Recognizing Symptoms of ADHD in Females
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a relatively common neurodevelopmental disorder that affects millions of people worldwide, including adults and children. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), millions of children are diagnosed with ADHD, and this condition also affects adults.
In the United States, approximately 9.4% of adults have ADHD. However, the rate of diagnosis varies significantly between males and females. While 12.9% of boys are diagnosed with ADHD, the rate for girls is lower, at just 5.6%. This striking difference may be due to gender biases in mental health care, as many girls with ADHD may go undiagnosed or be misdiagnosed.
Recent years have seen a steady rise in ADHD diagnoses among females, which may indicate that ADHD occurs more equally across genders than experts previously believed. The symptoms of ADHD in girls and women can be more discreet and harder to detect than in boys.
ADHD is generally split into three different subtypes: hyperactive-impulsive ADHD, inattentive ADHD, and combined ADHD. With inattentive ADHD, adults exhibit five or more of nine classic symptoms, including lack of attention to detail, trouble sustaining attention, drifting thoughts, failure to follow instructions, trouble organizing tasks, avoiding activities that require sustained focus, losing items, distracted easily, and forgetfulness in daily activities.
Women and girls may be more likely to have inattentive ADHD. This subtype can cause daily challenges that may lead to other issues, such as depression, low self-esteem, feeling shame or embarrassment, and potential trouble maintaining relationships with friends or family. ADHD can make daily functioning seriously challenging, including focusing on a single task or conversation, sitting still, and staying organized.
Co-occurring mental health conditions could be significantly more common among women with ADHD than men. These include generalized anxiety disorder, major depression, bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), eating disorders, personality disorders, and conduct disorder.
It's important to note that despite the biases around ADHD symptoms in women, your experience of this condition is valid. The most effective ADHD interventions for women are tailored to help them learn certain strategies, such as organizational skills, stress management, and establishing routines. Other common treatments for ADHD include medication, cognitive behavioral therapy, and family or group therapy.
Researchers and experts, such as Dr. Astrid Neuy-Lobkowicz, are currently investigating ADHD symptoms in women and girls to address diagnostic discrepancies. They are focusing on the complexity of ADHD in females and the impact of gender-specific symptom presentation and hormonal influences on diagnosis timing and accuracy.
If you think you or your child may have ADHD, visiting your doctor or pediatrician for a screening is the first step to seeking treatment. For mental health support, Psych Central's guide can be a helpful resource. Remember, with a variety of treatment options available, ADHD is a manageable condition.
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