Gender Differences in ADHD
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD, is a genetic disorder that makes it difficult for a person to pay attention or control impulsive behaviors. The condition is typically diagnosed during childhood and can persist into adulthood, though ADHD symptoms can subside by the time they reach adulthood. Though treatment for any condition can vary from person to person, ADHD can be more difficult to treat in women than men because of how differently ADHD symptoms are presented between both genders. This leaves people to question just how different ADHD symptoms are between men and women, and where are these symptoms are similar between both genders.
ADHD has always been more prevalent in men than women, but this information doesn’t mean ADHD diagnoses aren’t rising with women. In fact, we see that even with a 6–8 percentage gap ADHD diagnoses in men and women are increasing at the same rate. There is a possibility, however, that there are far more women who have ADHD that have yet to be diagnosed because of how much different women with ADHD behave than men with ADHD.
Among both men and women with ADHD, those diagnosed with ADHD are likely to have other conditions that overlap with their ADHD symptoms. In ADHD, there are three core symptoms: impulsivity, inattention, and hyperactivity. These three core symptoms can cause difficulties in focusing on tasks, impulsive behavior that can range from risky behavior to obsessive-compulsions, and emotional dyscontrol. A study led by Jeffrey Newcorn analyzed whether ADHD children with and without comorbid conditions have equally high levels of the three most common ADHD symptoms and whether symptoms differ as a function of comorbidity and gender.
Especially in women who show ADHD symptoms along with anxiety, and disruptive behavior disorder, inattentiveness is higher than males in comparison to other core symptoms such as impulsivity. In addition, symptoms of emotional dyscontrol in women were higher with children with ADHD combined with other comorbidities than ADHD alone. One interesting finding within this visualization is the percentage difference for impulsivity symptoms between men and women with ADHD and anxiety, with only 2 percent of women with ADHD showing symptoms of impulsivity. Though all three symptoms are majorly present within men in comparison to women, both men and women almost equally deal with these symptoms.
From a study assessing ADHD in women and girls, women majorly present their symptoms internally through attentiveness than hyperactivity and impulsivity. This can cause difficulties with a number of things including getting a proper diagnosis before children achieve adulthood, having their ADHD symptoms misdiagnosed for another disorder, and ultimately receiving treatment for their symptoms. Knowing this information, there could also be potential flaws within this data solely because there is a possibility that there’s more women across the United States that have ADHD but have yet to be diagnosed. For high levels of dyscontrol in women, this information can come down to estrogen playing a part in making women more sensitive and prone to having meltdowns.
With mental health trending within the 21st century and people becoming more aware about unspoken illnesses and disabilities, there is potential for those with ADHD—especially women—to use this opportunity to speak about the unseen symptoms of ADHD on a worldwide level through social media and other platforms.
