High Functioning ADHD in Women
Women who suffer from high functioning adhd can be dissatisfied and often misunderstood by their relationships. The symptoms can become more severe during periods of hormonal changes, such as menstrual cycles and pregnancy.
Many girls and women resort to compensatory strategies, concealing their impairments and symptoms which may delay the time until referral.
This group of patients has particular challenges that must be considered when treating them.
1. Self-esteem issues
Women can be depressed due to the emotional and social challenges of ADHD. Even if they're successful, it is easy to feel like failing because of the things they cannot change. This can lead to a vicious cycle where they are constantly overwhelmed and never good enough and can be detrimental to their mental health and self-esteem.
Girls who don't have treatment for ADHD are at higher risk of chronic low self-esteem, teen pregnancy, anxiety, depression, and abuse of substances. As adults, they're at greater risk of being the sole parent to a child with ADHD, financial crises and underemployment. They're also more likely to struggle with eating disorders, and their unhealthy patterns could be passed on to their children.
It's important for girls to receive a diagnosis, because it will give them an understanding of their struggles and help them manage their symptoms more effectively. Many women report feeling more confident after receiving the diagnosis. They can now stop berating themselves over things they can't control. It can also help them reframe their issues and help them focus on what's important (Waite 2010).
As women mature and approach menopausal the hormone levels of their bodies change, and ADHD symptoms may get worse. It is often difficult to identify and treat people suffering from ADHD due to the fact that their symptoms can be misdiagnosed and dismissed as "hormonal", "that time of month" or "an anxiety disorder".
Untreated adult ADHD can have devastating consequences on self-esteem and relationships with her family and friends. Symptoms may interfere with a woman's daily routine which can make her angry and exhausted. She may feel that she cannot turn down people, causing her to feel overwhelmed and angry with those who are around her. It can be difficult organizing her work and home life, which can lead to missing appointments and documents getting lost. She could be more prone to being triggered when she is rejected, making her more likely to lash out at people she likes.
2. Rejection Sensitivity
Rejection sensitivity causes you to feel a strong sense of when you are rejected, either real or perceived. A disagreement with your partner or an insult from a co-worker at work could trigger you. Your brain's natural defense mechanisms are over-stimulated, and the thoughts, feelings, and beliefs that result can hurt your self-esteem and relationships. You can also experience anxiety, depression, and mood swings as a result of the sensitivity to rejection.
While it's often associated with ADHD Rejection sensitivity is actually a symptom of emotional dysregulation, which affects the way your brain handles emotions and how you respond to them. Other mental health disorders like borderline personality disorder can also show these symptoms.
RSD patients might perceive events through a filter, making them appear darker or brighter than they actually are. This causes them to perceive and interpret things as being related to rejection, even though they are not. RSD can also cause you to have a harder to control your emotions, which is why it is important to develop healthy strategies for coping to deal with this.
Read signs of adhd in women to learn more about rejection sensitivity.
Although there isn't a cure for RSD, it's possible to manage your symptoms with the assistance of an expert in mental health. You can employ strategies for coping, such as cognitive behavior therapy, which helps you modify your negative thought patterns. You can also practice mindfulness and build a community of support to lessen your risk of negative reactions to rejection. This can aid you in overcoming your RSD to live a more satisfying and happy life. It is also important to stay clear of toxic relationships since they can cause your symptoms to worsen. If you are in a abusive relationship, seek counseling to find out how you can leave. This will reduce the risk of rejection related feelings such as depression and anxiety. You can also boost your self-esteem by focusing on developing healthy relationships. This will make you feel more confident about your capabilities and provide a realistic perspective on life.
3. Sexuality
ADHD symptoms can make it difficult to maintain a healthy romantic relationship. This can result in sexual dysfunctions or risky sexual behavior. Research suggests that women with high functioning adhd are at greater risk of experiencing these sexual problems than their non-ADHD counterparts. These behaviors can also cause feelings of guilt and embarrassment and can affect their relationships and overall well-being.
One study looked at adults with ADHD and discovered that they were more likely to have adventurous sexual interests than those without the disorder. This was the case for both males and females. This is likely due to their higher levels of impulsivity which makes them more likely to act upon their sexual desires and ideas. In particular, the study showed that females with adhd were more likely to engage in paraphilic sex fantasies and actions. This included submissive roles play bondage, sexual relations with strangers. It was also more common for them to go to sexual clubs and parties.
Both men and women with adhd were more likely to be infidelity than those who didn't have the disorder. This was due to their lack of control of their impulses and alcohol withdrawal. It could also be a result of their higher levels of insecurity and feeling misunderstood by their partners. The survey also asked respondents to describe their experiences with extra-partner sexual affairs and sexual intercourse without use of contraception. Table 6 provides the results of this section.
The study also used the Hypersexuality-Symptom Inventory-19 (HBI-19) which asked participants to describe their problematic sexual behaviors. The questionnaire comprises 19 items that are divided into three subscales. Each item is scored using a five-point scale, ranging between 1 (never) to 5 (very often). The more high the score, the more symptoms are present. The HBI-19 was used in order to assess sexual behavior between people who suffer from ADHD and those without.
These results are important due to the fact that the psychosexual effects of people with ADHD are not well-studied. They have been connected to sexual dysfunctions like STI's, unwanted pregnancies, relationship dissatisfaction, adult and adolescent onset infidelity and risky sexual behaviours.
4. Relationships
Many people with high functioning ADHD experience difficulties in their romantic relationships. adhd symptoms women of clarity in communication and misunderstandings triggered by symptoms such as forgetfulness and inattention can lead to frustration, anger and conflict within a relationship. Maintaining healthy relationships can be made easier by a supportive network of family and friends who understand.
It is important to remember, too, that people who suffer from ADHD have trouble listening. They are easily distracted by their own thoughts or impulsive behaviors, which could cause them to miss out on the central purpose of a conversation. People with ADHD might also have difficulty multitasking, which could cause them to mute conversations or perform other tasks while another person is talking.
These conflicts can result in a vicious cycle where the person who isn't ADHD becomes overwhelmed with stress and resentment and the ADHD partner feels misunderstood. They then tend to become more introverted and the issue can escalate from there.
Women with high-functioning ADHD are often overwhelmed and exhausted by the demands of their lives. They may experience feelings of low self-esteem and shame because of their chaotic and impulsive behavior, or feel like they're unable to keep up with their chores and bills. They can also suffer from mood swings and rejection sensitivity as well as low sex drive.
It is essential that those with ADHD find a treatment and seek out help. It is essential that those who are closest to them, particularly spouses, are aware of ADHD and how it affects the person they love. They can work together to establish clear boundaries and expectations, then come up with a plan for how they will meet those objectives. The non-ADHD partner could take on more financial responsibility while the person with ADHD will be focused on organising and finishing the housework.
Both partners should strive to improve their communication and create a routine that includes regular sleeping patterns, meal times, and time to relax and rest. It is also essential to discover ways to make life simpler for both parties for example, sharing household chores or outsourcing some of the tasks that are difficult for a person with ADHD for example, hiring cleaning services or utilizing apps to manage expenses.