For years, they may have blamed themselves for their shortcomings, and theirself-esteemhas taken a hit.
Constantly worrying about every detail of their lives may have led to emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion.
you’ve got the option to do many things to make it easier to manage your ADHD characteristics.
Bonninstudio / Stocksy United
Everyone is different, so figuring out which strategies work best for you is crucial!
Because ADHD characteristics manifest differently in women, they often don’t getdiagnosed until adulthood.
Specifically, girls' veer more toward inattentiveness and disorganization.
Families and peers often overlook these characteristics, meaning such traits are often attributed to personality rather than ADHD.
For example, many overcompensate with list-making to help them stay organized.
Although doing this works, it also makes it very easy for doctors to miss the diagnosis.
Although hyperactivity tends to wane, traits such as inattention can continue into adulthood.
For women, issues related to ADHD may worsen into adulthood.
Having hyperactivity poses its own challenges.
You might find you have more physical energy than your peers and be accused of talking constantly.
This experience can continue into adulthood.
Getting diagnosed can have a positive effect on how you feel about yourself.
Try not to feel alarmed.
Sometimes symptoms of one condition can be masked by characteristics of ADHD or vice versa.
Being honest about what you are experiencing doesn’t mean that you are complaining.
Drive Safely
Inattention and distractibility are the most common reasons for transport accidents.
They are also the most common symptoms experienced by women with ADHD.
Instead of putting pressure on yourself to meet impossibly high standards, work onputting things into perspective.
Manage Your Time
Difficulty with time management is common for adult women with ADHD.
These difficulties can leave you feeling overwhelmed, frustrated, and exhausted.
Trycreating a schedulethe night before so that you could start your day strong.
Having a “game plan” will help you feel calmer.
(Tip: You might find that visual timers are the most helpful!)
Exercise
If you have hyperactivity, try incorporatingphysical activityinto your daily routine.
Research suggests that physical activity may help people manage inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity.
you might channel your energy in many positive ways.
You may even discover a new hobby.
Find Supportive ADHD Resources
It’s important to recognize that ADHD is a form ofneurodivergence.
It doesn’t mean that there is something wrong with you or that you better be “fixed.”
It just means that your brain works differently than a neurotypical person’s brain.
There are online directories where it’s possible for you to find ND-affirming doctors and therapists.
There are alsosupport groupsand other resources that provide valuable information and resources.
2014;16(3).
2013;13(1):298. doi:10.1186/1471-244X-13-298
Attoe DE, Climie EA.Miss.
diagnosis: A systematic review of ADHD in adult women.J Atten Disord.
2021;27:e933766.
2021 Dec 06;12:806241] [published correction appears in Front Pediatr.
2023 Jan 09;10:1095727].Front Psychiatry.
New Harbinger Publications; 2013.
Nadeau KG.Adventures In Fast Forward: Life, Love and Work for the Add Adult.