Does ADHD Affect Women Differently Than Men?

Before we explore the subject of "Does ADHD Affect Women Differently than Men" we should refresh our memories as to the three primary symptoms of ADHD along with the three types of ADHD. The primary symptoms of ADHD are inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity with the three basic types of ADHD being the inattentive type, impulsive type, and the combined type. In reviewing these basic guidelines it is easy to pick out the areas where attention deficit disorder with or without hyperactivity may have a greater affect on a woman than a man.

The most obvious challenge for a woman experiencing ADHD is staying organized. Let's face it a woman must possess extraordinary organizational skills both in the workplace and at home. She must be able to organize both her schedule and her children's schedules. She often is the one who sends out the thank you, holiday, and birthday cards. She also must have the answers to her spouse's inquiries as to where his shirt or pants are located. To add to her already daunting organizational demands is the fact that many women will not ask for help, even though they are being overwhelmed. Lets face it if a man is forgetful or absent minded it is often accepted as normal behavior but if a woman becomes disorganized or forgetful it is looked upon as a problem.

Perhaps these challenges might be illustrated better in a short story about Trish the ADHD working mom.

Trish is a working mom with ADHD who have two wonderful children who also have the ADHD. Trish's children are both boys, which makes them more hyperactive than females with the condition. Trish is faced with the challenge of getting her husband organized in the morning (packing his lunch and locating his briefcase). Once her husband is on his way she then rounds up her elementary school age boys who she drops off at school, on her way to work. Her job deals with insurance which requires a great deal of patience and organizational prowess, leaving her exhausted after each and every day on her job. Once the workday is over Trish must get home in time to straighten up the house and get dinner going before her husband arrives. She also is saddled with the task of helping her very disorganized and hyperactive ADHD boys with their homework. Once she gets her sons started on homework she must check on them every few minutes to make sure they haven't become distracted or let the dog out through the bathroom window. When all of the above is done Trish relaxes with a little television where she is expected to know the television schedule by heart.

Does any of this sound familiar?

Now, let's break this down into specific reasons why ADHD affects women differently than men.

* Women with children face an infinitely larger number of organization challenges than men.
* Women with ADHD may have a husband and/or children with ADHD creating organizational challenges 24/7.
* Women generally have more tasks to do
* Generally, men don't get upset about their lack of organization.
* Men generally are allowed to focus in a narrow area such as work or lawn care.
* Men who are absent minded or disorganized are seen as cute.
* Men regularly have help with their organizational inadequacies such as secretaries and/or assistants.

In summary, women with ADHD must effectively find ways to overcome ADHD symptoms. They generally face a greater number of challenges. Despite these hurdles many ADHD have taken charge of their lives and ultimately overcome their additional challenges.

Also, many women with ADHD have adopted a natural a natural ADHD treatment option known as homeopathy. Homeopathic remedies for ADHD have shown to very safe and effective in treating ADHD symptoms such as inattention, distractibility, and erratic behavior.

Women With ADHD

Women are the backbone of society. They are mothers, wives, employees and business owners. They help their forgetful husband find their keys in the morning or remember where that special birthday tie can be found. They fix the dinners and do the laundry. They lead major companies filled with absentminded men. But with all of their talents many struggle with a problematic condition known by the letters of ADHD.

The idea of a woman with AD/HD is a relatively new concept. For years it was thought of a children's condition that was recognized in young boys between the ages of 4 and 7. Young girls were not as over the top hyperactive with their behavior as boys; tending to expel their hyperactivity through talking rather than other actions more commonly linked to this condition.

The adult women with AD/HD may still be searching for answers. She may not understand why she struggles with certain things which other do easily. She may be told she just isn't trying hard enough or depression is at the root of the problem. But in women with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder depression may be a by product of the condition itself rather than the primary symptom. To better understand woman with AD/HD we must delve deeply into the condition itself.

In years past AD/HD was primary classified as one of behavior but what research is uncovering is that it that attention deficit disorder is primarily biological. Women with AD/HD can't solve their challenges just by trying harder or by using more rigid discipline. No, women with this condition have brains that are different than those without it.

Brain scans combined with intricate research suggest that attention deficit hyperactivity is caused by a problem of balance between the brain neurotransmitter hormones dopamine and norepinephrine. It is also suspected that attention deficit disorder may be a culmination of several different conditions - having different physiological causes - that share many of the same basic symptoms.

While many women with AD/HD have done a masterful job in adapting to a challenging situation the fact remains that biological disorders of the brain don't simply disappear. Perhaps the day is coming when more awareness makes it easier for the condition to be recognized but until then many women will be forced to manage their symptoms in creative and effective ways.

Additionally, many women who have failed to get a confirmation of attention deficit disorder are opting for alternative natural treatments for AD/HD. These all natural formulas are very safe and have proven to be effective in relieving such problematic symptoms as inattention, impulsivity, and erratic behavior. If you are one of the millions of women who feel you have been overlooked this is indeed an option worth considering.

ADHD and Women

We all know the statistic about ADHD being a male dominated disease with ratios as high as of 10 to 1 being bandied around. For this reason many women assume that despite suspecting ADHD symptoms they probably don't have the condition. This is the tricky part of statistics, particularly if you are the one in the equation.

The above paragraph would explain why the biggest challenge that women with ADHD face is finding a doctor to take them seriously, primarily due to the male dominated perception. Combine the male perception with the lack of research concerning female ADHD and you end up with a situation where even if ADHD was suspected it might be difficult to gather enough information to confirm. The good news is that this is changing due to increased awareness combined with well researched information becoming available. There also have been a couple of well written books recently released on the subject of ADHD in women.

Not that long ago the accepted wisdom was that men were ten times more likely be affected by ADHD; currently those number have dropped to 4 or 5 times more likely. Simply put, the probability has been cut in half.

Is the dramatic change in numbers based on better diagnostic procedures or a growing awareness of women's ADHD? It's hard to known for certain but one thing research has uncovered is women who have ADHD have symptoms that are more serious. Many experts believe that the seriousness of ADHD symptoms in women may be explained by the reluctance of many doctors to accept ADHD as a real condition, affecting large numbers of women. Another common assertion is that since women are less prone to be externally hyperactive they are not assumed to have ADHD. An important side note about hyperactivity, as it relates to women, is that women will tend to show their hyperactivity through talking whereas men will show their hyperactivity by moving around.

In summary, if you feel that you are experiencing ADHD symptoms such as lack of focus, inattentiveness, excessive talking, short attention span, or poor organizational skills seek professional help for an evaluation. Keep in mind that inattention must be present for a diagnosis to be confirmed.

Additionally, if you are a woman who feels you have many of the symptoms but are fearful of both the cost and side effects of ADHD prescription medications then perhaps a more natural option may be worth looking into. Among the most effective of these natural treatment options is homeopathy. Homeopathic remedies for ADHD symptoms have proven to be an extremely safe, effective, and affordable option for treating ADHD symptoms such as inattention, lack of focus, and nervousness.

Does ADHD Affect Women Differently Than Men?

Before we explore the subject of "Does ADHD Affect Women Differently than Men" we should refresh our memories as to the three primary symptoms of ADHD along with the three types of ADHD. The primary symptoms of ADHD are inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity with the three basic types of ADHD being the inattentive type, impulsive type, and the combined type. In reviewing these basic guidelines it is easy to pick out the areas where attention deficit disorder with or without hyperactivity may have a greater affect on a woman than a man.

The most obvious challenge for a woman experiencing ADHD is staying organized. Let's face it a woman must possess extraordinary organizational skills both in the workplace and at home. She must be able to organize both her schedule and her children's schedules. She often is the one who sends out the thank you, holiday, and birthday cards. She also must have the answers to her spouse's inquiries as to where his shirt or pants are located. To add to her already daunting organizational demands is the fact that many women will not ask for help, even though they are being overwhelmed. Lets face it if a man is forgetful or absent minded it is often accepted as normal behavior but if a woman becomes disorganized or forgetful it is looked upon as a problem.

Perhaps these challenges might be illustrated better in a short story about Trish the ADHD working mom.

Trish is a working mom with ADHD who have two wonderful children who also have the ADHD. Trish's children are both boys, which makes them more hyperactive than females with the condition. Trish is faced with the challenge of getting her husband organized in the morning (packing his lunch and locating his briefcase). Once her husband is on his way she then rounds up her elementary school age boys who she drops off at school, on her way to work. Her job deals with insurance which requires a great deal of patience and organizational prowess, leaving her exhausted after each and every day on her job. Once the workday is over Trish must get home in time to straighten up the house and get dinner going before her husband arrives. She also is saddled with the task of helping her very disorganized and hyperactive ADHD boys with their homework. Once she gets her sons started on homework she must check on them every few minutes to make sure they haven't become distracted or let the dog out through the bathroom window. When all of the above is done Trish relaxes with a little television where she is expected to know the television schedule by heart.

Does any of this sound familiar?

Now, let's break this down into specific reasons why ADHD affects women differently than men.

* Women with children face an infinitely larger number of organization challenges than men.
* Women with ADHD may have a husband and/or children with ADHD creating organizational challenges 24/7.
* Women generally have more tasks to do
* Generally, men don't get upset about their lack of organization.
* Men generally are allowed to focus in a narrow area such as work or lawn care.
* Men who are absent minded or disorganized are seen as cute.
* Men regularly have help with their organizational inadequacies such as secretaries and/or assistants.

In summary, women with ADHD must effectively find ways to overcome ADHD symptoms. They generally face a greater number of challenges. Despite these hurdles many ADHD have taken charge of their lives and ultimately overcome their additional challenges.

Also, many women with ADHD have adopted a natural a natural ADHD treatment option known as homeopathy. Homeopathic remedies for ADHD have shown to very safe and effective in treating ADHD symptoms such as inattention, distractibility, and erratic behavior.