Ashli Chong

Undiagnosed ADHD in Women

Women who are not diagnosed with ADHD frequently have low self-esteem. They struggle to live up to society's expectations, and often internalize their discontent.

They also may experience emotional distress, including rejection sensitivity. They are more likely to engage dangerous behaviours.

ADHD symptoms may also change in response to hormonal changes, such as menstrual cycle or pregnancy, as well as menopausal. This can make it harder to determine.

Symptoms

Women may have difficulty identifying their ADHD symptoms because they are often hidden. This could lead to an inaccurate diagnosis, and incorrect treatment may cause more problems than they resolve. Many women have difficulties in getting diagnosed particularly when they are adults. This could be due to the fact that diagnostic criteria were developed based on research conducted with males. Some experts are trying to improve the criteria.

Undiagnosed ADHD symptoms for women are typically similar to those of males. Many people with ADHD struggle with concentration and listening. They might lose important items or misplace things. They could spend hours organising their home or office space, but fail to keep up. They are easily distracted by sounds or other activities. People suffering from ADHD might have trouble relaxing and worry excessively about themselves or other people.

Undiagnosed ADHD can affect women and girls in all aspects of their lives. They may have difficulty at school or at work as well as having issues with their romantic relationships and friendships. They might be struggling with self-esteem or anxiety and resort to unhealthy ways of coping like alcohol or drugs.

Undiagnosed ADHD can cause more frustration and misunderstandings in relationships with friends, family, and coworkers. They can be criticized by teachers and coaches, or feel like they are being treated unfairly at work. ADHD can cause problems in focusing and meet deadlines.

Over time many people who have not been diagnosed with ADHD have developed strategies for coping. They may work late into the night to get ahead of their work schedule or hide their struggles from loved ones. It's like a lightbulb moment when they realize that their struggles are caused by ADHD. They will then be able to understand how to overcome their challenges and utilize their strengths (like creativity and high levels of energy) to their advantage.

Undiagnosed ADHD could have a negative impact on a person’s professional, social, and personal life. It can cause financial instability, social exclusion, and even depression. Certain people who have not been diagnosed with ADHD develop a dependency to stimulants, such as cocaine and amphetamines. This can lead to serious health issues such as heart disease or stroke.

Diagnosis

Many understanding women with adhd suffering from ADHD go undiagnosed because symptoms are harder to recognize in women than they are in men. This could be because women are less likely to disclose to health professionals about their struggles and more likely to use methods of coping to mask their ADHD symptoms. These coping mechanisms may require changing behaviors for example, like taking on more hours at work or at school to compensate for their lapses of focus or relying on productivity tools to help them stay in control and on track with projects. These coping mechanisms may work in the short amount of duration, but they are exhausting and are not sustainable.

In addition, due to gender stereotypes regarding what women should look like, many people do not realize that the woman they know could be suffering from ADHD. Some symptoms may be more severe due to hormonal changes like those during menstruation or pregnancy. This can lead to women being dismissed or viewed as moody and emotionally tense. This adds to the angst of these women.

The most frequently symptoms that are not diagnosed as Adhd for adult women (scientific-programs.science) in women are memory loss, trouble concentrating as well as impulsivity, the tendency to move between tasks and have difficulty keeping relationships. Women who are not diagnosed with ADHD are also more likely to suffer from coexisting conditions, such as anxiety and depression. These conditions may manifest symptoms similar to ADHD and could cause an incorrect diagnosis and treatment.

The overlapping symptoms of anxiety and ADHD can make it difficult to diagnose the condition. Anxiety symptoms include restlessness difficulty in concentration and a constant feeling that something is not right. Anxiety disorders don't have the impulsivity or inattention that are characteristic of ADHD.

A diagnosis by a doctor of undiagnosed ADHD could be life-changing for women. In a number of studies, women have reported that their symptoms diminished after they received an assessment. They stopped blaming themselves for their own difficulties and began to view their challenges as something that they could manage.

It can take time to diagnose ADHD, but it is worth the waiting. Treating ADHD with medication and therapy can improve relationships, set women up for success at work and in school and give them greater insight into themselves.

Treatment

Girls and women have different ADHD symptoms as do males. This makes it harder to diagnose and treat. It is also possible that they are better in hiding their symptoms, making it harder to seek assistance or help. This could include having trouble remembering appointments, failing to complete school or at work, and experiencing difficulties in relationships. They could also be at higher chance 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 to their own emotions.

The good news is that early diagnosis and effective treatments can be beneficial for these women. A study from 2020 showed that the absence of a diagnosis or a late diagnosis can have lasting negative impact on the emotional and social health of a woman as well as her ability to form and keep healthy relationships. It can also affect her self-worth and confidence in her abilities to control. Many women who participated in these studies reported feeling a sense of relief and a sense of self-confidence that increased after receiving an assessment and treatment for their ADHD.

It is important to note that research has proven that women who have not been diagnosed with ADHD are less confident and less likely to seek assistance than their male counterparts. They are more likely to blame their struggles with attention, impulsivity, and organization on societal or personal factors instead of on their ADHD.

There are a variety of treatment options for adults with ADHD, aside from medication. The most popular are cognitive behavioral therapy and dialectical behaviour therapy. CBT helps to identify and alter negative thoughts, whereas DBT teaches mindfulness and self acceptance. Neurocognitive psychotherapy, which blends elements of these therapies with training in strategies to increase focus and concentration is a second option. This treatment is available in either individual or group sessions and is specifically developed for adults suffering from ADHD. *Note: This article uses the term "women" to refer to women who are assigned female at birth, regardless of their affirmed gender identity. Also, it refers to those who are male at birth as "men" and includes all gender identities.

Support

Many people who suffer from adhd assessment for adult women experience a sense shame or confusion about their symptoms. Because social pressures and hormonal changes significantly influence how ADHD presents in women, it's not uncommon for women to be overlooked, misunderstood, or incorrectly diagnosed. This can lead both to a lack of effectiveness or improper treatment, and a higher chance of developing mood disorders, such as depression and anxiety.

Contrary to men, who can have hyperactive and impulsive symptoms more often, women tend to be better at hiding their symptoms at work or school. They can become adept at working late into the night, and rely on productivity apps to mask their lack of attention. The problem is that these coping mechanisms take a negative effects on self-esteem and eventually impact the quality of life.

The diagnostic process for women suffering from ADHD can be complicated and frustrating. The standard ADHD criteria were created for men and might not accurately reflect all the symptoms that women experience. Many women who suffer from undiagnosed ADHD have been misdiagnosed as having other disorders, such as anxiety or depression.

Clara was not an exception. Clara was intelligent committed, hardworking and committed to her work. However she was unable to meet deadlines and felt overwhelmed by the demands of her job. She believed that her mistakes were her fault and she was not adequate enough. Her shattered self-confidence was the result of an undiagnosed ADHD.

It was a revelation when she was diagnosed having adult ADHD. Clara realized that her struggles were not a result of personal failures. She could no longer view them as a sign of lazyness and start to look at her ADHD as a thread that can be used to create an authentic personal and professional life.

As women's ADHD is more well-known and recognized, it will become more important to include women in treatment and research. This is particularly important in the area of sexually-specific treatments, since new research is geared toward understanding women with adhd how gender affects the disorder and developing medications that are effective for women. Hopefully, this will lead to better treatment and diagnosis for women with undiagnosed ADHD.