High Functioning ADHD in Women
Women with high functioning adhd experience frustration and misunderstandings in their relationships. The symptoms can be more severe in periods of hormonal changes, like premenstrual and pregnancy cycles.
Many girls and women resort to compensatory strategies, concealing their impairments and symptoms, which can delay time to referral.
This patient group faces specific challenges that must be considered when treating them.
1. Self-esteem issues
The social and emotional challenges associated with ADHD can leave women feeling low. Even when they're successful, it is easy to feel like they're a failure because of things they aren't able to change. This can lead to an unending cycle where they feel constantly overwhelmed and never satisfied, which can affect their self-esteem and mental health.
Girls who don't have treatment for ADHD are more at risk of having low self-esteem for a long time and anxiety, teen pregnancy, depression, and abuse of substances. As adults, they're at an higher risk of having a single parent for a child with ADHD, financial crises and underemployment. They're also more likely to be struggling with eating disorders, and their bad habits can be passed on to their children.
It is crucial for girls to receive an accurate diagnosis because it will provide them with an understanding of their issues and allow them to manage their symptoms more effectively. Many women say that they feel much more at ease after receiving their diagnosis, allowing them to not be a victim of the little things they can't manage. It helps them to see their difficulties as strengths and focus their attention on what matters most (Waite 2010,).
As women age and approach menopausal, their hormone levels can change, and ADHD symptoms could worsen. This makes it more difficult to diagnose and treated since they are often misdiagnosed as anxiety or mood disorder and their symptoms are dismissed as "hormonal" or "that time of the month."
Untreated adult ADHD can have devastating consequences on self-esteem of women, and her relationships with friends and family. Symptoms can interfere with everyday routines, leaving them feeling exhausted and angry. She may feel she can't say no to anyone and end up overburdened herself and feel resentful towards the people closest to her. She may find it difficult to manage the work and home lives of her children which can lead to missed appointments and lost files. She may also be more easily triggered by rejection, therefore she's more likely to react defensively and even lash out at the people she loves.
2. Rejection Sensitivity
Rejection sensitivity makes you feel extremely hurt when you are rejected. It could be real or perceived. You might be triggered by an argument with your partner or a negative feedback from a colleague at work. The brain's natural defence mechanisms are overstimulated, resulting in thoughts or feelings, and beliefs that could harm your self-esteem and relationships. You may also experience depression, anxiety, and mood fluctuations as a result of rejection sensitivity.
Rejection sensitivity, which is typically associated with ADHD is actually a sign of emotional dysregulation. This impacts how your brain processes emotions and how you react to them. Other mental health conditions such as borderline personality disorder may also show these symptoms.
People with RSD might see events through a filter that makes them appear darker or dimmer than they actually are. This can lead 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 manage RSD.
Learn more about rejection sensitivity by reading the articles below:
Although there isn't a cure for RSD it is possible to treat symptoms with the assistance of a mental healthcare professional. You can use strategies for coping, such as cognitive behavior therapy, which helps modify your negative thought patterns. You can also build an emotional support network and practice mindfulness to lessen your chance of reacting negatively to rejection. This will aid you in overcoming your RSD so that you can live a more fulfilled and happy life. Avoid relationships that are toxic, since they can worsen your symptoms. If you're in a abusive relationship, seek out counseling to discover how to get out. This can reduce your risk of rejection related feelings like depression and anxiety. You can also increase your self-esteem by focusing on building healthy relationships. adult add women will allow you to feel more confident in your abilities and provide you with a more realistic perspective on the world around you.
3. Sexuality
ADHD symptoms can make maintaining a healthy relationship challenging. This can lead to sexual dysfunctions and risky sexual behaviours. Women who have high functioning adhd may be at greater risk of developing sexual problems. These behaviors can also trigger feelings of guilt and embarrassment and can negatively impact their relationships and wellbeing.
One study surveyed adults with ADHD and discovered 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 could be due to the greater impulsivity levels that could make them more likely to be influenced by sexual ideas and desires. The study revealed that females who suffer from adhd are more likely to engage in paraphilic fantasies and behaviors. This included bondage, submissive roles and sex with strangers. It was also common for them to go out to sex clubs and parties.
Both women and men with adhd were more likely to be infidelity than those who didn't have the disorder. This was due to inability to control their impulses, alcohol disinhibition and sensation-seeking. It could also be because of their higher levels of insecurity and feeling misunderstood by partners. The survey asked participants about their experiences with extra-partner relationships and sexual relations without contraception. Table 6 shows the results of this section.
The study also utilized the Hypersexuality-Symptom Inventory-19 (HBI-19), which asked participants to describe their problematic sexual behavior. This questionnaire is composed of 19 items that are divided into three subscales. Each item is scored on a 5-point scale ranging that ranges from 1 (never) to 5 (very often). The higher the score, the more symptomatology it has. The HBI-19 was used in order to evaluate sexual behaviors between adults with ADHD and those who do not.
These findings are significant because the psychosexual outcomes of people with ADHD are not well-studied. They have been associated with sexual dysfunctions, such as STI's and unplanned pregnancies, relationship dissatisfaction, adult and adolescent onset infidelity and risky sexual behaviours.
4. Relationships
Many people with high functioning ADHD experience difficulties in their romantic relationships. A lack of communication, and misunderstandings caused by symptoms such as forgetfulness and inattention can lead to anger, resentment, and conflict within the relationship. A supportive group of family and friends members who can understand is beneficial in maintaining healthy relationships.
It is crucial to keep in mind, too, that people who suffer from ADHD have trouble listening. They are easily distracted by their own thoughts or impulsive behaviors that can cause them to miss out on the primary point of a discussion. People with ADHD are more likely to have difficulty with multitasking as well which could cause them to lose track of conversations or perform other things while someone else is talking.
These struggles can lead to a vicious cycle in which the person who is not ADHD becomes overwhelmed with stress and resentment and the ADHD partner feels that they are not understood. They can then become more withdrawn and the situation can get worse from there.
Women with high-functioning ADHD are often overwhelmed and exhausted by the demands of their lives. They might experience feelings of shame and low self-esteem because of their chaotic and impulsive behavior, or feel as if they can't keep up with their household chores and bills. They might also have mood swings, sensitivity to rejection and low sex desire.
Because of this, it is crucial for people suffering from ADHD to find an effective treatment plan and seek out help. It is also crucial for family members particularly spouses to understand the condition and how it affects their loved one. Together, they can set clear expectations and establish boundaries. They can then develop a plan to meet their goals. The non-ADHD partner could take on more financial responsibility while the person with ADHD will be focused on organising and finishing the housework.
Both partners should strive to improve their communication and establish a routine that includes regular sleeping patterns, meal times, and time to relax and rest. It's also important to discover ways to make life easier for both parties by dividing household chores, or outsourcing certain tasks that are challenging for a person with ADHD for example, hiring a cleaning service or using apps to control expenses.