Inattentive ADD in Women
Many women with inattentive ADD find that juggling household chores, family responsibilities and social interactions put a strain on them. They might also find it very difficult to maintain their jobs.
Women and girls often display less obvious ADHD symptoms than men and so are often dismissed as dreamy or uninteresting. Adult women with undiagnosed ADD may be afflicted by depression, low self-esteem, and relationship issues.
Impatience
Women suffering from ADD are often plagued by inattention, which can lead to issues at home, at school, or at work. They find it hard to endure delays, especially those that are not their fault and even minor inconveniences can lead to anger and frustration or even a complete meltdown. They feel lagging behind and always trying to catch up despite their best efforts.
Unlike the hyperactive form of ADHD that is typically affecting males and females, women with inattentive ADHD often miss deadlines or feeling overwhelmed by simple tasks. Their inability to pay attention can lead to a series of impulsive mistakes that have significant repercussions. They might, for example, forget to submit their tax returns or make a mistakes in a letter. adhd in women treatment who suffer from this type of the disorder may be unable to focus and can drift off into a dream or forget what they are reading or watching.
Women can be frustrated by their inability to follow through on commitments, particularly if they have already put in time and money in an action plan. They can also experience a lot of angst over not being able to track their finances, and they might experience issues with impulse control issues, such as spending in a hurry or jumping into jobs or relationships without thinking about the consequences.
Inattentive ADHD can frustrate those close to the woman, such as their partners and children. Inability to focus and mood swings can result in disputes, self-esteem issues, and relationship problems. Women with ADD may be mistakenly diagnosed as bipolar due to their moods fluctuate so much.
Inattentive ADHD is more prevalent among women than people think. It can cause major problems at home, work, and school. The condition is misunderstood despite its high prevalence. This is partly because the scales used to assess ADHD symptoms tend to be biased towards male behaviors and because it is often mistaken for anxiety or depression. There are a variety of factors that influence how inattentive ADHD is manifested for women and girls, including a different symptoms presentation, specific issues related to hormonal effects, and differences with social expectations.
Impulsivity
Women with ADD often have difficulty keeping their time and tasks. They may lose items and forget their daily routines or fall behind in paying bills. Women are also prone to acting on impulse and becoming annoyed easily. Being easily overexcited can cause difficulties in relationships, work or at school. These symptoms can be masked by pregnancy, PMS, menopause or other hormonal changes. Women who do not receive an accurate diagnosis may be misdiagnosed as having bipolar disorder because the symptoms are similar.
Women with inattentive ADHD and impulsivity may have trouble controlling their emotions. This is especially the case when they are under emotional stress or when performing a task that requires concentration. They may be frustrated by a minor error in an assignment or overwhelmed by the demands of family life. They may be prone towards impulsive spending or rushing into relationships without a lot of thought. They might make hurtful comments without thinking or be wildly critical of other people.
Many women with ADD struggle to manage their daily lives, including parenting, caring for children and managing their careers. This is particularly true if they suffer from hypoactive ADHD. These women find it hard to muster the energy to manage their responsibilities and may spend more time in the home than at work. They may have difficulty maintaining healthy eating habits or exercising regularly. They might also miss appointments or make mistakes at work, which can harm their image.
Teachers as well as parents and employers often overlook the inattention of ADD among women. It's possible that a woman might have some symptoms, but not enough for a diagnosis. Sometimes, she does not recognize the issues she is having with her attention. There is a chance that she develops strategies to cope that hide her lack of achievement or performance. For example she could abandon school, or find low-paying jobs that are in low demand.
Although the diagnosis of ADD is usually made in childhood, many people who suffer from the disorder don't seek treatment until they reach adulthood. This is partly because doctors still look for signs of the disorder that are more prevalent in boys and partly because ADD isn't always identified in women, who are more likely to conceal their symptoms.
Social Interruptions
Women with ADHD tend to be extremely sensitive to rejection and are more likely to have problems with social boundaries. Women with ADHD are more likely to engage in risky behaviors like early sex or casual sexual activity. They also suffer from more sexually transmitted diseases. Their emotional reactions to perceived and real rejection can also trigger self-esteem issues that make it difficult for them to maintain stable, healthy relationships.
The disorder can affect women's ability to manage her home and herself, and also her family. Because of the way that their brains function, many women have trouble creating structure for their children and themselves, which can make it difficult to keep up with household chores and stay on the top of schoolwork.
If a woman with ADHD is easily distracted, it may be difficult for her to finish tasks at work. Inability to concentrate can cause mistakes that are not a priority at school or at work. She might not realize that she made an error until it becomes an issue. She may also have trouble keeping the money in her account and financial obligations, which can lead to financial hardships.
Women who have inattentive ADHD often encounter social interruptions that disrupt their ability to finish their tasks. For instance, they could be distracted by phone calls or text messages and interrupt other people in conversation. Their propensity to interrupt conversations is caused by the fact that they're often unable to understand the conventions of turning off in interpersonal communication. This has been proven in studies in which participants were required to complete the same task, whether it was simple or complicated, and were interrupted by confederates via different mediums -- face-to-face, phone or instant messaging. Interruptions were linked to the degree of anxiety, stress and annoyance experienced by participants.
Anyone suffering from ADD should seek out treatment from a doctor that has a thorough understanding of the disorder. It is particularly important for women to find a provider who is knowledgeable of the specific characteristics of gender for ADHD. This will help avoid being mistakenly diagnosed with other disorders, for instance depression or bipolar disorder.
Agitation
A woman with ADD might find it difficult to maintain focus and sit still, especially on tasks that she finds boring or uninteresting. She may daydream or impulsively change to a different activity. Women who suffer from ADD may suffer from depression, which may coexist with or be a result of the debilitating disorder.
The long lines or waiting to be called back for medical appointments could push some ADD women over the edge. Their anxiety about the minor issues can cause them to become angry. The first signs of agitation in these women can be rapid, and they need immediate intervention.
Whether the patient is in an outpatient or hospital setting an extensive physical examination must be conducted and vital signs obtained in the most secure way. It is crucial to obtain a short history of the agitation, and then evaluate it. This will help determine if the agitation is an acute medical condition. The scales used to assess anxiety tend to be geared towards male-specific symptoms of behavior and further development of a standardized clinical and research definition of the symptom is required.