High Functioning ADHD in Women
Women who suffer from high functioning adhd may experience frustration and miscommunication in their relationships. The symptoms can be more severe during times of hormonal changes such as the premenstrual and pregnancy cycles.
Many women and girls are forced to resort to compensatory strategies, masking their symptoms and impairments, which can delay time to referral.
This patient group has distinct issues that need to be considered when treating them.
1. Lack of Self-Esteem
The social and emotional challenges that accompany ADHD can make women feel down. Even when they're successful it's easy to feel like a failure because of things they can't control. This can create an unending cycle where they feel constantly overwhelmed and never good enough which can be detrimental to their self-esteem and mental health.
Girls with ADHD who aren't treated are at a greater chance of developing chronic low self-esteem and teenage pregnancy. They also have a greater chance of depression, anxiety and addiction to drugs. As adults, they're at a higher risk of becoming parents on their own to a child suffering from ADHD and experiencing financial crisis or unemployment. They're also more likely to be struggling with eating disorders, and their bad patterns could be passed on to their children.
It's crucial for girls to receive a diagnosis, because it will give them a better understanding of their challenges and enable them to manage their symptoms more effectively. Many women say that they feel more confident after receiving their diagnosis, which allows them to not be a victim of the small things they cannot control. It can also help to reframe their issues and help them focus on the things that matter (Waite 2010).
As women mature and approach menopausal age the hormone levels of their bodies change and ADHD symptoms can get worse. 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 month" or "an anxiety disorder".
Untreated adult ADHD can have devastating consequences on women's self-esteem and her relationships with friends and family. Symptoms can interfere with daily routines, leaving her feeling exhausted and angry. She might feel like she can't refuse people, which causes her to be overwhelmed and resentful of those around her. She might have difficulty to manage her work and home life, which can lead to delayed appointments and lost documents. She can also be more easily triggered by rejection therefore she's more likely to react defensively and even lash out at the people she is in love with.
2. Rejection Sensitivity
Rejection sensitivity causes you to feel very hurt when rejected. It could be real or perceived. You could be triggered by a disagreement with your partner or a negative comment from a colleague at work. Your brain's defense mechanisms naturally become over-stimulated and the thoughts, feelings, and beliefs that result could harm your self-esteem and relationships. The sensitivity to rejection can also cause anxiety, depression and mood fluctuations.
While it's often associated with ADHD The issue of rejection sensitiveness is actually a sign of emotional dysregulation that affects the way your brain manages emotions and how you respond to them. The symptoms can also be found in other mental health disorders such as borderline personality disorder (BPD).
RSD patients can see events through a filter, making them appear darker or brighter than they really are. This can lead people to interpret things as being related to rejection even if they aren't. RSD can cause you to be incapable of controlling your emotions. This is why it is crucial to develop healthy coping mechanisms to manage RSD.
Read the articles below to learn more about the sensitivity to rejection.
While there is no cure for RSD, it's possible to manage your symptoms with the help of an expert in mental health. You can use coping techniques such as cognitive behavioral therapy to change your negative thinking patterns. You can also create a support network and practice mindfulness to reduce the chance of reacting negatively to rejection. This can help you find ways to overcome your RSD, so you can live a more positive and fulfilled life. It is also important to avoid toxic relationships as they can cause symptoms to become worse. If you are in a abusive relationship, seek counseling to find out how you can get out. This can lower the chance of rejection related feelings like depression and anxiety. By focusing on relationships that are healthy and relationships, you can boost your self-esteem. This will help you feel more confident in your abilities, and will give you a more realistic perspective on the world around you.
3. Sexuality
ADHD symptoms can make maintaining a healthy relationship challenging. This can lead to sexual dysfunctions or risky behaviors. Women who have high functioning adhd are at a higher risk for sexual problems. These behaviors can result in feelings of guilt and shame, which can have a negative effect on the quality of their relationships as well as their overall health.
One study looked at adults with ADHD and discovered that they were more likely to be interested in sexual activities than those who did not suffer from the disorder. Both males and women were affected. This is likely due to the greater impulsivity levels that could make them more likely to act on their sexual ideas and desires. The study found that women who suffer from adhd are more likely to engage in paraphilic fantasies and behaviors. This included submissive roles play, bondage and sex with strangers. It was also more common for them to go to sex clubs and parties.
add test for women and women with adhd were more likely be in a relationship than those who did not suffer from the disorder. This was due to their inability to control their impulses, alcohol disinhibition and sensation-seeking. This is probably due to their higher levels of insecurity, and feeling misunderstood or criticized by their partners. The survey asked participants to describe their experiences with extra-partner relationships and sexual relations without contraception. Table 6 summarizes the results of this section.
The study also used the Hypersexuality-Symptom Inventory-19 (HBI-19) which asked participants to discuss their sexual issues. The questionnaire comprises 19 items that are grouped into three subscales. Each item is rated using a five-point scale, ranging between 1 (never) to 5 (very often). The higher the score, more symptomatology is evident. The HBI-19 was used to compare the sexual behavior of adults who have and those without ADHD.
These findings are significant because the psychosexual experiences of adults with ADHD have been scarcely studied. They have been associated with sexual dysfunctions, such as STIs and unwanted pregnancy, relationship dissatisfaction and adult-onset infidelity, as well as dangerous sexual behavior.
4. Relationships
Many people who have high functioning ADHD struggle with their romantic relationships. A lack of clear communication and misunderstandings due to symptoms like forgetfulness and inattention can lead to anger, resentment, and a conflict in the relationship. Maintaining healthy relationships can be helped by a supportive network of friends and family members who understand.
It is important to remember that those who suffer from ADHD have a difficult time listening. They are easily distracted by their own thoughts or impulsive behaviors that can cause them to miss out on the main point of a discussion. People with ADHD are more likely to struggle in multitasking, which can cause them to become disengaged of conversations or perform other things while someone else is talking.
These battles can create an unbalanced relationship where the non-ADHD partner is overwhelmed with anger and stress, and the ADHD partner feels misunderstood and defensive. The issue could escalate in the meantime as they become more withdrawn.
Women who have high-functioning ADHD are often overwhelmed and exhausted by their everyday demands. They might experience feelings of shame and low self-esteem because of their chaotic and impulsive behavior, or feel that they're not able to handle their household chores and bills. They can also suffer from mood swings and sensitivity to rejection as well as low sexual drive.
For these reasons, it is vital for those who suffer from ADHD to establish a treatment plan and seek help. It is essential that those closest to them, particularly spouses, are aware of ADHD and how it affects the person they love. They can work together to set clear boundaries and expectations and then devise an action plan to can achieve those goals. The non-ADHD partner can take on more financial responsibility while the person with ADHD will be focused on organising and completing chores at home.
Both partners should also strive to improve their communication and establish an established routine that includes regular sleeping patterns, meal times, and time to relax and rest. It is essential to find ways to simplify things for both of you, like splitting household chores or outsourcing some of those that are difficult for a person with ADHD.