High Functioning ADHD in Women
Women who suffer from high functioning adhd can be dissatisfied and often misunderstood by their relationships. Symptoms may be more severe during periods of hormonal changes, like the premenstrual or pregnancy periods.
Many women and girls resort to compensatory strategies to hide their symptoms and impairments can delay referral.
This group of patients faces particular issues that need to be taken into consideration when treating them.
1. Self-esteem issues
Women can be depressed due to the emotional and social challenges of ADHD. Even when adult add women to feel like a failure for things they aren't able to control. This can result in an unending cycle where they are constantly overwhelmed and never satisfied which can be detrimental to their self-esteem and mental health.
Girls who suffer from ADHD who aren't treated are at a greater risk for chronic low self-esteem and teenage pregnancy. They also have a higher risk of depression, anxiety, and substance abuse. As adults, they're at an higher risk of having a single parent for a child with ADHD and financial difficulties, as well as underemployment. They're also more likely to suffer with eating disorders, and their bad habits can be passed on to their children.
It's essential that girls get a diagnosis as it will allow them to better understand their struggles and help them manage their symptoms. Many women report that they feel much more empowered after receiving their diagnosis, allowing them to not be a victim of the little things they are unable to manage. It can also help them reframe their difficulties as strengths and refocus their attention on what matters most (Waite, 2010).
As women mature and approach menopausal, their hormone levels change, and ADHD symptoms may get worse. It isn't easy to diagnose and treat women with ADHD as their symptoms could be incorrectly identified and dismissed as "hormonal", "that time of the month" or "an anxiety disorder".
Being diagnosed with untreated adult ADHD can have devastating consequences on women's self-esteem and her relationships with her family and friends. The symptoms can disrupt women's daily routines that can leave her feeling angry and exhausted. She might feel that she is unable to say no to anyone, leading her to overburden herself and feel resentful towards those close to her. She may find it difficult organizing her work and home life, which leads to missing appointments and documents getting lost. She may also be more easily triggered by rejection therefore she's more likely to be defensive and even lash out at the people she loves.
2. Rejection Sensitivity
Rejection sensitivity is a condition that causes you to feel a strong sense of when you're being rejected, either real or perceived. A disagreement with your partner or an insult from a coworker at work can trigger you. Your brain's natural defense mechanisms are over-stimulated and the thoughts emotions, feelings, and beliefs that result can hurt your relationships and self-esteem. You can also experience depression, anxiety, and mood changes due to rejection sensitivity.
Rejection sensitivity, which is typically associated with ADHD is actually a sign of emotional dysregulation. This affects the way your brain processes emotions and how you respond to them. Other mental health conditions such as borderline personality disorder may be a sign of these symptoms too.
RSD patients may perceive events through a filter, making them appear brighter or darker than they really are. This can cause people to interpret things as being related to rejection, even though they're not. RSD can also cause you to have a hard managing your emotions which is why it's important to develop healthy strategies for coping to manage this.
You can learn more about the sensitivity to rejection by reading the articles below:
While there is no cure for RSD but it is possible to manage your symptoms with the help of an expert in mental health. You can employ coping strategies like cognitive behavioral therapy, which can help you change your negative thought patterns. You can also establish an emotional support network and practice mindfulness to reduce the chance of reacting negatively to rejection. This can help you find ways to overcome your RSD and help you live a more positive and satisfying life. Avoid toxic relationships, because they can cause more symptoms. If you are in a abusive relationship, you should seek counseling to learn how you can safely leave. This will reduce the risk of rejection related feelings such as depression and anxiety. You can also boost your self-esteem by building healthy relationships. This will make you feel more confident in your abilities and provide an objective view of life.
3. Sexuality
ADHD symptoms can make maintaining a healthy relationship challenging. This can lead to sexual dysfunctions and risky behaviors. Women with adhd that is high functioning are at a higher risk of developing sexual problems. These behaviors can cause feelings of shame and guilt which may negatively impact their relationships and wellbeing.
In one study, those with ADHD were found to be more likely than people without ADHD to be sexually adventurous. interest. This was the case for both males and females. This could be due to the higher levels of impulsivity that can cause them to be more likely to act on sexual thoughts and desires. Particularly, adhd in women adult revealed that women with adhd were more likely to engage in paraphilic sex fantasies and behaviors. This included submissive role-play and bondage as well as sexual relations with strangers. It was also common for them to attend party and sex clubs.
Both males and females with adhd had a higher risk of infidelity than those without the disorder. This was due to inability to control their impulses and alcohol withdrawal, as well as the desire to feel. This could also be because of their higher rates of anxiety and being misunderstood or mistreated by their partners. The survey also asked participants to report their experiences with sexual relationships and sexual encounters without contraception. Table 6 shows the results of this section.
Lastly, the study used the Hypersexuality Symptom Inventory-19 (HBI-19) to ask participants about their sexual problems. The questionnaire comprises 19 items, which are divided into three subscales. Each item is scored using a five-point scale, ranging that ranges from 1 (never) to 5 (very often). The higher the score, more symptoms are present. The HBI-19 was used to assess the sexual behavior of adults who have and those without ADHD.
These findings are important due to the fact that the psychosexual effects of people with ADHD have been scarcely studied. They have been connected to sexual dysfunctions such as STI's and unplanned pregnancies, relationship problems, infidelity that begins at the onset of adulthood and adolescence and risky sexual behaviors.
4. Relationships
Many people who have high functioning ADHD have issues with their romantic relationships. A lack of clear communication, and miscommunication due to symptoms like forgetfulness and inattention can result in anger, resentment and conflict in the relationship. A strong network of family and friends members who can understand is helpful for maintaining healthy relationships.
It is also important to note that those with ADHD are often unable to listen. They are easily interrupted by impulsive behavior or their own thoughts, which can cause them to lose the purpose of a conversation. People with ADHD are more likely to have difficulty with multitasking, too and can cause them to become disengaged of conversations or engage in other activities while someone else is talking.
These struggles can result in a cycle where the non-ADHD person becomes overwhelmed with anger and stress and the ADHD partner is misunderstood and defensive. The issue can get worse from there as they become more distant.
Women with high-functioning ADHD are often overwhelmed and exhausted by their daily demands. They may feel low self-esteem and shame because of their chaotic and impulsive behavior, or feel as if they're unable to keep up with their bills and chores. They may also experience mood swings and rejection sensitivity, as well as low sexual drive.
It is crucial that people with ADHD find a treatment and seek help. It is also essential for their family members particularly spouses to learn more about the disorder and how it affects their loved ones. Together, they can establish clear expectations and establish boundaries. They can then create an action plan to reach their goals. The non-ADHD partner can assume more financial responsibility while the person with ADHD is focused on organizing and completing the housework.
Both partners must work to improve communication and establish a routine, which includes regular sleeping patterns, meal times, and time to relax and rest. It is essential to find ways to make things easier for both spouses, such as dividing household tasks or outsourcing certain tasks which are challenging for people with ADHD.