High Functioning ADHD in Women
Women with adhd that are high functioning are dissatisfied and often misunderstood by their relationships. The symptoms may increase during times of hormonal change like the pre-menstrual period and pregnancy.
Many women and girls are forced to resort to compensatory strategies, masking their symptoms and impairments that can delay time until referral.
This group of patients faces particular issues that need to be taken into consideration when treating them.
1. Lack of Self-Esteem
Women can be depressed by the emotional and social challenges of ADHD. Even if they're successful, it's easy to feel like a failure because of things they cannot change. This can create a vicious cycle where they feel constantly overwhelmed and never quite good enough, which can take a toll on their mental health and self-esteem.
Girls with ADHD who aren't treated are at a higher chance of developing chronic low self-esteem and teen pregnancy. They also have a higher risk of depression, anxiety and substance abuse. As adults, they're at a higher risk of becoming parents on their own to a child suffering from ADHD and also facing financial difficulties or unemployment. They're also more likely to suffer with eating disorders, and their negative habits can be passed on to their children.
It is crucial for girls to receive an accurate diagnosis because it will give them a better understanding of their issues and help them manage their symptoms more effectively. Many women say that they feel more at ease after receiving their diagnosis, allowing them to stop blaming themselves for the little things they can't control. It can also help them reframe their issues and help them focus on the things that matter (Waite 2010).
As women age and approach menopausal, their hormone levels can change and ADHD symptoms could worsen. It can be difficult to diagnose and treat patients with ADHD as their symptoms could be mistakenly diagnosed and dismissed as "hormonal", "that time of the month" or "an anxiety disorder".
Untreated adult ADHD can have a devastating impact on women's self-esteem as well as relationships with her family and friends. The symptoms can disrupt daily routines, leaving her frustrated and exhausted. She may feel she can't refuse to be around people which causes her to burden herself and feel resentful towards people close to her. She may find it difficult to organize the work and home lives of her children, leading to missing appointments and lost files. She may also be more easily triggered by rejection, so she may be more likely to react defensively and even lash out at the people she likes.
2. Rejection Sensitivity
Rejection sensitivity makes you feel deeply hurt when rejected. It could be real or perceived. You could be triggered by an argument with your partner or a negative feedback from a coworker at work. Your brain's defense mechanisms naturally become over-stimulated and the thoughts, feelings, and beliefs that result can harm your self-esteem and relationships. You may also experience depression, anxiety and mood swings as a result of sensitive to rejection.
Although it's often attributed to ADHD, rejection sensitiveness is actually a sign of emotional dysregulation, which affects the way your brain handles emotions and how you respond to them. Other mental health issues like borderline personality disorder can be a sign of these symptoms too.
RSD patients can see events through a filter, which makes them appear brighter or darker than they really are. This can lead people to interpret things as rejection related, even if they aren't. RSD can also cause you to have a hard managing your emotions, which is why it's important to have healthy coping strategies to deal with this.
Read the articles below to find out more about the sensitivity to rejection.
While there is no cure for RSD it is possible to treat symptoms with the assistance of a mental health professional. You can utilize coping techniques like cognitive behavior therapy to alter your negative thinking patterns. You can also establish an alliance of support and practice mindfulness to lower your risk of reacting negatively to rejection. This can aid you in overcoming your RSD to live a more fulfilled and happy life. Avoid relationships that are toxic, because they can cause more symptoms. If you are in a abusive relationship, you should seek counseling to learn how to safely leave. This can reduce your risk of feeling depressed and anxious like depression and anxiety. By focusing on relationships that are healthy and relationships, you can boost your self-esteem. This will allow you to feel more confident about your abilities and provide you with an unbiased view of the world around you.
3. Sexuality
ADHD symptoms can make the maintenance of a healthy relationship a challenge. This can lead to sexual dysfunctions and risky behaviours. Women who have high functioning adhd may be at greater risk of developing sexual problems. These behaviors can cause feelings of guilt and embarrassment and can affect their relationships and wellbeing.
One study conducted a survey of adults suffering from ADHD and discovered that they were more likely to have adventurous sexual interests than those without the disorder. Both males and women were affected. This could be due to the greater impulsivity levels that could make them more likely to act on their sexual ideas and desires. The study revealed that females who suffer from adhd are more likely to indulge in paraphilic fantasies and behaviors. This included submissive roles, bondage, and sex with strangers. They also went to sex parties and clubs more often.
Females and males with adhd had a higher rate of infidelity than those without the disorder. This was due their poor control of impulses and alcohol-related disinhibition. This was likely also because of their higher rates of insecurity and feeling misunderstood by partners. navigate to these guys asked respondents to describe their experiences with sexual affairs and sexual intercourse without the use of contraception. Table 6 outlines the results of this section.
The study also used the Hypersexuality Symptom Inventory-19 (HBI-19) to inquire from participants about their problematic sexual behavior. This questionnaire consists of 19 items that are grouped into three subscales. Each item is scored using five-point scale, starting from 1 (never to 5) (very frequently)). The higher the score the more symptomatology there is. The HBI-19 was used in order to compare sexual behaviors between people who suffer from ADHD and those without.
These findings are important because the psychosexual experiences of adults with ADHD are not well-studied. They have been linked to sexual dysfunctions, such as STI's and unplanned pregnancies, relationship dissatisfaction, adult and adolescent onset infidelity and risky sexual behavior.
4. Relationships
Many people with high functioning ADHD have difficulties in their romantic relationships. A lack of clear communication, and misunderstandings due to symptoms like forgetfulness and inattention can cause anger, resentment and a conflict in the relationship. Maintaining healthy relationships can be made easier by a network of family and friends who can understand.
It is crucial to keep in mind, too, that people with ADHD have a difficult time listening. They can be interrupted easily by impulsive behavior or their own thoughts, which can cause them to lose the purpose of the conversation. People with ADHD might also have difficulty multitasking, which can cause them to mute conversations or do something else while someone else is talking.
These struggles can result in a cycle where the non-ADHD partner is overwhelmed with anger and stress, and the ADHD partner feels misunderstood and defensive. They then tend to become more withdrawn and the issue can escalate from there.
Women who have high-functioning ADHD are often overwhelmed and exhausted by their everyday demands. They may feel guilt and low self-esteem as a result of their chaotic and impulsive behavior, or feel as if they're not able to handle their bills and chores. They might also be suffering from mood swings and sensitivity to rejection, as well as low sexual drive.
Because of this, it is essential for those suffering from ADHD to find an effective treatment plan and seek assistance. It is also crucial for those close to them particularly spouses, to be aware of the condition and how it affects the person they love. They can work together to set clear boundaries and expectations, then come up with a plan for how they will achieve their goals. For instance the partner who is not ADHD could be more involved in the financial responsibilities, while the person with ADHD might be focused on the task of organizing and finishing housework.
Both partners should be working to improve their communication and create an established routine that includes regular sleeping patterns, meal times, and time to relax and rest. It's important to find ways to simplify things for both of you, like dividing household tasks or outsourcing some of those that are difficult for a person with ADHD.