ADHD – Comparing Men to Women, Symptoms, and More

ADHD is short for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder formally known as ADD. This mental health disorder  is rapidly becoming the single most diagnosed mental health concern in the United States. For undetermined reason certain states have high rates of diagnosed cases (Alabama) with other states like Colorado being very low.

But while there are obvious geographic differences there are also differences in how this mental health concern presents itself in men and women. Additionally, since there has been limited research dissecting ADHD in women the diagnostic criteria is male leaning, leaving many women desperately needing help out in the cold.

In this article I pass on some of my personal experiences with attention deficit disorder to determining a few differences in behavior as well as identifying some similarities as well.

First you should know that there are three major diagnostic classifications for ADHD in both men and women. They are the predominately inattentive type, the predominately hyperactive-impulsive type, and the combined type. It is also important to point out that only about 30 percent of ADHD cases occur without another condition being present, and this number may be even high in women. Examples of conditions which often co-exist with ADHD are generalized anxiety disorder, depression, and bi-polar disorder.

So in many ways when it comes to ADHD it is difficult to make a generalized comparison between men and women.

Some experts believe that women are the most under diagnosed category when it comes to this disorder. Much of this revolves around the way hormonal cycles exasperate ADHD symptoms and how women tend to translate their hyperactive or impulsive behavior into action.

One women I know who has been diagnosed with this condition is living proof that this is the case. She gets rid of that pent of hyperactivity through talking, in fact you can't stop her. She also exhibits some the other signs of ADHD including lack of organizational skills, failure to follow through on projects, tics, and impulsivity especially when driving. The only symptom exclusive to women is the expressive her hyperactivity through the endless gift of gab.

She also can become obsessively fixated on something when she becomes interested in it. Her ex boyfriends could write volumes on this one. So for all you men out there who are thinking about making a commitment to a woman who is struggling with this type of ADHD you should keep in mind there could be a bumpy ride ahead.

Additionally, a large percentage of the under diagnosed group of women with ADHD will tend to internalize things. They will be the girl sitting quietly in the classroom who appear outwardly to be the perfect student but internally they struggle terribly with concentration, focus, and organizational skills. They may struggle with details as well not being able to accurately interpret directions. Their grades may suffer and they may become bored or depressed quite easily.

Adult women typically have high levels of emotional symptoms with cognitive problems linked to ADHD including little self regulation when it comes to reacting to normal daily stresses, limited anger management, and depression.

Tip: If you are a man or a women struggling with this condition one of the best things you can do is set aside a few minutes each night to schedule the following day's activities and goals. Set your goals fairly, and fight the urge to be too critical of yourself.

Help for men and women with ADHD

Whether you are a man or a woman struggling with ADHD finding an effective treatment option is an important first step. The most common form of treatment currently are prescription stimulants such as Ritalin, Adderall and Vyvanse. While effective, all stimulant medications come with a number of serious label warnings.

The risk of side effects, or perhaps lack of success with stimulants, has prompted many to investigate other options. A couple examples of this are behavior modification therapy and/or natural remedies. Natural remedies for ADHD are a side effect free way to address such problematic symptoms as inattention, distractibility, impulsivity, erratic behavior and hyperactivity and can be used both as a standalone treatment or as a compliment to other nonprescription alternatives.