Who Is Inattentive ADHD In Women And Why You Should Care
Inattentive ADHD in Women
Many women had to struggle for years before they were diagnosed with ADHD. It can be a real lightbulb moment when they are diagnosed.
The symptoms can change due to hormonal changes. For example, women may be able to notice that their symptoms become more severe during their menstrual cycle or during pregnancy.
Women may also take on their ADHD traits, which leads to depression. This can make it difficult to diagnose and treat their ADHD.
Causes
Women who have inattentive ADHD typically are not diagnosed until adulthood, when their issues begin to affect them with work, school and personal relationships. This is partly due to gender biases in both clinical settings and in the perceptions of parents and teachers who are less likely to recognize ADHD symptoms in girls than boys even when the symptoms are obvious (Ohan and Visser 2009).
Inattentional ADHD causes women to forget appointments, forget deadlines and lose track of time, which makes it hard to plan ahead and organize their thoughts. It can also be difficult to prioritize tasks. They might also have difficulty to maintain focus on conversations and easily become distracted by external stimuli, or internal thoughts and daydreaming. These symptoms can lead to poor performance at work or in school, which could lead to a low self-esteem.
Many women with inattentive ADHD are often misunderstood and mistreated by their family, friends and colleagues. Their frustration with their symptoms heightens the misunderstandings they experience which can result in strained relationships. They are often dismissed by others as moody or uninformed. This can lead to a feeling of being misunderstood.
Women who have inattention ADHD are also afflicted by a range of emotional problems such as anxiety and depression. These problems can be exacerbated due to hormonal fluctuations, for instance during menstruation, pregnancy, or perimenopause. At these times, hormone levels of estrogen decrease and progesterone levels increase, which can exacerbate ADHD symptoms.
Another cause of inattentive ADHD is environmental factors like a chaotic home or work environment which lacks structure. Women who suffer from inattentive ADHD are often unable to stay focused at work and can be unable to keep up with their work, which results in a feeling of inadequacy and low self-esteem. They may also find it difficult to accept negative feedback or criticism. This can further diminish confidence and cause people to avoid social interactions.
In addition, women with inattentive ADHD are more likely to experience difficulties establishing and maintaining romantic relationships. They are more likely to have depression or anxiety and are more prone to rejection, which can make them less willing to take a risk with a romantic relationship. This can cause them to feel isolated, which can contribute to depression and anxiety.
Signs and symptoms
Women with undiagnosed ADHD often have low self-esteem due to their struggle to cope. They may become discouraged by comments from others that they are careless, forgetful, or aloof. They could develop unhealthy coping mechanisms, such as excessive alcohol or drug use. They may also resort to non-suicidal methods of self-injury like cutting, burning, or scratching. ADHD symptoms can impact relationships, work and school.
Girls and women who suffer from ADHD are more likely to be misdiagnosed with depression or anxiety. This is because a lot of symptoms of these disorders overlap with the symptoms of ADHD. In addition women with undiagnosed ADHD are prone to mood swings that make them appear depressed or anxious. These symptoms can also be brought on by major life changes like getting married, starting an entirely new job or becoming a mother.
Adults with inattention ADHD are also commonly misdiagnosed, and may be mistaken for borderline personality disorder or bipolar disorder. These symptoms include difficulty in concentrating, feelings such as sadness or hopelessness and issues managing stress and criticism. These symptoms, when coupled with poor time management, can cause issues at work or school as well as with family members and friends.
Attention-deficit ADHD can cause problems with coping skills in girls and women, such as procrastination, or underestimating how long an activity will take (timeblindness). They may struggle to keep track of appointments and schedules and lose or misplace items easily, and flit from one task to the next. They can also have problems with controlling their impulses, for example, interrupting others or making decisions impulsively.
It is crucial for women who have not been diagnosed with ADHD to recognize the signs and symptoms and seek treatment. They can seek treatment from their primary care physician or a mental health professional. They can also attempt to improve their coping skills by using organizational techniques, such as making lists or planning ahead. Exercise releases neurotransmitters that improve concentration and attention. It is also recommended to divide the household and caregiving duties with their spouse or another support network, so they aren't overloaded by chores or run-of-the-mill chores.
Treatment
Treatments for ADHD symptoms usually include treatment and medication. Stimulant medications such as methylphenidate (Ritalin) and amphetamines could help reduce the inattention symptoms of ADHD. Non-stimulant drugs like atomoxetine (Strattera) are also available. Behavioral therapy can aid in the organizational and emotional aspects of ADHD. Therapists may offer cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) in which they teach people how to modify negative thoughts or behaviors. Other therapists offer one-onone therapy that focuses on self-esteem and emotional regulation. Support groups are a great way for people with ADHD to connect with others who share the same condition and learn about how to manage symptoms.
A diagnosis of inattentive ADHD can be a challenge for some women to accept. They may think that their troubles are due to a lack of discipline or bad parenting, and this may affect their self-esteem. In addition, they could be frustrated at their inability to keep up with their work or school, which can cause feelings of shame and embarrassment.
ADHD symptoms can be exacerbated by hormonal changes, such as those that happen during menstrual cycle, pregnancy or menopause. This can make it difficult to deal with emotional manifestations such as anger or mood swings. These symptoms can also cause relationship problems due to the way they are perceived by others, especially male colleagues or partners.
Women who are not attentive ADHD often have difficulty maintaining a stable home life, which can cause difficulties at school or at work. They might, for example, forget important appointments or pay their bills late. They may have trouble organizing their work or school materials and might have difficulty completing tasks. They may have difficulty understanding social boundaries or interrupting others while they talk. These issues can lead to conflict in relationships and affect women's overall sense of self-worth.
Many women with inattentive ADHD are hesitant to seek assistance. They might think that their symptoms aren't serious enough to warrant attention, or they believe that "pulling themselves up by the bootstraps" is possible. They may also be scared of the stigma associated with being diagnosed with ADHD which could make it difficult for them to seek treatment. Untreated ADHD in women can result in depression or suicidal thoughts. They may also engage in unhealthy coping behaviors like alcohol or drug abuse, which can lead to health issues and other issues, like self-injury that is non-suicidal (NSSI) that includes burning or cutting.
Self-Esteem
Women suffering from ADHD are often plagued by feelings of inadequacy and constant stress. This can make it more difficult to identify and explain the symptoms, and get treatment. It is also common for women to hide their symptoms or develop compensatory strategies to hide their symptoms from others, particularly as they age. Masking can lead to difficulties at school or at work and can result in relationships being damaged.
Research has shown that women with ADHD are more at likelihood of experiencing sensitivity to rejection and finding it difficult to get a job. These experiences can lead to negative thoughts, which can lead to a lack in confidence and problems in interpersonal relationships.
For these reasons, it's crucial for women suffering from ADHD to have access to proper diagnosis and treatment. It's also essential that they have a clinician or therapist who is familiar with the unique challenges that girls and women face with the disorder.
As women and girls mature, they may face the expectations of society and culture that place the majority of the household and parenting obligations on them. These expectations are different from those imposed on men. These pressures can lead to anxiety and depression and lead to chaotic, messy living spaces, incomplete projects, and a refusal to seek help or admit they are struggling.
The symptoms of premenstrual dysphoria as well as the adolescent years are also common among females suffering from ADHD. adhd symptoms in women adults can be exacerbated by the fluctuation in hormones, and could be mistaken for anxiety or mood fluctuations.
Women suffering from ADHD are often unable to communicate their condition because of an absence of awareness of their condition, and are less likely to seek treatment than males. As a result, they are more likely to experience a variety of negative outcomes as they age such as relationships, unemployment and substance use. They're also more likely to be misdiagnosed than men, and to go undiagnosed throughout their lives. This gap can be reduced by educating the public and advocating for health professionals as well as teachers and parents to recognize the symptoms of ADHD in women and girls.