High Functioning ADHD in Women
Women who have high functioning adhd are prone to discontent and confusion in their relationships. The symptoms may increase during periods of hormonal changes, like the pre-menstrual period and pregnancy.
Many girls and women resorting to compensatory strategies to mask their symptoms and impairments could delay the time for referral.
This patient group faces a unique set issues that need to be taken into consideration when treating them.
1. Lack of Self-Esteem
Women can feel depressed by the emotional and social issues of ADHD. Even when they're doing well, it's easy to feel like a failure for things they can't control. This can create an endless feeling of being overwhelmed and inadequate. This can have a negative effect on their mental well-being.
Girls who aren't treated for ADHD are at higher risk of chronic low self-esteem as well as anxiety, teen pregnancy, depression, and abuse of substances. As adults, they're more likely to be single-parents of a child with ADHD and facing financial hardship 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 is essential that girls receive a diagnosis because it will allow them to better comprehend their struggles and manage their symptoms. Many women report feeling confident after receiving an diagnosis. They can now stop berating themselves over things they cannot control. It can also help them reframe their difficulties as strengths and focus their attention on what matters most (Waite 2010,).
As women age and move towards menopausal their hormone levels alter, and ADHD symptoms can get worse. It can be difficult to diagnose and treat patients with ADHD because their symptoms may be misdiagnosed and dismissed as "hormonal", "that time of month" or "an anxiety disorder".
Untreated adult ADHD can have devastating consequences on a woman’s self-esteem and relationships with her family and friends. The symptoms can affect daily routines, making her feeling exhausted and angry. It is possible that she isn't able to refuse people, which causes her to be overwhelmed and resentful of people around her. It can be difficult organizing her home and work life, resulting in missed appointments and lost documents. She may also be more easily triggered by rejection, which means she is more likely to be defensive and even lash out at the people she loves.
2. Rejection Sensitivity
Rejection sensitivity makes you feel extremely when you're rejected, whether it is real or perceived. A disagreement with a partner, or an insult from a co-worker at work can trigger you. Your brain's defense mechanisms naturally become overwhelmed and the thoughts, feelings, and beliefs that result can harm your self-esteem and relationships. You can also experience anxiety, depression and mood fluctuations as a result of sensitive to rejection.
Rejection sensitivity, while often linked to ADHD is actually a sign of emotional dysregulation. This affects the way your brain handles emotions and how you react to them. The symptoms can also be found in other mental health conditions like borderline personality disorder (BPD).
RSD patients may perceive events through a filter, making them appear darker or brighter than they actually are. This can cause them to interpret things as being related to rejection, even though they're not. RSD can cause you to be in a state of being unable to control your emotions. This is why it is essential to develop healthy coping mechanisms to deal with RSD.
Check out the following articles to find out more about rejection sensitivity.
While there is no cure for RSD however, you can manage your symptoms with the help of an expert in mental health. You can use coping techniques like cognitive behavioral therapy to change your negative thinking patterns. You can also create a support network and practice mindfulness to lessen the chance of reacting negatively to rejection. This can help you find ways to overcome your RSD and help you live a happier and more fulfilled life. Avoid toxic relationships because they can cause more symptoms. If you're in a abusive relationship, seek counsel to find out how to get out. This will help lessen the risk of having feelings of rejection, such as depression and anxiety. By focusing on relationships that are healthy and relationships, you can boost your self-esteem. This will make you feel more confident about your abilities and give an objective view of life.
3. Sexuality
ADHD symptoms can make it difficult to maintain a healthy romantic relationship. This often leads to sexual dysfunctions and risky sexual behaviors. Research suggests that women suffering from high functioning adhd are at a higher risk of having sexual problems than their non-ADHD counterparts. These behaviors can also trigger feelings of guilt and embarrassment and can negatively impact their relationships and overall well-being.
In one study, those with ADHD were found to be more likely than those without ADHD to exhibit a sexual fascination. Both males and women were affected. This is likely due to their more impulsive levels, which can make them more likely to act upon their sexual desires and thoughts. In particular, the study showed that women with adhd were more likely to engage in paraphilic masturbation fantasies and behaviours. This included bondage, submissive roles and sex with strangers. They also went to sex events and more clubs.
Both males and females with adhd had a higher risk of infidelity than those without the disorder. This was due to their inability to control their impulses, alcohol disinhibition and sensation-seeking. This is likely due to their greater levels of anxiety and a feeling of being 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 outlines the results from this section.
The study also used the Hypersexuality-Symptom Inventory-19 (HBI-19) which surveyed participants to describe their sexual issues. This questionnaire consists of 19 items that are divided into three subscales. Each item is rated on a 5-point scale ranging between 1 (never) to 5 (very often). The higher the score, more symptomatology is evident. The HBI-19 was used in order to compare sexual behaviors between people with ADHD and those who do not.
These results are important because the psychosexual outcomes for adults with ADHD were not studied as often. They have been linked to sexual dysfunctions like unwanted pregnancy and STIs, relationship dissatisfaction and adult onset infidelity, and risky sexual behavior.
4. Relationships
Many people with high functioning ADHD have trouble in their romantic relationships. Lack of clear communication and misunderstandings triggered by symptoms such as forgetfulness and inattention could lead to frustration, anger and conflict within relationships. Maintaining healthy relationships can be made easier by a network of family and friends who understand.
adhd in women signs 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 may also have trouble multitasking, which could cause them to tune out conversations or do something else while another person is talking.
These struggles can lead to an unending cycle where the person who is not ADHD becomes overwhelmed with anxiety and anger, and the ADHD person feels untrusted. The issue can get worse from there as they become more withdrawn.
Women with high functioning ADHD often feel overwhelmed and exhausted by the demands of their everyday life. They may experience feelings of guilt and low self-esteem as a result of their unpredictable and unorganized behavior, or feel that they're not able to handle their household chores and bills. They might also be suffering from mood swings and sensitivity to rejection as well as low sexual drive.
For these reasons, it is essential for those with ADHD to develop an effective treatment plan and seek help. It is also crucial for those close to them particularly spouses, to understand the disorder and how it affects the person they love. Together, they can set clear expectations and establish boundaries. Then, they will create an action plan to meet their goals. For instance the partner who is not ADHD could take on more of the financial responsibility, while the person with ADHD might be focused on completing chores and organizing the house.
Both partners should work to improve their communication and establish an established routine that includes regular schedules for sleeping, meal times, and time to relax and rest. It is important to discover ways to make things easier for both partners, such dividing household tasks or outsourcing certain tasks that are difficult for a person with ADHD.