Could YOU have ADHD and not know it? These are the 15 overlooked signs… as 75% of women are never diagnosed

Diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) has been growing steadily over the past decade, but there’s one demographic that continues to be overlooked: women.

Many What scientists know about ADHD While the study focused on men, the disorder is very different for women, said Dr Janina Maschke, a cognitive psychologist and ADHD coach.

Women with ADHD are often ignored because of symptoms such as shyness, sensitivity to noise, and emotional instability.

They are often described as just “joyful.”‘ Or symptoms are related to menstruation, anxiety, or depression.

In contrast, men are more likely than women to suffer from the impulsivity, hyperactivity, and inattention that comes with the disorder.

This means: Three times more likely than men More men than women are diagnosed with the disorder.

By some estimates, 75 percent of women with the disease go undiagnosed. According to the Canadian ADHD Awareness Centre (CADDAC):

That’s because women feel better if they can suppress their symptoms, says Dr Sasha Hamdani, a New York psychiatrist. Kansas The city said.

“Society rewards women for hiding their symptoms,” says Dr Hamdani. Post to TikTok.

These symptoms are hidden because women are socialized to be “less intrusive and more submissive,” she said. Saxophone Center For treating ADHD and autism.

Instead, they may develop coping mechanisms, such as obsessing over details or becoming hyper-organized, to hide their inner turmoil.

To give a concrete understanding of what this looks like for women, Dr. Maschke He told Newsweek magazine 15 ADHD symptoms that commonly affect women may not be recognized as features of the disease.

These symptoms include appearing introverted and shy, having unstable emotions, daydreaming a lot, being talkative but not good listeners, appearing unmotivated, being sensitive to noises and fabrics, taking a long time to process information, slamming doors, getting easily distracted, making careless mistakes, and often interrupting or blurting out words when others are speaking.

Some say that because people with ADHD have already busy minds, unexpected sounds, smells or touches can cause extreme discomfort and overwhelm the person. Community Health Network.

There are still some classic symptoms already associated with ADHD, such as difficulty staying focused, being disorganized, being forgetful and often late, making careless mistakes, not being able to complete tasks, and frequent changes in focus.

“Due to differences in how symptoms manifest, boys may be diagnosed more often than girls because they may be more likely to outwardly express symptoms and cause trouble for others at school,” Dr Maschke said.

This is why women with ADHD sometimes It’s called inattentive ADHDThat’s because women with the disorder are good at appearing to be paying attention while remaining private, whereas men tend to act out when they lack focus.

According to CADDAC, women with ADHD are more likely to struggle to make friends and are 3.5 times more likely to develop eating disorders, depression and anxiety than men with ADHD.

Conversely, men with ADHD are more likely to develop substance use problems.

Although the disorder may go unnoticed in some people, overall ADHD diagnoses in the United States remain high and are on the rise.

According to CDC data: The number of women ages 15 to 44 who received a prescription for an ADHD medication increased 344 percent between 2003 and 2015.

ADHD affects 2.5% to 4.4% of American adults, approximately 11 million people.

The disease is most commonly diagnosed in children, with approximately 11 percent of Americans between the ages of 3 and 17, or about 7 million people, affected. According to the CDC.

That’s about 1 million more children living with the condition than in 2016. This rate of increase has led the CDC to declare ADHD a “growing public health concern.”

The average age of diagnosis is seven years old, with 15% of boys under the age of 18 being diagnosed with the disorder compared to 8% of girls under the age of 18.

Initially, ADHD was primarily studied in children, and because there are no formal diagnostic criteria for adult ADHD, children tend to be more likely to be diagnosed. Dr. Francis LevinProfessor of Psychiatry Columbia UniversitySaid.

That has led some experts to theorize that doctors may be overdiagnosing the condition, especially in children.

But Dr. Levin said both stories are likely true. Some people may have been misdiagnosed. Others are completely overlooked..

“Without national guidelines for diagnosing and evaluating ADHD in adults, it’s difficult to get a clear picture of how many people in the country meet the clinical definition of ADHD,” Dr. Levin said.

If you suspect you may have the disease, it’s best not to jump to conclusions before talking to your doctor, Dr. Maschke said.

“A good first step would be to speak to a pediatrician or mental health professional who can do a thorough evaluation.”

ADHD is usually treated with therapy and, if the patient is over the age of 6, medication. The goal of therapy is to help patients pay attention, develop relationships, and self-regulate when they feel overwhelmed.