This Is A ADHD In Young Women Success Story You'll Never Imagine
ADHD in adhd symptoms women and women with ADHD are often afflicted with different signs than boys. Symptoms like impulsivity, forgetfulness and difficulty in interpreting social signals can make it hard to establish friendships or maintain relationships.
Unfortunately, these differences and a bias in treatment referral contribute to the under-diagnosis and treatment of adhd in young women.
Signs and symptoms
The most prominent symptoms of adhd are difficulty keeping track of appointments, forgetting appointments or making payments, and struggling to maintain friendships. Women and girls can also have issues with relationships, impulsivity that leads to risk-taking behaviors including sexual activity and a tendency to emotional volatility. They could be misunderstood or suffer from depression or anxiety disorders that can be co-occurring with ADHD. This makes it more difficult to diagnose and treat.
Some girls and women don't show any obvious signs of attention-deficit disorders (ADHD), but compensate when they enter high school, when academic and social demands increase. As a result, they do not seek help until they are struggling to cope in college or the workplace.
Research has shown that girls and women are consistently under-identified and underdiagnosed for ADHD as compared to men and boys. Gender bias, which is typically unintentionally, can be a factor in this gap. Specifically, girls and women are less likely to receive a diagnosis to a specialist for ADHD because they tend to conceal their symptoms, as described above, or because they present with different types of symptoms than males.
A girl or woman is less likely to be diagnosed with ADHD referred to them because they are more likely to exhibit emotional or mood symptoms like irritability or depression. They are more likely to be diagnosed for mood disorders or anxiety and receive unsuitable treatment, which may exacerbate their issues by hiding the underlying causes.
Inattentional ADHD is more common in girls and women. It manifests itself as a lack of focus, missing deadlines, or committing a few mistakes at school or at work. You are easily distracted by your thoughts or other activities happening around you, and you can easily lose track of time when doing your work. You struggle to stay focused and find it difficult to relax. You can't keep your room or desk tidy, and you are easily overwhelmed in restaurants or shopping. It is easy to forget important dates or events such as your friend's birthday.
Symptoms of the hyperactive/impulsive subtype of ADHD - which is more prevalent in boys and men - can interfere with relationships, schoolwork and job performance. You are always moving, you interrupt others and are unable to listen to what they're saying. You may find it difficult to sit still, fidget in your chair or grab your hair. You can't manage your emotions, and you may make hurtful or embarrassing remarks.
Diagnosis
Accurate diagnosis is crucial for women and girls suffering from ADHD. A clear diagnosis can help you comprehend the challenges you face and help you find the resources and support you require to feel more in control. Additionally, a diagnosis can be a moment of lightbulb that many girls and women are able to experience their diagnosis as an uplifting experience, providing them with an external explanation for problems that they have long struggled to comprehend or attributed to sexist biases or miscommunication, or even their internalized gender stereotypes.
A health care professional can determine if you have ADHD by looking at your symptoms and background, and using a symptom checklist or questionnaire to determine their intensity. They will ask you questions regarding your symptoms and how they impact your daily life. They may suggest strategies and medications to help improve your overall performance. Your doctor may recommend methods of organization such as planners, lists and post-it notes. Also, they could suggest medication that helps you concentrate and focus. Medications used to treat ADHD can include stimulants, that can improve your attention and alertness, or non-stimulants that help you stay on task without increasing your heart rate and blood pressure.
ADHD is more often diagnosed in women and girls than in boys. This delay is likely due to sexist views as well as a lack of access to healthcare and misunderstandings about how the disorder manifests for females.
The symptoms may change throughout the course of life and may become worse when, prior to, or after hormonal changes. This can make it difficult to identify and treat girls and women with ADHD. For example, impulsivity and inattention can cause tensions and misunderstandings with romantic partners, friends, or colleagues, and make it hard for them to keep up with their work or social commitments. They might also have difficulty to complete tasks such as paying bills, completing school or work assignments, or completing household chores. This can cause a sense of dissatisfaction with their lives and may exacerbate mental issues like anxiety or depression.
The differences between men and women in ADHD are most likely to be due in part to neurological, biological, and environmental factors. Gender is the assigned status that a person gets at birth based upon chromosomes, anatomy, and a variety of other factors. This includes people who identify themselves as females or men, or even non-binary.
Treatment
Many girls and women don't receive a precise diagnosis of ADHD until they reach adulthood. Getting an early diagnosis can help people recognize their symptoms and determine the best treatment options. The most effective method to treat ADHD in young and female girls is to employ an approach that is multimodal and includes therapy, medication counseling, work and home accommodations, and lifestyle plans.
Women and girls who suffer from ADHD have more emotional issues and have a harder to navigate relationships. They are often misunderstood either by their romantic partners or by other people. This can cause anger and feeling of unfairness. They are also at an increased risk of developing depression and anxiety that are co-occurring.
In most cases, they have greater difficulties obtaining or keeping a job because of their lack of organization, poor time management and difficulty with executive functions. They are often unable to form meaningful relationships or maintain them because of social difficulties and emotional dysregulation. They tend to be more critical of themselves, which can lead them to seek unhealthy ways to cope with stress, including excessive drinking and adolescent use.
The most common medications used to treat ADHD in adults are stimulants, such as methylphenidate (Ritalin(r)), dextroamphetamine/amphetamine salts (Adderall(r)) and lisdexamfetamine (Vyvanse(r)). Non-stimulants include atomoxetine and viloxazine and Clonidine.
In addition to medication women and girls with ADHD may benefit from psychotherapy, which is a form of talking therapy that aims to alter the way a person thinks and behaves. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a type of talking therapy that aims to change the way an individual perceives and responds to situations. It may also include changes in lifestyle, like eating healthy, exercising regularly and taking nutritional supplements. It is important to note that cutting out foods or taking supplements should be done under the supervision of a medical professional.
It is essential for those who suffer from ADHD to have an established support system, which can include friends, family members, colleagues and mentors. It is recommended that they join in community or support groups, as they can provide a safe environment to discuss the challenges of living with ADHD and offer tips on how to manage it effectively.
Resources
Girls with ADHD have a hard time making and maintaining friendships. They may also suffer with depression or low self-esteem. They can be more susceptible to reckless and destructive behavior which could expose them to harming themselves or others. These can include insufficient security measures and alcohol or drug abuse or engaging in high risk sexual activity.
A health professional must conduct a thorough assessment in order to determine the cause and create a treatment plan that is efficient. This includes a person's mental and medical history as well as current mood. The doctor will also look at the person's environment to see whether it's an influence.
There are a variety of resources available to people suffering from ADHD. These include support groups, websites that offer tools and information, as well as websites that provide information. There are also books to help people manage their condition and achieve success in life. For example, "The Queen of Distraction: How Women with ADHD Can Conquer Chaos and Find Focus" by Terry Matlen addresses the specific challenges that girls with ADHD face. Stephanie Sarkis's book on PhD "Natural Treatment for Adult ADHD: Complementary strategies to boost focus, motivation and performance, whether or not you take medication" offers a variety of alternatives to treatment.
People suffering from ADHD can get a lot of help and understanding by interacting with other people who share the same diagnosis. Many websites and social media platforms provide assistance for those suffering from ADHD including ADDitude magazine's forum and the ADDitude parent group. Some organizations provide day or summer programs that teach executive function and organizational abilities.
Many people with ADHD benefit from working with a coach or counselor to learn new behavioral strategies and reach their goals in their lives. They can also get assistance from a therapist who specializes in treating people with ADHD or mental health issues like depression or anxiety. Some people use apps, like the popular Wunderlist and software, to keep track of their daily activities. There are also a variety of websites that offer virtual collaboration, for instance Focusmate which allows people to collaborate working on the same project so they can work together via remote.