Undiagnosed ADHD in Women
Women who are not diagnosed with ADHD suffer from low self-esteem. They struggle to live up to social expectations and internalize their frustration.
They may also experience emotional distress, including feelings of rejection. More are more likely to engage in risky behaviors.
ADHD symptoms may also change in response to hormonal changes, like menstruation or pregnancy, as well as menopausal. This can make it more difficult to diagnose.
Signs and symptoms
Women may have difficulty identifying their ADHD symptoms because they often conceal them. This can lead to an inaccurate diagnosis, and the wrong treatment could cause more issues than they solve. Many women report having difficulties in getting diagnosed particularly when they are adults. This could be due to the fact that the criteria for diagnosing were developed based on research conducted with males. Some experts are working on improving the criteria.
Undiagnosed ADHD symptoms for women are typically similar to the symptoms of males. For example, many people with ADHD experience difficulty concentrating or listening. They may forget important tasks or lose things. They may spend hours organizing their home or work space, but they aren't able to keep up. They are easily distracted by noises or other activities. People who suffer from ADHD may have difficulty relaxing and may be worried too much about their health or the safety of others.
Undiagnosed ADHD can affect girls and women in all aspects of their lives. They may experience difficulties at school or at work and struggle with relationships with their friends and romantic partners. They might be afflicted with low self-esteem and anxiety, which is why they might use unhealthy strategies to cope such as alcohol or drugs.
Undiagnosed ADHD can result in frustration and miscommunications in relationships between friends, family and coworkers. They can be criticized by teachers and coaches, or feel they are treated unfairly at work. ADHD can make it difficult to focus and complete tasks on time.
Many people who are not diagnosed with ADHD develop coping strategies throughout their lives. They might be up late at night to stay ahead of their tasks or conceal their issues from family members. It's like turning on a lightbulb when they realize that their struggles are caused by ADHD. They can then leverage their strengths to overcome their difficulties (such as creativity and high levels of energy).
Undiagnosed ADHD could have a negative impact on an individual's career, relationships, and life. It can lead to financial instability, social isolation and even depression. Some people with undiagnosed ADHD develop an addiction to stimulants, like amphetamines and cocaine. This can cause serious health problems, including stroke and heart disease.
Diagnosis
Women with ADHD are more likely to go undiagnosed than men, as the symptoms are more difficult to recognize. This could be because women are less inclined to disclose to health professionals what they're going through and more likely to use strategies to hide their ADHD symptoms. These coping mechanisms may require changing behaviors and habits, for example, working extra hours at work or at school to compensate for their inability in focus, or relying on productivity tools to keep them organized and on to schedule with their tasks. These coping mechanisms can be effective in short periods of duration, but they are exhausting and do not last long.
Many people are unaware of the fact that women they know may have ADHD because of gender stereotypes. Certain symptoms can be worsened due to hormonal changes like those during menstruation or pregnancy. This can cause women to be viewed as a moody or emotional, which can further increase their frustration.
Undiagnosed ADHD symptoms in women include forgetfulness, difficulty concentrating and an impulsive nature. They also tend to jump between different things and have trouble maintaining relationships. Women who are not diagnosed with ADHD are also more likely to suffer from co-existing disorders, like depression and anxiety. The symptoms of these conditions could be confused with symptoms of ADHD and may result in an incorrect diagnosis and treatment.
It can be difficult to diagnose anxiety and ADHD because they share many symptoms. The signs of anxiety include agitation, difficulty in concentration, and a constant sense that something isn't right. Anxiety disorders don't have the impulsivity or lack of attention that is characteristic of ADHD.
For women with undiagnosed ADHD getting an assessment from a professional can be a game changer. Women in a variety of studies have reported that their symptoms have decreased after receiving a diagnosis. Having an external reason for their struggles let them stop blaming themselves, and instead viewing their own challenges as something they could control.
Getting a diagnosis of ADHD takes time but the rewards are fantastic. Treatment of ADHD with medication and psychotherapy can improve relationships, help women achieve at work and school and give them an improved understanding of themselves.
Treatment
Women and girls often have different symptoms of ADHD than men, which can make it harder to obtain a diagnosis and treatment. They may also be better at masking their symptoms, which makes it harder to get help or support. This could be due to having trouble remembering appointments, failing to complete tasks at work or school, and having trouble in relationships. They may also be at higher risk of being pushed to engage in sexually inappropriate activities or being victims of intimate partner violence, due to their difficulty recognizing and resolving to their own emotions.
Early diagnosis and effective treatment can make a huge difference for these women. A 2020 study found that a delayed or missed diagnosis can have lasting negative impacts on a woman's emotional well-being as well as her ability to build and keep relationships. It can also affect her self-esteem and sense of control. Many of the women in these studies reported feeling a sense relief and increased self-acceptance after receiving a diagnosis and treatment for their ADHD.
It is important to know that research has revealed that women with undiagnosed ADHD are less confident and less likely to seek assistance than their male counterparts. They are more likely to blame their problems with attention, impulsivity and organization on personal or societal factors, rather than their ADHD.
Aside from medications, there is many treatments available to adults with ADHD. Some of the most common are cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT). CBT assists people in identifying and overcome negative thoughts and behaviors, while DBT helps people develop skills to increase mindfulness and self-acceptance. Neurocognitive psychotherapy, which blends aspects of these therapies with instruction in strategies to increase concentration and focus is a different alternative. This treatment can be found in individual or group sessions and is designed for adults with ADHD. Note: In this article, the word "women", is used to refer to those who were assigned female at birth, regardless of their gender identity. It also refers to people who are born male "men" to include people of all gender identities.
Support
Many people with ADHD are in a state of confusion or fearful of their symptoms. Women are often misdiagnosed or underdiagnosed as a result of the way ADHD manifests in women. This is due to pressures from society, hormonal changes, and other factors. This can lead both to inadequate or ineffective treatment, and an increased risk of developing mood disorders, such as anxiety and depression.
In contrast to men, who might have hyperactive and impulsive symptoms more often, women tend to be better at hiding their symptoms at work or at school. They may learn to work late into the night, and use productivity apps to hide their lack of attention. The problem is that these coping mechanisms take their negative effects on self-esteem and eventually impact the quality of life.
The process of diagnosing women suffering from ADHD can be difficult and confusing. Traditional ADHD criteria were developed in men, so they might not be able to capture the full spectrum of symptoms that women suffer from. Many women who suffer from undiagnosed ADHD have been misdiagnosed as having other conditions such as anxiety or depression.
Clara was not different. Clara was intelligent and hardworking, as well as committed to her work. She was unable to meet her deadlines and felt overwhelmed by the demands of her work. She saw her mistakes as her own fault, and felt that she was not adequate enough. Her shattered confidence was a direct result of undiagnosed ADHD.
It was a shock when she was diagnosed as having adult ADHD. Clara realized that her struggles were not due to her personal flaws. She could stop seeing them as signs laziness, and start to see her ADHD thread as a thread which can be woven in to an authentic professional and personal life.
As women's ADHD becomes more widely known and recognized, it will become more important to include women in research and treatment initiatives. This is particularly important in the areas of sexually-specific treatments, since new research is focused on understanding how gender affects the disorder and developing medications that work well for women. This should result in better diagnosis and treatment of women who have not been diagnosed with ADHD.