ADHD in Young Women
Girls and women with ADHD may show different symptoms. Signs of ADHD include inattention, forgetfulness and difficulty in understanding social signals may make it difficult to maintain relationships or make friends.
These differences and biases in treatment referral contribute to the misdiagnosis of adhd as well as its undertreatment in young women.
Signs and symptoms
The main symptoms of adhd include difficulties organizing your schedule and forgetting appointments, or paying bills and having trouble maintaining friendships. Girls and women also may experience difficulty with relationships, impulsivity that results in risky behavior, including sexual activity, and a tendency toward emotional instability. They can be misunderstood and suffer from anxiety or depression disorders, which may co-exist with ADHD. This makes it harder to recognize and treat.
Some girls and women don't show any obvious signs of attention-deficit disorders (ADHD) however, they make up for it when they start high school, when social and academic demands rise. They don't seek assistance until they have trouble coping in college or at work.
Research shows that girls and women are often misdiagnosed and not recognized as having ADHD, in comparison to men and boys. This is due to gender bias, which could often be not intentional. In particular, females and girls are less likely to be referred to a specialist for ADHD because they are more likely to camouflage their symptoms, as mentioned above or because they are diagnosed with different types of symptoms than males.
Girls and women also are less likely to be diagnosed for ADHD due to their propensity to exhibit emotional or mood-related symptoms, such as anger, rage, and irritability. They are more likely to be diagnosed for mood disorders or anxiety and receive inadequate treatment, which could exacerbate their issues by masking the underlying causes.
Inattentive ADHD is more prevalent in girls and women. It manifests as lack of concentration, missed deadlines, or committing a few mistakes in school or at work. You are easily distracted, either by your thoughts or by the things that happen around you. You also lose track of time while working on tasks. You have trouble sitting still and find it hard to relax. You struggle to keep your desk or space tidy and well-organized. You can easily get overwhelmed when you visit stores or restaurants. It is easy to forget important dates or events, for example, birthdays of friends.
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 on the move and interrupt others, and are unable to listen to what they're saying. You have a hard time being still and you may fidget or react on impulse, such as squirming in your seat or grabbing your hair. You're unable to manage your emotions and may make snide, embarrassing or off-color comments.
Diagnosis
A clear diagnosis is essential for women and girls suffering from ADHD. A clear diagnosis can help you understand the difficulties you are facing and assist you in finding the support and resources you need to feel more in control. In addition, a diagnosis could be a moment of lightbulb for many women and girls. find their diagnosis to be an opportunity to feel relieved, and provide them with an external explanation of the difficulties that they've struggled to understand or chalked up to sexist bias, miscommunication, or their internalized gender stereotypes.
A health care specialist can test for ADHD by looking into your symptoms and past history as well as using the symptom checklist or questionnaire to determine their intensity. They can also ask you questions about how your symptoms affect your daily life. They can recommend strategies and medicines that could enhance your performance. Learn Alot more Here may recommend methods of organization, such as planners, lists, and post-it notes. They may also suggest a medication that helps you concentrate and focus. The medications used to treat ADHD may include stimulants which can boost your attention and alertness, or non-stimulants that help you stay focused without affecting your heart rate and blood pressure.
ADHD in girls and women is often diagnosed much later than in males and boys. It is possible that sexist beliefs, a lack of access to healthcare, and a misperception of the way the disorder manifests in females contribute to this delay.
Symptoms may vary throughout life and can worsen when, prior to, or after hormonal changes. This can complicate the diagnosis process and treatment options for girls and women with ADHD. For example, impulsivity and inattention can heighten the frustrations and miscommunications in relationships with romantic partners, friends or colleagues. It can also make it hard for them to keep up with work or social commitments. They might also have a difficult time to finish tasks like paying bills and completing school or work assignments, or doing housework. This can cause feeling dissatisfied with their lives and may exacerbate mental issues like anxiety or depression.
The gender and sex distinctions in ADHD are likely to be the result of neurological, biological and environmental influences. Gender refers back to a person's birth status, based on their chromosomes as well as their anatomy, and includes people who identify as women, men, or nonbinary.
Treatment
Many women and girls don't receive a precise diagnosis of ADHD until well into adulthood. Early diagnosis can help people better know their symptoms and determine the best treatment options. The most effective method to treat ADHD in young and female girls is to use multimodal treatment that includes therapy, medication counseling, home and work accommodations, as well as lifestyle strategies.
Women and girls with ADHD are more prone to emotional issues and have a harder to navigate relationships. They are often misunderstood either by romantic partners or other people. This can lead to frustration as well as a feeling of unfairness. They also have greater risk of having co-occurring anxiety and depression.
In most cases, they have greater difficulties obtaining or keeping a job due to their lack of organization, poor time management and difficulties in executive functions. They are often unable to form meaningful relationships or maintain them due to social challenges and emotional dysregulation. They tend to be more self-critical, which can lead them to look for unhealthy ways of coping like excessive drinking and alcohol consumption.
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 the drugs atomoxetine (Strattera(r)) as well as viloxazine (Qelbree(r)) and Clonidine (Kapvay(r)).
Women and girls who suffer from ADHD may benefit from psychotherapy. This is a kind of therapy that focuses on changing the way an individual thinks and acts. This could include cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) which is focused on changing the way a person interprets or responds to situations. It may also include changes in lifestyle, like eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly and taking nutritional supplements. It is important to remember that removing foods or taking nutritional supplements should only be undertaken under the supervision of health care professionals.
People suffering from ADHD need a solid support system that could include family members, friends, colleagues, and mentors. It is also recommended they join support groups or community groups since they provide an environment where they can discuss the challenges associated with living with ADHD, and share tips to manage it effectively.
Resources
Girls with ADHD struggle with making and keeping friendships. They may also suffer with depression or low self-esteem. They can be more at risk for reckless and destructive behavior that could put them at risk of harming themselves or others. These include not taking safety precautions, drinking or using drugs or engaging in high-risk sexual activities.
A health care provider should conduct a thorough examination to determine the cause of the symptoms and create an effective treatment plan. This includes looking at the person's medical and mental health history, as well as current mood. The doctor will also look at the person's surroundings to see whether they could be a cause.
There are numerous resources available for those suffering from ADHD. These include support groups, websites that provide tools and information, as well as websites that provide information. There are many books that can help manage the disorder and make it more successful in life. For instance, "The Queen of Distraction: How women with ADHD Can Conquer Chaos and Find Focus" by Terry Matlen addresses the specific problems that girls with ADHD have to face. "Natural Relief for Adult ADHD: Complementary Strategies to Improve focus, motivation and performance With or Without Medication" by Stephanie Sarkis, PhD offers an array of alternative therapies for people suffering from ADHD.
Connecting with others who have the same diagnosis can provide a lot support and compassion. A variety of websites and social media platforms offer support for people with ADHD such as ADDitude magazine's forum and the ADDitude parent group. Some organizations also offer summer camps or day programs that teach organizational and executive function skills.
Many adults with ADHD can benefit from working with a professional counselor or coach to master new behavioral techniques and achieve their goals. They can also find help from a therapist who specializes in treating people with ADHD or mental health issues such as depression or anxiety. There are apps, such as the popular Wunderlist and software, to monitor their daily activities. There are a number of websites that allow virtual collaboration. Focusmate is one such website. It pairs people who have the same task together remotely.