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JANUARY 2016
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108 brparents.com | january 2016 characteristics of
add
in
women
?e symptoms of
add
are many. some are more com- monly seen in
women
and op- posite the more recognized symptoms, making detection unlikely and diagnosis diffi- cult. each person?s experience is unique. while there are a multitude of characteristics, most
women
with the disor- der don?t have every symp- tom. instead, each woman has a mixture severe enough to impair some areas of
life
. mental vs. physical disorganization for
women
struggling with this disorder, disorganization is common and often a seri- ous problem. ?ey may be un- able to organize their homes, offices, or lives. to outsiders, this disorganization is not always visible.
women
who lead professional lives may have assistants, secretaries, and cleaning services to as- sist them. some may have a partner who compensates for their organizational dysfunc- tion. ?ose without such as- sistance may have such clut- ter and disarray that others wonder how she manages. other
women
with
add
may find clutter and disorganiza- tion an incredible distraction. ?ese distractions, coupled with the responsibilities of everyday
life
, lead to mental disorganization as the scat- tered brain struggles to store, weed out, and organize in a logical fashion. for these
women
, being tidy and orga- nized equals survival. ?is trait, when coupled with diffi- culty shifting attention, may lead to over organizing to the point it engulfs one?s
life
. hyperactivity vs. hypoactivity
women
with
add
can be at either end of the spectrum, either hyperactive or hypo- active (underactive). hyper- active
women
may go at full speed until they crash from the overload. family
life
can also suffer with a hyperactive mother. she may be unable to sit and play games or read to her children unless she finds the activities stimulating. if a hyperactive mom does man- age to sit for an activity, she may fidget or feel anxious. many
women
with
add
are at the other extreme. ?ey?re hypoactive, unable to mus- ter the energy to do much of anything. ?ese
women
are often unable to keep up with
life
?s many demands such as maintaining a home, partici- pating in family activities, staying in touch with friends, even holding down a job. ?is symptom is often perceived as laziness by outsiders and even family who may not un- derstand. ?is misperception creates problems for the hypoactive woman and af- fects her self-esteem. inattention vs. hyperfocusing
women
with
add
struggle with the inability to regulate attention. ?is doesn?t mean they can never maintain at- tention. ?e ability to focus for most with
add
is based on interest and whether the activity is stimulating. many
women
daydreamed through school. yet the subjects or ac- tivities they found fun and interesting didn?t pose such a problem. adult
life
may be the same. hyperfocusing, the oppo- site of inattention, also poses problems and can coexist with symptoms of inatten- tion. while it may be diffi- cult to focus on some things, a woman may hyperfocus on that which interests her and be unable to shift. hyper- focusing can last for hours, days, and longer and makes it difficult to break for impor- tant matters. meals are for- gotten. family members may carry on conversations and not be heard. hyperfocusing puts a strain on the family. if a hyperfocused woman does manage to pull away, she may wander aimlessly and forget what she is doing. impatience and impulsivity standing in lines, sitting in waiting rooms, and being placed on hold for lengthy waits drives some
women
with
add
to the brink, so they may avoid these situ- ations altogether. ?ese
women
may be impatient ei- ther visibly or internally or act impulsively. minor nui- sances can cause major agita- tion. other
women
with this disorder are able to maintain their composure yet still feel anxious and annoyed.
women
with
add
may also be impatient about
life
and events. she may plan her whole education or
life
in one day and need for it to happen immediately. she goes into things full swing rather than step-by-step. ?is can result in a change of heart after much investment or feel- ing spread too thin with too many goals to achieve. impulsiveness is seen when
women
with the disorder act or speak without thinking. ?is often leads to trouble by spending impulsively or jumping into relationships and even marriage. some struggle socially and inter- rupt conversations or blurt things out they later regret. mood mood swings, being overemo- tional, or easily frustrated is another problem. for some
women
, having
add
is like being on an emotional roll- er coaster. extreme shifts in mood sometimes lead to a mis- diagnosis of bipolar disorder, though the two can coexist.
women
with
add
are frus- trated by the slightest ag- gravations. a simple mistake seems a major ordeal and may result in anger, storming off, and dropping a task altogeth- er. if interrupted in the midst of something, a woman may become irritable and annoyed. depression, although not a symptom of
add
, often co- exists or is a result of the de- bilitating disorder. depres- sion in the
add
woman may stem from lack of self worth because she is unable to hold down a job or adequately care for her family. it may re- sult from not achieving up to
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