This is especially true for girls and women with
While some people still believe that ADHD can only manifest as hyperactivity - that's not always the case. That means inattentiveness is a main symptom, too! They may present shyness or are timid and still have ADHD.
Differences in emotions in people with ADHD can lead to 'shutdowns', where someone is so overwhelmed with emotions that they space out, may find it hard to speak or move and may struggle to articulate what they are feeling until they can process their emotions.
People with ADHD tend to talk — a lot. We talk because we're excited or nervous, or because we just want to be a part of the conversation. Sometimes we talk simply to fill the silence because silence is hard for us.
ADHD and Shyness
It has everything to do with how comfortable a person feels about themselves. Many adults with ADHD don't feel comfortable with themselves. They feel shame that they aren't where they thought they would be at this point in their lives.
Put simply; masking is intentionally shifting your behavior to hide your differences. For example, a woman with ADHD might smile and nod during a conversation even though she tuned out long ago, or she may secretly work late into the night to overcompensate for not staying on task for a deadline.
A recent study of thousands of men and women found two of five adults with ADHD are in excellent physical health, but ADHD women were less likely to be thriving. This comports with research from earlier studies that show women have higher rates of depression, anxiety, and suicidality.
Can you be introverted and have ADHD? Absolutely. People with ADHD have a diverse range of presentations and personality traits. This 2017 study of children with ADHD found that 58% of participants were introverted.
Female children with ADHD often try to join a group, talk a lot but can hardly understand how her peers feel about what they are doing. They have difficulty connecting socially with others and when frustration gets in, they become impulsive and resort to verbal aggressiveness.
A girl with ADHD may have impulsivity and be hyper-talkative. She may be verbally impulsive, interrupt others, talk excessively, or change topics repeatedly during conversations. She might even blurt out words without thinking about their impact on others. Girls with ADHD can also be overly sensitive.
One of the many ADHD traits that gets misread as a sign of rudeness is the habit of interrupting people in conversations, usually with a thought that seems completely unrelated to the topic. When someone gets cut off, they often think it means you weren't really listening or you don't care what they have to say.
People with ADHD often lack social interaction skills. Whether you talk non-stop, drift in and out of conversation, or only talk about yourself, there are ways to take note and become a better conversationalist.
Communication can be tricky for people with ADHD, who may interrupt too much, speak too quickly, or space out unintentionally and miss key elements of a conversation.
Inattentive ADHD Explained
They are easily distracted by external stimuli, and often lose things. They may leave projects unfinished and appear not to listen when you speak. These are all symptoms of Inattentive-Type ADHD; they are not personal defects.
Adults with ADHD frequently think being sociable with others is an all-or-nothing part of their lives. Either they're oversharing and talking too much, or they're withdrawn and staying home alone. Hyperactivity in adults is often expressed as being overly talkative and boisterous.
In order to notice ADHD in girls, adults cannot rely on looking for hyperactivity as a symptom. Instead, the adults in a girl's life may notice that she: Cries more easily than he peers. Gets irritated easily.
Research is showing that the symptoms of ADHD often intensify for girls during puberty when estrogen increases in their bodies.
Social Skills in Adults with ADHD. Individuals with ADHD often experience social difficulties, social rejection, and interpersonal relationship problems as a result of their inattention, impulsivity and hyperactivity. Such negative interpersonal outcomes cause emotional pain and suffering.
In social situations, the mood instability symptoms of ADHD can severely affect a persons ability to maintain friendships and be included in group activities, leading to isolation and regret. Anger and irritability can mean that getting into arguments or being verbally or physically aggressive can be common in ADHD.
It is not uncommon for people with ADHD to have a co-occurring anxiety condition, including social anxiety. Social anxiety is characterized by an intense fear of social situations. Learning the differences between the two conditions is important in the management and treatment of both.
Interestingly, girls with untreated ADHD may be more likely to blame and judge themselves for these problems, leading to a higher risk for low self-esteem than boys who have ADHD. They may also be more likely to have problems with substance abuse, eating disorders, and anxiety.
Women with ADHD, compared to men with ADHD, struggle more with socialization. Women are often overwhelmed with the demands of relationships and tend to have fewer meaningful relationships as a result. They rarely initiate friendships, and have trouble maintaining them. Isolation protects from discomfort and confusion.
The emotional and social fallout of ADHD can be very serious. Girls with ADHD sometimes struggle to make and keep friends. Many also experience low self-esteem, depression or anxiety.