and confidence in her abilities to control. The research found that a lot of women reported feeling happier and more confident in themselves after being diagnosed with ADHD and receiving treatment.
It is important to note that research has revealed that women who are not diagnosed with ADHD are less confident and less likely to seek assistance than their male counterparts. They are more likely to blame their impulsivity, attention and organization problems on social or personal factors instead of their ADHD.
Apart from medications, there is various treatments available to adults with ADHD. The most well-known include cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT). CBT helps identify and change negative thoughts, whereas DBT helps to teach mindfulness and self acceptance. Neurocognitive psychotherapy that combines elements of these therapies along with training in strategies to increase concentration and focus is a different option. This treatment is available in either individual or group sessions and is developed for adults suffering from ADHD. *Note: This article uses the term "women" to refer to people assigned female at birth, regardless of affirmed gender identity. Also, it refers to people assigned male at birth as "men" to include people of all gender identities.
Support
Many people suffering from ADHD are afflicted with a sense of anxiety or a lack of understanding about their symptoms. Because social pressures and hormonal changes significantly affect how ADHD manifests in women, it's common for women to be overlooked or incorrectly diagnosed. This can result in inappropriate or ineffective treatment and a greater likelihood of mood-related disorders such as anxiety and depression.
Women are more adept at concealing their symptoms than men who tend to be more impulsive or hyperactive. They can learn to work late into the night and utilize productivity apps to hide their inattention. These strategies for coping can have a negative effect on self-esteem and ultimately the quality of your life.
The diagnostic process for women suffering from ADHD can be confusing and frustrating. The traditional ADHD criteria were developed in males, and therefore they do not accurately reflect the full range of symptoms that women experience. In the end, many women with undiagnosed ADHD are mistakenly diagnosed with other conditions like depression and anxiety.
Clara was no different. She was smart, hardworking and dedicated to her career. She struggled to meet deadlines and felt overwhelmed with the demands of her job. She believed that her mistakes were her fault, and that she was not good enough. Her confidence in herself was shattered as a result of an undiagnosed ADHD.
It was a moment of revelation when she was diagnosed as having adult ADHD. Clara realized that her issues were not a result of personal failures. She was able to stop viewing them as a sign of laziness and start to see her ADHD thread as a thread which can be tied into a meaningful personal and professional life.
As women's ADHD becomes more widely known, it will become increasingly important to include them in treatment and research initiatives. This is especially true in the areas of sexually-specific treatments, since new research is focused on understanding how gender affects the disorder and identifying medications that are effective for women. It is hoped that this will lead to better diagnosis and treatment for women suffering from undiagnosed ADHD.