Common ADHD Symptoms in Women and Young Girls

ADHD also known as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is severely underdiagnosed in girls/women as their symptoms are often mistaken as “just being a girl” (being too chatty in class as a young kid for example). 

Many women are diagnosed with Anxiety and Depression before they are ever diagnosed with ADHD. Unfortunately not knowing you have ADHD can cause you to feel terrible about yourself as you don’t understand why you’re not acting as neurotypical as everyone else (being able to be places on time, following a schedule, staying organized or focused). If ADHD is diagnosed earlier in life it can positively improve your life drastically.

Here are common symptoms of ADHD in girls

• Talking all of the time, even when parents or teachers ask you to stop (you may be getting complaints at parent teacher interviews that your child is “constantly talking”)
• Frequent crying, even from small disappointments 
• Constantly interrupting those around her in conversations or during activities 
• Trouble paying attention or focusing (a teacher or tutor may point this out in younger years)
• Frequent daydreaming or being “zoned out”
• Having a messy bedroom most of the time, or other spaces like their desk or backpack
• Difficulty finishing assigned work (they find themselves constantly being pushed to get work done by teachers or parents and always finishing their work last in class)
• Girls with ADHD can also then develop depression, stress, anxiety, and a low self esteem.
• It’s hard to pick up on anxiety in girls as they internalize it
• It’s likely untreated ADHD can be affecting your work and causing bad grades and bad mental health, as well as an inability to manage friendships
• Young women with adhd are three to four times more likely to attempt sucide

If you suspect you or your child may be dealing with ADHD it’s important to get a diagnosis as soon as possible to get the help or treatment you may need to live a higher quality life and avoid adverse mental health issues.
Let us help you connect to the right resource for diagnosis and come up with a plan for how to help you manage your ADHD symptoms better. Call us at 1-866-491-3337 or email us at info@muskokarecovery.ca