High Functioning ADHD in Women
Women who have high functioning adhd are prone to frustration and miscommunication in their relationships. Symptoms may be more severe in periods of hormonal changes, like the premenstrual or menstrual cycles.
Many women and girls resort to compensatory strategies to mask their impairments and symptoms can delay the time for referral.
This patient group faces specific issues that need to be taken into consideration when treating them.
1. Insecurities about self-esteem
Women can be depressed due to the social and emotional challenges of ADHD. Even when they're doing well, it's easy to feel like a failure due to things they cannot control. This can create a vicious cycle where they are constantly overwhelmed and never quite good enough and can take a toll on their self-esteem and mental health.
Girls with ADHD who aren't treated are at greater chance of developing chronic low self-esteem and teen pregnancy. They also have a higher chance of depression, anxiety and substance abuse. As adults, they're at greater risk of being single-parents of a child with ADHD and experiencing financial crisis or underemployment. They're also more likely than other people to suffer from eating disorders and pass their bad habits on to their children.
It's crucial that women receive a diagnosis since it will help them better understand their struggles and help them manage their symptoms. Many women report feeling more confident after receiving the diagnosis. They can stop being a victim of things they cannot manage. It can also help to reframe their issues and help them focus on the things that matter (Waite 2010).
As women mature and approach menopausal age, their hormone levels change, and ADHD symptoms can get worse. It isn't easy to diagnose and treat patients with ADHD as their symptoms could be incorrectly identified and dismissed as "hormonal", "that time of month" or "an anxiety disorder".
Having untreated adult ADHD can have devastating impacts on self-esteem of women, and her relationships with her family and friends. Symptoms may interfere with women's daily routines that can leave her feeling angry and exhausted. She may feel she can't say no to anyone and end up overburdened herself and become resentful of those close to her. She might have difficulty organizing her work and home life, which can lead to missed appointments and lost documents. She may be more prone to being triggered when she is rejected, making her more likely to snap at people she likes.
2. Rejection Sensitivity
Rejection sensitivity causes you to feel very hurt when rejected. This could be real or perceived. You could be triggered by a disagreement with your partner or a negative review from a coworker at work. adhd symptoms women become overwhelmed and the thoughts emotions, feelings, and beliefs that result can hurt your self-esteem and relationships. There are also depression, anxiety, and mood fluctuations as a result of the sensitivity to rejection.
Rejection sensitivity, although typically associated with ADHD is actually an indication of emotional dysregulation. This impacts how your brain handles emotions and how you respond to them. Other mental health issues 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 could cause them to interpret and perceive things as being related to rejection even though they're not. RSD can make you incapable of controlling your emotions. This is why it is important 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 but it is possible to manage your symptoms with the help of a mental health professional. You can employ coping strategies like cognitive behavioral therapy to change your negative thinking patterns. You can also engage in mindfulness and build a community of support to reduce your chance of experiencing negative reactions to rejection. This can help you overcome your RSD so that you can live a more fulfilled and happier life. Avoid toxic relationships since they can worsen your symptoms. If you are in an abusive relationship, seek out counseling to learn how to safely quit. adhd symptoms women will help lower the risk of experiencing feelings of rejection, like depression and anxiety. By focusing on healthy relationships, you can improve 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 maintaining a healthy relationship difficult. This can result in sexual dysfunctions and risky sexual behaviors. Research suggests that women suffering from high functioning adhd are at higher risk of developing these sexual issues than their non-ADHD counterparts. These behaviors can also trigger feelings of guilt and embarrassment and can affect their relationships and well-being.
In one study, people with ADHD were found to be more likely than those without ADHD to be sexually adventurous. interest. Both males and women were affected. This could be due to their higher levels of impulsivity which makes them more likely to act upon their sexual desires and thoughts. Specifically, the study found that women with adhd were more likely to indulge in paraphilic masturbation fantasies and behaviors. This included submissive role play bondage, sexual relations with strangers. It was also common for them to go to party and sex clubs.
Both women and men with adhd were more likely be infidelity than those who did not have the disorder. This was due their poor control of impulses and alcohol-related disinhibition. This could also be due to their higher rates of insecurity and feeling misunderstood by partners. The survey asked participants to describe their experiences with extra-partner relationships and sexual relations that were not contraceptive. Table 6 summarizes the results of this section.
Lastly, the study used the Hypersexuality Symptom Inventory-19 (HBI-19) to inquire of participants about their problematic sexual behavior. This questionnaire is composed of 19 items, which are divided into three subscales. Each item is rated on a five-point scale that ranges from 1 (never) to 5 (very often). The higher the score, the more symptomatology is present. The HBI-19 was developed in order to assess sexual behavior between people with ADHD and those without.
These findings are significant, because the psychosexual results for adults with ADHD have not been studied extensively. They have been associated with sexual dysfunctions such as STIs and unwanted pregnancy, relationship dissatisfaction and adult-onset infidelity as well as risky sexual behavior.
4. Relationships
Many people with high functioning ADHD struggle with their relationships with loved ones. A lack of communication and misunderstandings due to issues like forgetfulness and inattention can lead to anger, resentment and even conflict in the relationship. Maintaining healthy relationships can be helped by a supportive network of friends and family members who understand.
It is also important to keep in mind that those with ADHD often have difficulty listening. They are easily interrupted by their impulsive behavior, or their own thoughts, which can cause them to miss the main point of a conversation. People with ADHD may also have issues multitasking, which could cause them to shut out conversations or do something else while another person is talking.
These battles can create an unending cycle where the person who is not ADHD is overwhelmed by anger and stress, while the ADHD person feels untrusted. They can then withdraw, and the problem escalates from there.
Women with high functioning ADHD often feel overwhelmed and exhausted by the demands of daily life. They may feel guilt or self-esteem issues because of their impulsive, chaotic behavior. They may feel like they cannot keep up with their obligations and bills. They may also experience mood swings and sensitivity to rejection as well as low sex drive.
It is crucial that people with ADHD find a treatment and seek help. It is important that those who are closest to them, including spouses, understand ADHD and how it affects the person they love. Together, they can establish clear expectations and establish boundaries. Then, they can come up with an action plan to reach their goals. The non-ADHD spouse could take on more financial responsibilities while the person with ADHD would focus on organizing and finishing the housework.
Additionally, both partners must work together to communicate more clearly and effectively and establish a regular routine that incorporates regular sleep patterns, meal times and time for relaxation and rest. It is essential to discover ways to make things easier for both of you, like splitting household chores or outsourcing certain tasks that are difficult for a person with ADHD.