Several research projects in recent years have looked into the impact of ADHD on the lives of teen females. MRI studies show that the teen brain is rapidly maturing, but is not fully mature until the early twenties in women, and perhaps the early thirties in men. Long-term studies on behavior and emotional health show that females with ADHD may struggle through the teen years. And other studies report that depression is common among teens with ADHD, and is so common among teen students that the use of medications for ADHD, antidepressants, anti-psychotics, and even sleep medications, is up sharply with teen females.
While many children and teens with ADHD also suffer from some degree of sadness, discouragement, or frustration, as many as 25% are clinically depressed. Children and teens with ADHD are as much as 300% more likely to also suffer from clinical depression than are children or teens without ADHD.
The co-morbid depression do not seem to be associated with the ADHD symptoms such as inattention, impulsivity, hyperactivity, or academic problems. These problems might result in a young person being discouraged, sad, or frustrated, but probably not clinically depressed.
Rather, the depression seems to be most associated with social awkwardness or interpersonal difficulties that are sometimes a part of having ADHD. The lack of friendships, the sense of loneliness, or the sense of being a social outcast are most likely behind the depression. And these feelings are, of course, much stronger in the teenage years.
In females who were diagnosed with ADHD, and were followed by long-term studies through the years, it was observed that as they moved from childhood to adolescence their outward symptoms of ADHD, such as hyperactivity and impulsivity, seemed to lessen.
We do want to note that most females with ADHD do not have the symptoms of hyperactivity or impulsivity. Most females with ADHD are inattentive, distracted, disorganized, or space cadets, which is why females are so under-diagnosed for ADHD. Young women tend to just sit in the classroom, get distracted, and do poorly on the tests. But they don’t cause trouble in the classroom so they often do not get the attention that might lead to a diagnosis and useful treatment.
But for those females were did have the symptoms of hyperactivity or impulsivity, and had been diagnosed as children, their outward symptoms tended to decrease as they reached the teenage years.
However, as these females reached the teenage years, it was observed that their performance in school continued to be a problem, and that the academic gap between them and their peers without ADHD continued to widen with each passing year.
These researchers also noted that, while some females with ADHD actually out-grew it as they reached their teenage years, for the most part the females not only continued to suffer from their ADHD, but many began to get into serious trouble. Both behavioral and emotional problems began to emerge in many of these females, and the need for specialized treatment grew.
By: Douglas Cowan
Article Source: http://www.ArticleBiz.com
While many children and teens with ADHD also suffer from some degree of sadness, discouragement, or frustration, as many as 25% are clinically depressed. Children and teens with ADHD are as much as 300% more likely to also suffer from clinical depression than are children or teens without ADHD.
The co-morbid depression do not seem to be associated with the ADHD symptoms such as inattention, impulsivity, hyperactivity, or academic problems. These problems might result in a young person being discouraged, sad, or frustrated, but probably not clinically depressed.
Rather, the depression seems to be most associated with social awkwardness or interpersonal difficulties that are sometimes a part of having ADHD. The lack of friendships, the sense of loneliness, or the sense of being a social outcast are most likely behind the depression. And these feelings are, of course, much stronger in the teenage years.
In females who were diagnosed with ADHD, and were followed by long-term studies through the years, it was observed that as they moved from childhood to adolescence their outward symptoms of ADHD, such as hyperactivity and impulsivity, seemed to lessen.
We do want to note that most females with ADHD do not have the symptoms of hyperactivity or impulsivity. Most females with ADHD are inattentive, distracted, disorganized, or space cadets, which is why females are so under-diagnosed for ADHD. Young women tend to just sit in the classroom, get distracted, and do poorly on the tests. But they don’t cause trouble in the classroom so they often do not get the attention that might lead to a diagnosis and useful treatment.
But for those females were did have the symptoms of hyperactivity or impulsivity, and had been diagnosed as children, their outward symptoms tended to decrease as they reached the teenage years.
However, as these females reached the teenage years, it was observed that their performance in school continued to be a problem, and that the academic gap between them and their peers without ADHD continued to widen with each passing year.
These researchers also noted that, while some females with ADHD actually out-grew it as they reached their teenage years, for the most part the females not only continued to suffer from their ADHD, but many began to get into serious trouble. Both behavioral and emotional problems began to emerge in many of these females, and the need for specialized treatment grew.
By: Douglas Cowan
Article Source: http://www.ArticleBiz.com
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