Could You Be Struggling with ADHD? Here's How Symptoms Are Often Overlooked in Women
ADHD is a very common neurodevelopment disorder, affecting as many as ten million adults. It can impact functioning with school or work, connection with relationships, and day-to-day tasks and responsibilities.
While typically diagnosed in childhood, more and more adolescents and adults are learning that they have ADHD. Many of the symptoms can be misunderstood as something else or overlooked and written off as insignificant.
With women, ADHD is more often overlooked. Here’s more information on the how and why.
The Types of ADHD
When ADHD comes to mind, typically it’s associated with hyperactivity. While that is one of the types of ADHD, it isn’t the only one.
Hyperactive ADHD is characterized by restlessness and disruptive behavior. There’s also inattentive ADHD which is characterized by disorganization, staring into space, and difficulty concentrating. For some, they have a combination of the two, taking qualities of them both.
The Occurrence in Genders
Statistics have shown that ADHD occurs almost equally between men and women. Interestingly enough, diagnosis occurs three times more often in males than in females. The original guideline for diagnosing ADHD based on symptoms was created off of research in males.
While some symptoms of ADHD are universally seen in both genders, many symptoms that women face aren’t commonly used to make a diagnosis. This uneven balance can impact women in the long run. Thankfully, in recent years, this discrepancy between genders is coming more into awareness.
Different Coping Mechanisms
That hyperactive version of ADHD is more commonly thought of. You see the externalization of symptoms. Men are more likely to have physical movements (tapping of hands or feet) or disruptive behaviors (verbally cutting off conversation).
Women, however, have more of a tendency to internalize their ADHD symptoms compared to men. Their symptoms are more subtle and overlooked. Physical movements may be more discrete, like twirling hair or picking at their cuticles. They also may be more conversational, but not in an obvious, symptomatic way.
Hormonal Factors
Women experience cycles of hormonal changes from puberty on. Hormones — including estrogen, testosterone, and progesterone — fluctuate on a monthly cycle. As this happens, it can affect the presentation of any ADHD symptoms and their severity.
All women experience some type of changes during their cycles. It’s not uncommon for symptoms to be dismissed as a time-of-the-month problem. Lowering estrogen during this time can impact sleep, memory, and concentration, all of which relate to ADHD symptoms.
Gender Roles
Social norms and stereotypes continue to be an issue, following girls into their adulthood. Women still are expected to be more organized, more tidy, more controlled, and more well behaved.
When struggling with ADHD, these social norms and stereotypes either force women into masking their symptoms or finding ways to compensate for their symptoms’ impact. Socially unacceptable behavior just adds fuel to an already existing fire, so the lesser of two evils is to hide, making ADHD fly under the radar as well.
Prominent Symptoms for Women
Women are more inclined to suffer from lower self-esteem, difficulty forming friendships/relationships, and perfectionism, all of which are exacerbated by misunderstandings of ADHD.
Women are more often misconstrued to be silly or ditzy. The “lost in space” appearance can actually be caused by reduced concentration from the ADHD. As a means to cover their symptoms up, women play them off or make jokes.
They may struggle with deadlines, whether a result of forgetfulness or failing to finish within the allotted time. Perfectionism can impact timelines for any aspect of life.
Treatment for ADHD can be essential to managing symptoms. If you’re struggling with what appears to be ADHD as a woman, contact us today to learn more about ADHD therapy.