What does ADHD look like in high achieving girls?

Shauna Pollard, Ph. D., a practicing psychologist providing online therapy to clients in various parts of the United States, explains that for high achievers, ADHD can look like: losing things, having trouble socially or having a lack of focus.

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What does high functioning ADHD look like in girls?

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.

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What are the symptoms of ADHD in intelligent girls?

ADHD in Girls: Recognizing Key Symptoms
  • daydreaming quietly in class.
  • feeling anxious or sad.
  • exhibiting silliness or apparent ditziness.
  • acting shy or inattentive.
  • trouble maintaining friendships.
  • picking at cuticles or skin.
  • being a perfectionist.

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What does ADHD masking look like in girls?

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.

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What are red flags for ADHD in girls?

They tend to be self-focused on what they believe to be important and have trouble with external rules and cues. Emotional Turmoil – A characteristic of this disorder is that a child has trouble processing and expressing their emotions. This can lead to outbursts as these children attempt to express how they feel.

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ADHD in Women

23 related questions found

What does undiagnosed ADHD in a girl child look like?

The signs of ADHD in girls are more likely to look like inattention than hyperactivity. Girls with ADHD often don't fit the stereotype of excessive energy. Instead, they have a hard time paying attention, staying organized, and managing their time. People might mistake girls with ADHD for just being spacey or lazy.

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When does ADHD peak in girls?

Research is showing that the symptoms of ADHD often intensify for girls during puberty when estrogen increases in their bodies. 3 As you already know, puberty is a time of great change in a girl's life as she begins the transition from childhood into adulthood.

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What is ADHD mirroring?

One type of ADHD masking — known as mirroring — involves intentionally or unintentionally mimicking the speech, movements, or behaviors of someone else. While ADHD mirroring and body doubling may seem similar at first glance, you can work alongside a body double without imitating them in any way.

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What is an example of Stimming with ADHD?

Stimming can take many different forms: visual: staring off into space, drawing, spinning things like pens or coins. verbal/auditory: repeating sounds, excessive giggling, constantly clearing throat. tactile: rubbing fingers, chewing/biting nails, chewing the inside of cheeks.

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Does ADHD look different in girls?

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is often thought of as a "boys' disorder" because it's nearly twice as common in boys as girls. But it's important to note that ADHD can look different in girls. That's because of the different ways girls' and boys' brains develop and where their focuses lie.

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Can high achievers have ADHD?

No, Being a High Achiever Doesn't Mean You Don't Have ADHD.) Many high-achieving adults with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are shocked when they are first diagnosed. Everything comes together, and they now understand why they excel at complexity, but struggle with the day-to-day.

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What is high functioning ADHD?

High-functioning ADHD isn't a formal diagnosis. It's a phrase used to describe people living with ADHD who see little to no major impact on daily life. Just because you've reached great success or have found ways to work around ADHD symptoms doesn't mean ADHD might not be affecting you.

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Can girls with ADHD be clever?

A popular misconception is that all children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are naturally smarter and have a higher IQ than children without ADHD. However, there is no correlation between this condition and intelligence.

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What does ADHD in girls struggle with?

Girls with ADHD sometimes struggle to make and keep friends. Many also experience low self-esteem, depression or anxiety. They also have higher rates of self-harm, substance abuse, and suicide attempts than other girls.

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Do people with ADHD think faster?

Executive functions have other roles which affect how someone thinks. In people with ADHD, these executive dysfunctions impact thinking in numerous ways. People with ADHD don't really think faster than people without it, but it can sometimes seem like they do.

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Do people with ADHD sleep a lot?

Adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) frequently suffer from sleep problems and report high levels of daytime sleepiness compared to neurotypical controls, which has detrimental effect on quality of life.

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Do people with ADHD overthink?

Take, for example, ADHD. While most people associate ADHD with hyperactivity and impulsivity, it can also manifest in more subtle ways, such as through intrusive thoughts and overthinking.

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What is ADHD masking behavior?

ADHD masking may also be called "camouflaging." This is when someone with ADHD tries to cover up their symptoms by copying the behaviors of people who don't have it. ADHD masking may be a way for some people with ADHD to fit in socially, avoid being stigmatized, or feel more accepted.

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How can you tell if someone is masking ADHD?

using so much energy to seem “fine” that you do not have enough left to function or enjoy life. hiding your feelings and denying yourself emotional support from friends and family. behaving as if you do not have ADHD and missing out on a diagnosis and treatment.

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How do neurotypicals view ADHD?

Neurotypicals misinterpret this as being callous, narcissistic, uncaring, or socially inept. Taken together, the vulnerability of a person with ADHD to the negative feedback of others, and the lack of ability to observe oneself in the moment, make a witch's brew.

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Do girls with ADHD get overwhelmed easily?

They typically report feeling overwhelmed, inadequate, misunderstood, and distressed at a time in their lives when they often have the greatest demands on their time and energy.

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Do girls with ADHD get tired easily?

ADHD and fatigue share a connection as they both primarily affect your brain and executive functioning. They both can have their roots in how your brain is wired and ultimately operates. As a result, people with ADHD tend to be more prone towards developing cases of regular and chronic fatigue.

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Do girls with ADHD have mood swings?

People with ADHD often have trouble managing their emotions. And they tend to feel emotions more intensely than other people. The result? For some, it can mean mood swings that leave the people around them wondering what caused such a quick change in attitude and behavior.

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Are people with ADHD chatty?

Excessive talking is a common symptom for kids with ADHD (attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder), who often have trouble inhibiting and controlling their responses. 1 They may blurt out whatever first comes to mind, whether appropriate or not, without thinking through how their words may be received.

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What are non obvious symptoms of ADHD?

Do I Have ADHD? 8 Subtle Signs in Adults
  • Having an altered sense of time. ...
  • Lack of executive functioning skills. ...
  • Hyperfocus. ...
  • Frequent job changes. ...
  • Feeling restless and needing to stay active. ...
  • Emotional sensitivity. ...
  • Difficulty keeping friends and romantic partners. ...
  • Poor financial planning skills and impulsive spending.

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