ADHD Symptoms in Adult Women

Women who aren't diagnosed with ADHD can face difficulties at work or in relationships. It's crucial to recognize the symptoms of ADHD and find an effective treatment for you.

Symptoms of ADHD in adults are more likely to be the inattentive type than hyperactivity/impulsive. A proper diagnosis can improve your life, by addressing your symptoms and focusing your attention on what's important.

1. Trouble paying attention

Women may have difficulty paying attention to details, remembering deadlines and appointments or underestimating the amount of time it takes to complete the task. They may also be unable to keep track of their responsibilities in work or relationships and are easily distracted and fail follow through with commitments. They may also be impulsive, have trouble controlling their emotions, and blurt out things before taking the time to think them through.

It is important to recognize and treat the symptoms of ADHD in adult women. The inability to focus can lead to difficulties with friendships and relationships. Women might find it harder to make new friends, or may have difficulty in their current relationships due to recurring fights and missing opportunities to have fun and being left out. Women also may struggle to manage the demands of home, work and childcare.

Many people who have ADHD don't meet the diagnostic criteria, and it may be hard for health professionals or therapists to recognize the disorder. It doesn't mean that it's not real, or that the person needs to work harder to stay focused. The diagnosis is based on the extent to which the symptoms affect everyday functioning across a variety of aspects of life.

It's more common for women to exhibit inattention symptoms - as opposed to hyperactive or impulsive signs - and this could be the reason why this group is often undiagnosed. In addition, many women with ADHD are afflicted with a sense of shame about their symptoms because they don't fit into the stereotypes of someone with ADHD. This can make it more difficult to seek assistance or seek treatment.

In some cases women with ADHD are not diagnosed for a long time because they are trying to cope and hide their symptoms. In addition they are more likely to have multiple comorbidities that may conceal their ADHD symptoms, such as depression, anxiety, and digestive issues. They are more likely to have hormonal fluctuations that can trigger symptoms that flare up or disappear. This is especially the case during menstrual cycles, pregnancy, and perimenopause.

2. Problems with Organization

Forgetfulness, disorganization, impulsivity, and emotional dysregulation are all common ADHD symptoms for women. These symptoms can make it difficult for them to handle their daily tasks, keep up with their responsibilities and maintain relationships. They may also have low self-esteem or anxiety. Women who are not diagnosed with ADHD may feel that they're not meeting society's expectations. They may also experience anxiety and low self-esteem.

ADHD in women can manifest itself as hyperfocus, procrastination or forgetfulness. These issues can result in women not attending appointments, not paying their bills on time, and feeling overwhelmed. Hyperfocus can cause a lack in focus on other important tasks as well as a misunderstood understanding of time. This can make it difficult to switch from one job to another. Procrastination can cause stress, anxiety, and a constant sense of being behind.


Another common symptom of ADHD is difficulty with verbal and nonverbal communication. This can mean talking too much, interrupting others or saying inappropriate things. ADHD symptoms in adult women could also be an inability to wait for her turn or trouble understanding the boundaries of social interaction. It is important to note that these issues don't always suggest a lack of intelligence or ability.

Many women suffering from ADHD come up with strategies to disguise their symptoms. This can have both positive and negative effects. Some of these coping strategies might be healthy. For example, using a daily calendar or making reminders for important dates. Some of these strategies for coping could be healthy, for instance, making reminders for events or using alcohol and drugs to mask symptoms. This is why it is essential for women who suspect they have ADHD to seek help from an expert in mental health.

Women suffering from ADHD might benefit from taking medication, lifestyle modifications, therapy, or other treatments. Some of these include cognitive behavior therapy to address underlying negative thoughts and beliefs, mindfulness and relaxation techniques and exercise, a balanced diet, and adequate sleep. A health professional may also recommend accommodations to make working or school simpler.

3. Disruptive Behaviors

Women with ADHD can struggle with emotional dysregulation. As a result, they can become discontent and frustrated when their problems aren't resolved. This makes it difficult to maintain relationships with romantic partners, friends and colleagues. For instance the tendency to forget or be impulsive can increase frustration or confusion in romantic relationships and lead to feelings of depression or loneliness. In addition the desire to find excitement on a whim could be misinterpreted as a lack of interest or apathy by others.

Because of this, ADHD symptoms are frequently missed or misdiagnosed for girls and women. They may be unable to recognizing that their struggles are related to the disorder due to social norms and stereotypes about the behavior of women and men.

Girls and women with ADHD might conceal their symptoms to avoid embarrassment. This could result in being referred to less frequently for diagnosis than boys and men who have the same symptoms. This disparity could be due to gender bias in research that informs the diagnostic criteria. In a recent study Hartung and Widiger found that women and girls are more likely to be misdiagnosed and under-diagnosed than men and boys with similar ADHD symptoms. This could be due to the fact that healthcare professionals are trained to view hyperactive and aggressive ADHD as being more common for both genders. This can make them easier to recognize and to refer to a specialist for evaluation.

Adult ADHD symptoms can manifest as anxiety and a struggle to settle down. These are typical symptoms of ADHD however, as we age they can have a major impact on one's life and well-being. People with ADHD might feel anxious or find it hard to stay still. This is particularly true if they're feeling anxious or stressed. They tend to fidget and are often overly talking. They often interrupt or end sentences of other people without even realizing they're causing offence.

If you think you may have ADHD, you can be recommended to a psychiatrist by your doctor or psychologist. You can also self-refer. This content was reviewed in the month of October 2024 and updated in November 2022 by Madeline Dykes, clinical psychologist, and members of the Thriving Madly peer support network in Christchurch.

4. Social Problems Skills

Women suffering from ADHD may have difficulty managing their emotions and communicating effectively at work. This can lead to issues in relationships with family and friends as well as in achieving professional goals. For instance, they could have trouble recognizing and responding to feedback, which can result in frustration and displeasure. They also may struggle to maintain healthy eating and sleeping habits, which can increase feelings of anxiety. In some cases women suffering from ADHD develop unhealthy coping strategies to try to compensate for these problems. They may resort to eating disorders, substance abuse and non-suicidal harming of oneself (NSSI) such as cutting, burning, or scratching.

Women with ADHD might have a harder time get treatment as adults than men, because they often hide their symptoms. They frequently develop coping strategies to try to conform to societal expectations, which can make their ADHD symptoms difficult for others to recognize. These coping mechanisms can be as simple and straightforward as setting reminders or making lists, or they could be more complex, such as being able to manage their emotions or developing mindfulness strategies.

These coping mechanisms can, however, backfire and cause more symptoms. These strategies for coping can make it difficult to get the rest you need which is essential to managing ADHD symptoms. In addition, women with ADHD often feel overwhelmed by the demands of life and this can increase stress and exacerbate ADHD symptoms.

It's true that boys are more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD than girls. However, the gap narrows as they age. This is due to the fact that women frequently have a range of symptoms over the course of their lives. This could lead to different diagnoses.

Changes in hormone levels can also impact ADHD symptoms among women. For instance, if they have high levels of estrogen during pregnancy, their symptoms could improve. Higher levels of estrogen help regulate brain chemicals that affect the ability to focus. If their estrogen levels decrease due to perimenopausal or age, ADHD symptoms may worsen.

It is possible for people with ADHD to receive an accurate diagnosis and get effective treatment. This includes cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and neurocognitive psychotherapy that can help people with ADHD build the necessary skills to improve their daily functioning. In addition, they may also attend support groups for ADHD to discuss their experiences with other individuals who are on the same path and gain valuable insight from their peers.