High Functioning ADHD in Women
Women who suffer from high functioning adhd can be dissatisfied and often misunderstood by their relationships. The symptoms may increase during periods of hormonal changes, like the pre-menstrual period and pregnancy.
Many women and girls are forced to resort to compensatory strategies, masking their symptoms and impairments which may delay the time to referral.
This patient group faces particular challenges that must be considered when treating them.
1. Lack of self-esteem
The emotional and social challenges associated with ADHD can leave women feeling down. Even if they're successful, it is easy to feel like an failure due to things they aren't able to change. This can lead to an endless cycle of feeling overwhelmed and inadequate. This can have a negative impact on their mental well-being.
Girls with 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 abuse of substances. As adults, they're more likely to be parents on their own to a child suffering from ADHD and also facing financial difficulties or underemployment. They're also more likely than other people to be afflicted by eating disorders and pass their bad habits onto their children.
It is crucial for girls to receive an assessment, as it will give them an understanding of their struggles and allow them to manage their symptoms more efficiently. Many women report feeling confident after receiving an diagnosis. They are no longer being a victim of things they can't manage. It can also help reframe their problems and refocus them on the things that matter (Waite 2010).
As women age and enter menopause their hormone levels alter and ADHD symptoms can get worse. This can make it harder to diagnose and treated because they're often misdiagnosed as an anxiety or mood disorder and their symptoms are viewed as "hormonal" or "that time of the month."
Having untreated adult ADHD can have devastating effects on self-esteem of women, and her relationships with friends and family. The symptoms can disrupt a woman's daily routine that can leave her feeling angry and exhausted. It is possible that she cannot turn down people, leading her to feel overwhelmed and angry with people around her. She may find it difficult to manage her work and home life which can lead to missed appointments and lost files. She may also be more easily triggered when she is rejected, making her more likely to snap at people she likes.
2. Rejection Sensitivity
Rejection sensitivity is a condition that makes you feel extremely when you're rejected, either real or perceived. A disagreement with a partner, or a negative comment from a co-worker at work can trigger you. adhd symptoms in women adults are overstimulated which can trigger thoughts, feelings and beliefs that can affect your relationships and self esteem. Sensitivity to rejection can lead to depression, anxiety and mood swings.
Although it's often linked to ADHD The issue of rejection sensitiveness is actually a sign of emotional dysregulation, which affects the way your brain handles emotions and how you react to them. Other mental health issues such as borderline personality disorder may also be a cause for these symptoms.
RSD patients may perceive events through a filter, making them appear brighter or darker than they really are. This can cause them to perceive and interpret things as rejection-related, even when they're not. RSD can cause you to be in a state of being unable to control your emotions. This is why it is important to develop healthy coping mechanisms to manage RSD.
Read the articles below to find out more about the sensitivity to rejection.
Although there isn't a cure for RSD but it is possible to manage your symptoms with the help of a mental health professional. You can use coping techniques like cognitive behavioral therapy to alter your negative thinking patterns. You can also practice mindfulness and build a network of support to lessen your risk of negative reactions to rejection. This can help you overcome your RSD to live a more fulfilled and happier life. It is also important to stay clear of toxic relationships since they can cause symptoms to become worse. If you're in an abusive relationship, get counsel to find out the best way to leave. This can help you lower the risk of experiencing rejection-related feelings, such as anxiety and depression. By focusing on relationships that are healthy that you are in, you will increase your self-esteem. This will allow you to feel more confident about your abilities and give you a more realistic perspective on the world around you.
3. Sexuality
ADHD symptoms can make the maintenance of a healthy relationship a challenge. This can cause sexual dysfunctions or risky behavior. Research suggests that women suffering from high functioning adhd are at greater risk of experiencing these sexual issues than their non-ADHD counterparts. adhd in young women can lead to feelings of guilt and shame, which can have a negative impact on their relationships and overall wellbeing.
In one study, people with ADHD were found to be more likely than those without ADHD to be sexually adventurous. interest. This was true for both males and females. This is likely due to their higher levels of impulsivity, which makes them more likely to act on their sexual desires and ideas. The study found that women who have adhd are more likely to engage in paraphilic fantasies and behavior. This included bondage, submissive roles and sex with strangers. It was also more common for them to attend sexual clubs and parties.
Both males and females with adhd had a greater rate of infidelity than people without the disorder. This was due to their poor impulse control and alcohol-related disinhibition, as well as their desire for sensation. This is likely due to their greater levels of anxiety and a feeling of being misunderstood or criticized by their partners. The survey asked participants about their experiences with extra-partner relationships and sexual relationships 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. This questionnaire is composed of 19 items that are divided into three subscales. Each item is evaluated on a 5-point scale ranging 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 behaviors of people with and without ADHD.
These results are important, since the psychosexual outcomes of adults with ADHD were not studied as often. They have been associated with sexual dysfunctions, such as STIs and unwanted pregnancy relationships, dissatisfaction with relationships and adult-onset infidelity, as well as risky sexual behaviors.
4. Relationships
Many people with high functioning ADHD have issues in their romantic relationships. A lack of communication, and misunderstandings caused by symptoms such as inattention and forgetfulness can result in anger, resentment, and conflict in the relationship. Maintaining healthy relationships can be assisted by a network of family and friends who understand.
It is important to remember that those with ADHD have a difficult time listening. They are often interrupted by their impulsive behavior, or their own thoughts, which may cause them to lose the purpose of the conversation. People with ADHD are more likely to have difficulty with multitasking, too, which can cause them to tune out of conversations or engage in other things while someone else is talking.
These struggles can lead to an unending cycle where the person who is not ADHD becomes overwhelmed with stress and resentment and the ADHD partner feels that they are not understood. The problem can escalate in the meantime as they become more distant.
Women with high-functioning ADHD are often exhausted and overwhelmed by their daily demands. They might experience feelings of low self-esteem and shame because of their unpredictable and unorganized behavior, or feel as if they're not able to handle their household chores and bills. They may also feel mood swings, rejection sensitivity and low sex desire.
This is why it is essential for those who suffer from ADHD to establish an effective treatment plan and seek out help. It is important that the people closest to them, especially spouses, understand 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 meet their goals. For instance the partner who is not ADHD could assume more financial responsibilities, whereas the person with ADHD might focus on completing chores and organizing the house.
Additionally, both partners should work to communicate more efficiently and clearly, and establish a routine that incorporates regular sleep schedules, meal times, and time to relax and rest. It's important to find ways to make things easier for both spouses, such as dividing household tasks or outsourcing certain tasks that are difficult for someone with ADHD.