High Functioning ADHD in Women
Women with high functioning adhd are dissatisfied and often misunderstood by their relationships. Symptoms may be more severe during periods of hormonal changes, like the premenstrual or pregnancy cycles.
Many women and girls resort to compensatory strategies, masking their symptoms and impairments, which can delay time to referral.
This group of patients faces particular problems that must be taken into account when treating them.
1. Self-Esteem is not a strong point.
Women can feel depressed by the emotional and social challenges of ADHD. Even if they're successful, it's easy to feel like an failure due to things they cannot change. This can create an unending cycle of feeling overwhelmed and not good enough. This can have a negative impact on their mental health.
Girls with untreated ADHD are more at risk of chronic low self-esteem, anxiety, teen pregnancy depression 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 unhealthy patterns could be passed on to their children.
It's crucial that women receive a diagnosis since it will help them better understand the challenges they face and manage their symptoms. Many women report feeling confident after receiving a diagnosis. They can stop berating themselves over things they cannot manage. It helps them to see their difficulties as strengths and help them focus their attention on the things that matter most (Waite 2010,).
As women age and move towards menopausal their hormone levels alter and ADHD symptoms may get worse. It isn't easy 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".
Being diagnosed with untreated adult ADHD can have devastating effects on self-esteem of women, and her relationships with her family and friends. The symptoms can affect everyday routines, leaving them exhausted and irritable. It is possible that she can't refuse people, which causes her to feel overwhelmed and resentful towards people around her. She may find it difficult to manage her work and home life, which can lead to delayed appointments and lost documents. She could be more prone to being angered when she is not liked and is more likely to snap at people she loves.
2. Rejection Sensitivity
Rejection sensitivity causes you to feel deeply hurt when rejected. This could be real or perceived. You might be triggered by a disagreement with your partner or a negative feedback from a colleague at work. Your brain's natural defense mechanisms are over-stimulated, and the thoughts emotions, feelings, and beliefs that result can harm your relationships and self-esteem. adhd symptoms in women adults to rejection can also lead to depression, anxiety and mood fluctuations.
Although it's often attributed to ADHD Rejection sensitivity is actually a symptom of emotional dysregulation that affects how your brain handles emotions and the way you react to them. Other mental health issues like borderline personality disorder can also be a cause for these symptoms.
RSD patients can see events through a filter, making them appear brighter or darker than they are. This could cause people to interpret things as being related to rejection even though they're not. RSD can cause you to be incapable of controlling your emotions. This is why it is essential to develop healthy coping mechanisms to deal with RSD.
Read the articles below to learn more about the sensitivity to rejection.
Although there isn't a cure for RSD however, you can manage your symptoms with the help of an expert in mental health. You can utilize coping techniques like cognitive behavior therapy to alter your negative thinking patterns. You can also create a support network and practice mindfulness to reduce the chance of reacting negatively to rejection. This will help you overcome your RSD so that you can live a more satisfying and happier life. Avoid toxic relationships, since they can worsen your symptoms. If you're in an abusive relationship, seek counsel to find out the best method to leave. This will help lower the risk of experiencing rejection-related feelings, such as anxiety and depression. By focusing on healthy relationships that you are in, you will increase your self-esteem. This will make you feel more confident about your capabilities and provide an objective view of life.
3. Sexuality
ADHD symptoms can make maintaining a healthy relationship difficult. This often leads to sexual dysfunctions and risky sexual behavior. Women with adhd that is high functioning are at a higher risk of developing sexual problems. These behaviors can also trigger feelings of guilt and embarrassment, which can affect their relationships and well-being.
In one study, people with ADHD were found to be more likely than people without ADHD to exhibit a sexual curiosity. This was true for both males and females. This was likely due to their more impulsive levels, which makes them more likely to act on sexual desires and thoughts. The study found that females who have adhd are more likely to engage paraphilic fantasies and behavior. This included bondage, submissive roles, and sex with strangers. It was also more typical for them to go to sex clubs and parties.
Both males and females with adhd had a higher rate of infidelity than those who did not have the disorder. This is 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 misjudged by their loved ones. The survey asked participants to describe their experiences with extra-partner relationships and sexual relationships without contraception. Table 6 provides the results for this section.
The study also used the Hypersexuality-Symptom Inventory-19 (HBI-19) which surveyed participants to discuss their problematic sexual behaviors. The questionnaire comprises 19 items that are grouped into three subscales. Each item is rated using a five-point scale, ranging from 1 (never) to 5 (very often). The higher the score the more symptomatology it has. The HBI-19 was utilized to assess sexual behavior between adults with ADHD and those who do not.
These findings are important because the psychosexual outcomes of people with ADHD are not well-studied. They have been linked to sexual dysfunctions, such as unwanted pregnancy and STIs, relationship dissatisfaction and adult onset infidelity, and risky sexual behaviors.
4. Relationships
Many people with high functioning ADHD experience difficulties in their relationships with loved ones. Lack of clarity in communication and misunderstandings caused by symptoms like inattention and forgetfulness may cause anger, frustration, and conflict within the relationship. Maintaining healthy relationships can be made easier by a supportive network of family and friends who can understand.
It is also important to keep in mind that those with ADHD frequently have trouble listening. They are easily distracted by their thoughts or their impulsive behavior, which could cause them to miss out on the central reason for a discussion. People with ADHD are more likely to be struggling with multitasking as well which could cause them to tune out of conversations or perform other activities while others talk.
These conflicts can result in a vicious cycle in which the person who isn't ADHD is overwhelmed with anxiety and anger, and the ADHD partner feels that they are not understood. The issue can get worse from there, as they become more distant.
Women who have high-functioning ADHD are often overwhelmed and exhausted by their everyday demands. They may feel low self-esteem and shame because of their impulsive and disorganized behavior, or feel like they're not able to handle their chores and bills. They can also suffer from mood swings and rejection sensitivity, as well as low sexual drive.
It is essential that those who suffer from ADHD find a treatment and seek assistance. It is also important for those close to them particularly spouses, to learn more about the condition and how it affects the person they love. They can work together to establish the right expectations and boundaries and then formulate a plan of how they will achieve their goals. For instance, the non-ADHD partner might assume more financial responsibilities, while the person with ADHD may be more focused on organizing and completing housework.
Both partners must be working to improve communication and establish an established routine that includes regular eating patterns, sleeping times, and time to relax and rest. It is also crucial to find ways to make things simpler for both parties by dividing household chores, or outsourcing some of the tasks that are challenging for a person with ADHD like hiring a cleaning service or utilizing apps to manage expenses.