High Functioning ADHD in Women
Women with high functioning adhd are dissatisfied and often misunderstood by their relationships. Symptoms may be more severe in periods of hormonal changes, like the premenstrual or menstrual cycles.
Many girls and women resorting to compensatory strategies to mask their impairments and symptoms can delay the time for referral.
This group of patients faces particular problems that must be taken into account when treating them.
1. Lack of Self-Esteem
Women can be depressed by the social and emotional challenges of ADHD. Even when they are successful, it is easy to feel like failing because of the things they can't change. This can result in an unending cycle where they feel overwhelmed and never quite good enough and can take a toll on their mental health and self-esteem.
Girls with untreated ADHD are more at risk of developing chronic low self-esteem as well as anxiety, teen pregnancy depression and substance abuse. As adults, they are at a higher risk of becoming parents on their own to a child suffering from ADHD and facing financial hardship or unemployment. They're also more likely than others to be afflicted by eating disorders and to pass their bad habits on to their children.
It's important for girls to receive an accurate diagnosis because it will provide them with a better understanding of their challenges and enable them to manage their symptoms more efficiently. Many women report feeling empowered after receiving an diagnosis. They can stop being a victim of things they can't manage. It can also help to reframe their issues and help them focus on what is important (Waite 2010).
As women age and move towards menopause their hormone levels may change and ADHD symptoms may worsen. This can make it difficult for them to be identified and treated since they are often misdiagnosed as having anxiety or mood disorder, and their symptoms are dismissed as "hormonal" or "that time of the month."
Being diagnosed with untreated adult ADHD can have devastating consequences on self-esteem of women, and her relationships with her family and friends. The symptoms can affect daily routines, leaving her frustrated and exhausted. It is possible that she can't refuse people, causing her to feel overwhelmed and resentful of those around her. It can be difficult to manage her work and home life, resulting in missing appointments and documents getting lost. She may also be more easily triggered when she is rejected which makes her more likely to lash out at people she loves.
2. Rejection Sensitivity
Rejection sensitivity causes you to feel very hurt when rejected. This can be real or perceived. A disagreement with your partner, or an insult from a co-worker at work could trigger you. Your brain's natural defense mechanisms become overwhelmed and the thoughts, feelings, and beliefs that result can hurt your self-esteem and relationships. The sensitivity to rejection can also lead to depression, anxiety and mood swings.
Rejection sensitivity, while often linked to ADHD is actually a sign of emotional dysregulation. This impacts how your brain processes emotions and how you respond to them. Other mental health conditions like borderline personality disorder can also be a cause for these symptoms.
People with RSD may view events through filters that make them appear more dark or dimmer than they actually are. This causes them to perceive and interpret things as if they are related to rejection, even if they are not. RSD can also cause you to have a hard time regulating your emotions, which is why it's important to develop healthy strategies for coping to manage this.
You can learn more about rejection sensitivity by reading these articles:
While there is no cure for RSD, it's possible to manage your symptoms with the assistance of a mental health professional. You can utilize coping techniques like cognitive behavior therapy to change your negative thinking patterns. You can also develop mindfulness and build a community of support to reduce your chance of experiencing negative reactions to rejection. This will help you overcome your RSD to live a more fulfilling and happier life. It is also crucial to avoid relationships that are toxic as they can make your symptoms worse. If you are in a abusive relationship, seek out counseling to learn how you can safely leave. This will reduce the risk of rejection related feelings, such anxiety and depression. By focusing on relationships that are healthy, you can improve your self-esteem. This will allow you to feel more confident about your abilities and provide you with an objective view of the world around you.
3. Sexuality
ADHD symptoms can make maintaining a healthy relationship challenging. This can lead to sexual dysfunctions and risky sexual behavior. Women with adhd that is high functioning might be more at risk of having sexual issues. These behaviors can also cause feelings of guilt and shame, which can have a negative effect on their relationships as well as their overall health.
One study looked at adults suffering from ADHD and discovered that they were more likely to have a passion for sexual exploration than those without the disorder. This was true for both males and females. This is likely due to the higher levels of impulsivity that could make them more likely to be influenced by sexual ideas and desires. Specifically, the study found that women with adhd were more likely to indulge in paraphilic masturbation fantasies and behaviours. This included submissive roles, bondage and sex with strangers. They also went to sex parties and clubs more often.
Both women and men with adhd were more likely to be in a relationship than those who did not have the disorder. This was due their poor control of impulses and alcohol-related disinhibition. It could also be due to their higher rates of anxiety and feeling misunderstood by partners. The survey also asked participants to report their experiences with sexual affairs and sexual intercourse without the use of contraception. Table 6 outlines the results for this section.
The study also used the Hypersexuality-Symptom Inventory-19 (HBI-19), which asked participants to describe their sexual issues. The questionnaire is comprised of 19 items that are grouped into three subscales. Each item is scored using 5 points, ranging from 1 (never to 5) (very often)). The higher the score the more symptomatology there is. The HBI-19 was used to assess the sexual behaviors of adults with and without ADHD.
These findings are significant due to the fact that the psychosexual effects of people with ADHD are not well-studied. They have been linked with sexual dysfunctions such as STIs and unwanted pregnancy, relationship dissatisfaction, adult-onset infidelity as well as risky sexual behaviors.
4. Relationships
Many people who have high functioning ADHD experience difficulties in their relationships with loved ones. Lack of clarity in communication, and misunderstandings due to issues like inattention and forgetfulness can lead to anger, resentment, and conflict within the relationship. Maintaining signs of adhd in women can be assisted by a supportive network of friends and family members who understand.
It is also important to note that those with ADHD frequently have trouble listening. They are easily interrupted by impulsive behavior or their own thoughts, which could cause them to lose the purpose of the conversation. People with ADHD are more likely to be struggling with multitasking, too and can cause them to tune out of conversations or engage in other things while others talk.
These struggles can lead to a vicious cycle where the partner who is not ADHD becomes overwhelmed with anxiety and anger, and the ADHD person feels untrusted. They may then become more introverted and the situation can get worse from there.
Women who have high functioning ADHD often feel overwhelmed and exhausted by the demands of their everyday life. They may feel low self-esteem or shame due to their impulsive, unorganized behavior. Or they might feel like they cannot manage their chores and bills. They might also be suffering from mood swings and sensitivity to rejection, as well as low sexual drive.
Because of this, it is vital for those suffering from ADHD to establish an effective treatment plan and seek assistance. It is also essential for their family members particularly spouses to understand the disorder and how it affects their loved one. They can collaborate to establish the right expectations and boundaries and then formulate a plan of how they can achieve those goals. The non-ADHD partner can assume more financial responsibility while the person with ADHD will be focused on organising and finishing the housework.
Both partners should be working to improve communication and establish an established routine that includes regular schedules for sleeping, meal times, and time to relax and rest. It is also essential to discover ways to make life simpler for both parties by splitting household chores, or outsourcing certain tasks that are challenging for a person with ADHD for example, hiring cleaning services or utilizing apps to manage costs.