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, such as the menstrual cycle and pregnancy.
Many girls and women resort to compensatory strategies, concealing their impairments and symptoms that can delay time to referral.
This group of patients has specific issues that need to be taken into consideration when treating them.
1. Insecurity about oneself
Women can be depressed by the emotional and social challenges of ADHD. Even when they are successful, it's easy to feel like they're a failure because of things they cannot change. This can create an endless feeling of being overwhelmed and not good enough. This can have a negative effect on their mental well-being.
Girls with untreated ADHD are at higher risk of having low self-esteem for a long time as well as anxiety, teen pregnancy depression, and abuse of substances. As adults, they're at higher risk of having a single parent for children with ADHD, financial crises and underemployment. They're also more likely to struggle with eating disorders, and their unhealthy habits can be passed on to their children.
It is essential that women receive a diagnosis because it will help them understand their struggles and manage their symptoms. Many women say that they feel much more at ease after receiving their diagnosis, which allows them to stop beating themselves up over the small things they cannot control. It can also help them reframe their struggles and refocus on what's important (Waite 2010).
As women mature and approach menopausal age, their hormone levels change and ADHD symptoms may get worse. It is often difficult to identify and treat women with ADHD as their symptoms could be incorrectly identified and dismissed as "hormonal", "that time of month" or "an anxiety disorder".
Untreated adult ADHD can have a devastating impact on women's self-esteem as well as relationships with her family and friends. Symptoms can interfere with daily routines, leaving her feeling exhausted and angry. She may feel she can't say no to people which causes her to burden herself and feel resentful towards those close to her. She might find it difficult to organize the work and home lives of her children, leading to missed appointments and lost files. She can also be more easily triggered by rejection, therefore she's more likely to react defensively and even lash out at the people she is in love with.
2. Rejection Sensitivity
Rejection sensitivity causes you to feel intensely when you are rejected, either real or perceived. You could be triggered by an argument with your partner or a negative comment from a coworker at work. Your brain's natural defense mechanisms become over-stimulated and the thoughts emotions, feelings, and beliefs that result can hurt your relationships and self-esteem. Rejection sensitivity can also result in anxiety, depression and mood shifts.
Although it's often linked to ADHD The issue of rejection sensitivity is actually a symptom of emotional dysregulation, which affects the way your brain handles emotions and how you respond to them. The symptoms can also be observed in other mental health disorders such as borderline personality disorder (BPD).
People with RSD might see events through a filter that makes them appear darker or dimmer than they really are. This can cause them to interpret things as rejection-related, even when they're not. RSD can also cause you to have a hard managing your emotions and that's why it is important to have healthy coping strategies to manage this.
You can learn more about rejection sensitivity by reading the articles below:
Although there isn't a cure for RSD it is possible to manage the symptoms with the assistance of a mental health professional. You can utilize strategies for coping, such as cognitive behavior therapy, which helps change your negative thought patterns. You can also practice mindfulness and create a network of support to lessen your risk of negative reactions to rejection. This can help you find ways to overcome your RSD and allow you to live a happier and more satisfying life. It is also important to avoid relationships that are toxic as they can cause symptoms to become worse. If you are in an abusive relationship, seek out counseling to find out how you can quit. This can lower the chance of experiencing feelings of rejection such as depression and anxiety. You can also increase your self-esteem by focusing on building healthy relationships. This will help you feel more confident in your abilities and provide an honest view of life.
3. Sexuality
ADHD symptoms can make it difficult to maintain a healthy romantic relationship. This can lead to sexual dysfunctions and risky behaviors. Research suggests that women with high functioning adhd are at a greater risk of experiencing these sexual problems than their non-ADHD counterparts. These behaviors can also trigger feelings of shame and guilt and can affect their relationships and wellbeing.
In one study, people with ADHD were found to be more likely than people without ADHD to have adventurous sexual fascination. Both males and women were affected. This could be due to the increased levels of impulsivity which could make them more likely to be influenced by sexual ideas and desires. The study found that females with adhd are more likely to engage in paraphilic fantasies and behaviors. This included bondage, submissive roles and sex with strangers. They also went to sex events and more clubs.
Females and males with adhd had a higher rate of infidelity than those who did not have the disorder. This is due to their weak control of their impulses and alcohol withdrawal. This is likely due to their greater levels of anxiety and being misunderstood, or criticized by their partners. The survey also asked participants to share their experiences with extra-partner sexual affairs and sexual intercourse without use of contraception. Table 6 outlines the results from this section.
add symptoms in women used the Hypersexuality Symptom Inventory-19 (HBI-19) to inquire of participants about their sexual issues. The questionnaire comprises 19 items that are grouped into three subscales. Each item is scored on a 5-point scale, between 1 (never to 5) (very frequently)). The higher the score, the more symptomatology is present. The HBI-19 was used to assess the sexual behaviours of adults who have and those without ADHD.
These findings are significant due to the fact that the psychosexual effects of adults with ADHD are not well-studied. They have been linked with sexual dysfunctions, such as unwanted pregnancy and STIs, relationship dissatisfaction, adult-onset infidelity, as well as risky sexual behavior.
4. Relationships
Many people with high functioning ADHD have issues with their romantic relationships. Lack of clear communication and misunderstandings caused by symptoms such as forgetfulness and inattention could result in anger, frustration and conflict in a relationship. A supportive network of family and friends members who are able to understand each other can be helpful for maintaining healthy relationships.
It is important to remember, too, that people who suffer from ADHD have a difficult time listening. They are easily interrupted by impulsive behavior or their own thoughts, which could cause them to lose the purpose of an exchange. People with ADHD are more likely to have difficulty in multitasking which could cause them to lose track of conversations or do other things while others talk.
These struggles can result in an unbalanced relationship where the non-ADHD partner becomes overwrought with anger and stress, and the ADHD partner feels misunderstood and defensive. They can then become more introverted, and the problem escalates from there.
Women with high functioning ADHD often feel overwhelmed and exhausted by the demands of daily life. They may be feeling low self-esteem or shame because of their impulsive, disorganized behavior. Or they might feel that they are unable to manage their chores and bills. adhd symptoms for women might also experience mood swings, sensitivity to rejection and a lack of sexual desire.
It is crucial that people with ADHD find a treatment and seek out help. add in adult women is important that those who are closest to them, particularly spouses, learn more about ADHD and how it affects the person they love. Together, they can establish clear expectations and establish boundaries. Then, they will create an action plan to reach their goals. For instance the non-ADHD spouse could assume more financial responsibilities, while the person with ADHD might be focused on completing chores and organizing the house.
In addition, both partners should work to communicate more efficiently and clearly and establish a regular routine that includes regular sleep patterns, meal times and time to relax and rest. It's also important to discover ways to make life simpler for both parties for example, sharing household chores or outsourcing some of the tasks that are challenging for a person with ADHD like hiring an expert cleaning service or using apps to control costs.