High Functioning ADHD in Women
Women who suffer from high functioning adhd can be frustrated and misunderstood in their relationships. The symptoms may be more severe during times of hormonal changes like premenstrual and menstrual cycles.
Many women and girls resort to compensatory strategies to hide their symptoms and impairments can delay the time for referral.
This group of patients has particular issues that need to be taken into consideration when treating them.
1. Insecurities about self-esteem
The emotional and social challenges that accompany ADHD can leave women feeling down. Even when adhd symptoms in women , it's easy to feel like a failure because of things they aren't able to control. This can lead to an unending cycle of feeling overwhelmed and unsatisfied. This can have a negative impact on their mental health.
Girls with ADHD who are not treated are at a greater risk of having low self-esteem and teen pregnancy. They also have a higher risk of depression, anxiety and substance abuse. As adults, they're at 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 be struggling with eating disorders, and their unhealthy habits can be passed on to their children.
It's crucial that girls receive a diagnosis because it will allow them to better comprehend their struggles and manage their symptoms. Many women report that they feel much more empowered after receiving their diagnosis, allowing them to stop beating themselves up over the little things they can't control. It can also help them reframe their struggles and refocus on what is important (Waite 2010).
As women age and move towards menopause their hormone levels alter, and ADHD symptoms can become more severe. This makes it more difficult to diagnose and treated, as they're often misdiagnosed as anxiety or mood disorder and the symptoms are dismissed as "hormonal" or "that time of the month."
Untreated adult ADHD can have devastating consequences on a woman's self-esteem, and her relationships with her family and friends. Symptoms can interfere with daily routines, making her frustrated and exhausted. She might feel that she is unable to refuse to be around people, leading her to overburden herself and become resentful of those close to her. It could be difficult to manage her home and work life and this can lead to missed appointments and lost files. She could be more easily triggered when she is rejected which makes her more likely to lash out at people she loves.
2. Rejection Sensitivity
Rejection sensitivity causes you to feel intensely when you're being rejected, either real or perceived. A disagreement with your partner or an unkind comment from a colleague at work could trigger you. Your brain's defense mechanisms naturally become over-stimulated and the thoughts, feelings, and beliefs that result could harm your self-esteem and relationships. There are also anxiety, depression, and mood swings as a result of rejection sensitivity.
Rejection sensitivity, although typically associated with ADHD is actually a sign of emotional dysregulation. This affects the way your brain handles emotions and how you react to them. Other mental health disorders such as borderline personality disorder can also show these symptoms.
People suffering from RSD might see events through filters that make them appear darker or dimmer than they actually are. This can cause people to interpret things as being related to rejection, even if they aren't. RSD can make you incapable of controlling your emotions. This is why it is crucial to develop healthy coping mechanisms to deal with RSD.
You can find out more about rejection sensitivity by reading these articles:
Although there is no cure for RSD it is possible to treat symptoms with the help of a mental healthcare professional. You can use strategies for coping, such as cognitive behavior therapy, which helps you change your negative thinking patterns. You can also establish an emotional support network and practice mindfulness to reduce your risk of reacting negatively to rejection. This will help you discover ways to overcome your RSD, so you can live a happier and more fulfilling life. It is also important to avoid toxic relationships as they can make your symptoms worse. If you're in a abusive relationship, seek out counsel to find out how to get out. This can reduce your risk of experiencing feelings of rejection, such 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 a realistic perspective on life.
3. Sexuality
ADHD symptoms can make maintaining a healthy relationship challenging. This can lead to sexual dysfunctions or risky sexual behavior. Women with high functioning adhd are at a higher risk of having sexual issues. These behaviors can also cause feelings of guilt and embarrassment which may affect their relationships and well-being.
One study looked at adults with ADHD and found that they were more likely to have a passion for sexual exploration than those who did not suffer from the disorder. Both genders were affected. This is likely due to their more impulsive levels, which can make them more likely to act on sexual desires and ideas. Specifically, the study found that females with adhd were more likely to engage in paraphilic sex fantasies and actions. This included bondage, submissive roles and sex with strangers. They also went to sex parties and nightclubs more often.
Both males and females with adhd had a greater rate of infidelity than people without the disorder. This was due to poor impulse control and alcohol withdrawal, as well as the desire to feel. This could also be because of their higher levels of insecurity and feeling misunderstood by their partners. The survey asked respondents about their experiences with extra-partner relationships and sexual relations that were not contraceptive. Table 6 provides the results of this section.
The study also utilized the Hypersexuality-Symptom Inventory-19 (HBI-19), which asked participants to discuss their sexual issues. The questionnaire is comprised of 19 items, which are divided into three subscales. Each item is evaluated on a five-point scale that ranges from 1 (never) to 5 (very often). The higher the score the more symptomatology there is. The HBI-19 was used to compare the sexual behavior of adults with and 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, and dangerous sexual behavior.
4. Relationships
Many people with high functioning ADHD struggle with their romantic relationships. Lack of clear communication and miscommunication caused by signs such as forgetfulness and inattention can cause anger, frustration and conflict in a relationship. Maintaining healthy relationships can be helped by a network of family and friends who understand.
It is important to remember, too, that people with 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 point of a discussion. People with ADHD are more likely to be struggling with multitasking as well and can cause them to become disengaged of conversations or perform other things while someone else talks.
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. They then tend to become more withdrawn and the issue can escalate from there.
Women who have high functioning ADHD often feel overwhelmed and exhausted by the demands of their daily life. They might experience feelings of low self-esteem and shame because of their impulsive and disorganized behavior, or feel that they can't keep up with their bills and chores. They may also have mood swings, rejection sensitivity and low sexual desire.
It is essential that those with ADHD find a treatment and seek assistance. It is also important for their family members, especially spouses, to learn more about the disorder and how it affects the person they love. Together, they can establish clear expectations and establish boundaries. They can then come up with an action plan to meet their goals. The non-ADHD partner could assume more financial responsibility while the person with ADHD will be focused on organising and completing the chores at home.
Both partners should work to improve their communication and create a routine, which includes regular sleeping patterns, meal times, and time for relaxation and rest. It's also important to find ways to make things simpler for both parties by splitting household chores, or outsourcing some tasks that are difficult for a person with ADHD, such as hiring cleaning services or utilizing apps to manage costs.