Inattentive ADD in Women
Many women with inattentive ADD are able to find that keeping up with household chores, family responsibilities and social interactions put a strain on them. They may also find it extremely difficult to work.
Girls and women typically show less obvious ADHD symptoms than men, so they are often dismissed as ditzy or romantic. Women who aren't diagnosed with ADD may be afflicted by depression, low self-esteem, and relationship issues.
Impatience
Women who suffer from ADD frequently struggle with impatience, and this can contribute to their difficulties at home, in school, or at work. They have a hard time dealing with delays, particularly when they are beyond their control. Small irritations can trigger frustration, anger, and even a meltdown. They feel they are behind and constantly trying to catch up despite their efforts.
Unlike signs and symptoms of adhd in women of ADHD that typically affects males and females who have inattention ADHD often miss deadlines or becoming overwhelmed by tasks that are simple. Their inability to focus could result in erroneous mistakes which can have severe consequences. For instance, they could overlook filing taxes or make a typo in an email. Women with this subtype of the disorder may have difficulty concentrating and can wander off or lose track of what they are reading or watching.
Women can become frustrated with their inability to stick to on their commitments, especially when they have already put in time and money in an action plan. Women may be frustrated with their inability to manage their finances. They may also experience issues with controlling their impulses which can include spending unconsciously and rushing into relationships or jobs before considering the consequences.
Attention-deficit ADHD can be a source of frustration for those who are close to the woman, such as their partners and children. Mood swings and an inability to concentrate can lead to conflicts and issues with self-esteem. This can cause issues in relationships and at work. Women suffering from ADD are often misdiagnosed as bipolar because their moods fluctuate so much.
Inattentive ADHD in women is more common than many people realize, and it can cause real issues at work, at school, and at home. Despite its widespread prevalence, the condition is still misunderstood and overlooked, in part because rating scales used to measure ADHD symptoms tend to be biased towards male behavior, and also because the condition is often misinterpreted as depression or anxiety. Several factors influence the way inattentive ADHD presents for women and girls, including a different manifestation of symptoms, distinct issues related to hormonal effects and the differences in social expectations.
Impulsivity
Women suffering from ADD frequently have trouble keeping their time and tasks. They may misplace items and forget about daily routines, or be late on paying bills. Women are also at risk of acting on impulse and getting easily frustrated. Being easily overexcited can cause problems in relationships, at work or school. These symptoms may be masked or worsened by hormonal fluctuations, PMS, pregnancy, menopausal or other hormonal changes. Women who do not receive an accurate diagnosis may be misdiagnosed as having bipolar disorder since the symptoms are similar.
Women with inattentive ADHD and impulsivity have difficulty controlling their emotions. This is especially the case in times of emotional stress, or when performing a task that requires concentration. For instance, they might be extremely angry at a minor mistake in a task or feel overwhelmed by family responsibilities. They might be at risk of jumping into relationships without careful examination or be more impulsive in spending money. They may say hurtful things without thinking about it or be too critical of others.
Many women with ADD struggle to live their life, which includes parenting or caring for their children as well as maintaining a career. This is particularly true if the woman has hypoactive ADHD. These women find it hard to find the energy needed to manage their tasks and may be spending more time at home instead of at work. They may have difficulty maintaining healthy eating habits or exercising regularly. They might also fail to make appointments or make mistakes at work, which can affect their reputation.
Inattention ADD in women is frequently overlooked by teachers, parents and employers. It is possible that a woman could have some symptoms, but not enough for an official diagnosis. It is also possible that she doesn't recognize the issues she is having with her attention. There are coping mechanisms that mask her inadequacy or lack of performance. For example she could drop out of school or take low-paying positions with low demand.
While a diagnosis of ADD is typically given in the early years of childhood, a lot of people who suffer from the disorder aren't treated until adulthood. This is due to the fact that doctors still look for signs of the disorder that are more common in boys and partly because ADD isn't always identified in women, who are more likely to hide their symptoms.
Social Interruptions
Women who suffer from ADHD tend to be more sensitive to rejection and are more likely to experience issues with social boundaries. Women who suffer from ADHD are more likely to engage in risky behavior like early sex or casual sexual activity. They also suffer from more sexually transmitted illnesses. Their emotional reactions to real and perceived rejection can create self-esteem issues that make it difficult for them to maintain stable, healthy relationships.
The disorder can hinder a woman's ability to manage her home and her life, and also her family. Many women struggle to make the right structure for their children and themselves because of the way their minds function. This can make it hard to manage chores at home or schoolwork.
If a person with ADHD is easily distracted, it could be difficult to complete tasks at work. Inability to concentrate can cause mistakes that are not a priority at work or school. She may not realize that she has made a problem until it is too late. More hints is also possible that she has difficulty keeping track of her money which could lead to financial problems.
Women with inattention ADHD often experience social interruptions which interfere with their ability to finish their tasks. For instance, they could get distracted by text messages or phone calls and interrupt other people in conversation. They are more likely to interrupt because they don't know the rules of communication between people. This was confirmed in studies in which participants were asked to complete a simple or complicated task only to be interrupted by confederates using different media -- face-toface or phone, or even an instant messages. Interruptions were linked to the level of stress, anxiety, and annoyance experienced by participants.
Anyone suffering from ADD should seek out treatment by a physician who has a deep understanding of the disorder. It is crucial for women to locate a doctor who is familiar with the specific characteristics of gender for ADHD. This will prevent them from being misdiagnosed with other disorders like bipolar or depression disorder.
Agitation
A woman with ADD may find it difficult to keep her attention and remain still, particularly on tasks that she finds boring or uninteresting. She may ponder her thoughts or be impulsively switching to a different activity. Women with ADD may experience depression, which may coexist with or be a result of the debilitating disorder.
Waiting in line or waiting to be called back for medical appointments could cause some ADD women over the edge. They can become anxious due to their fear of minor inconveniences. The first signs of agitation in these women can be rapid and they require immediate intervention.
If the patient is an outpatient or hospital setting, a thorough physical exam should be performed and vital signs obtained in the most secure way. A brief description and evaluation of the agitation must also be taken, and it is important to determine whether the agitation could be a manifestation of an acute medical condition. The scales used to assess agitation tend to be biased towards male behavior symptoms. Further development of an established clinical and research definition is needed.