High Functioning ADHD in Women
Women with high functioning adhd experience discontent and confusion in their relationships. The symptoms may be more severe in periods of hormonal changes, like premenstrual and menstrual cycles.
Many women and girls are forced to resort to compensatory strategies, concealing their impairments and symptoms, which can delay time until referral.
This group of patients has particular challenges that must be considered when treating them.
1. Lack of Self-Esteem
Women can be depressed by the emotional and social issues of ADHD. Even if they're successful, it is easy to feel like they're an failure due to things they cannot change. This can create an endless feeling of being overwhelmed and inadequate. This can have a negative effect on their mental well-being.
Girls who aren't treated for ADHD are at higher risk of having low self-esteem for a long time as well as anxiety, teen pregnancy depression, and addiction to drugs. 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 to pass on their bad habits to their children.
adhd in older women is essential that girls get a diagnosis as it will help them better comprehend the challenges they face and manage their symptoms. Many women report feeling empowered after receiving a diagnosis. They can stop berating themselves over things they aren't able to manage. It helps them to see their difficulties as strengths and focus their focus on what is important most (Waite 2010).
As women age and approach menopausal age, their hormone levels could change, and ADHD symptoms can become more severe. This makes it more difficult to diagnose and treated since they are often misdiagnosed as an anxiety or mood disorder, and their symptoms are viewed as "hormonal" or "that time of the month."
Untreated adult ADHD can have a devastating impact on self-esteem and relationships with her family and friends. The symptoms can affect women's daily routines, leaving her irritable and exhausted. It is possible that she cannot turn down people, which causes her to become overburdened and resentful towards people who are around her. She might find it difficult to manage her work and home life, leading to missed appointments and lost files. She may also be more easily triggered by rejection therefore she's more likely to react defensively and snap at those she likes.
2. Rejection Sensitivity
Rejection sensitivity causes you to feel intensely when you're rejected, whether real or perceived. A disagreement with your partner or an unkind comment from a colleague at work could trigger you. Your brain's natural defense mechanisms are overwhelmed and the thoughts emotions, feelings, and beliefs that result can harm your self-esteem and relationships. There are also anxiety, depression and mood changes due to the sensitivity to rejection.
Although it's often linked to ADHD, rejection sensitivity is actually a sign of emotional dysregulation that affects the way your brain manages emotions and the way you react to them. undiagnosed adhd in women can also be seen in other mental health conditions such as borderline personality disorder (BPD).
People with RSD might see events through a filter that makes them appear darker or less than they really are. This can lead people to interpret things as being related to rejection, even if they aren't. RSD can also cause you to have a harder managing your emotions, which is why it's crucial to have healthy coping strategies to handle this.
Learn more about the sensitivity to rejection by reading these articles:
Although there isn't a cure for RSD it is possible to treat symptoms with the assistance of a mental health professional. You can employ strategies for coping, such as cognitive behavior therapy, which helps you change your negative thought patterns. You can also engage in mindfulness and build a community of support to decrease the chance of having negative reactions to rejection. This will help you overcome your RSD to live a more fulfilled and happy life. Avoid toxic relationships, as they can exacerbate your symptoms. If you're in an abusive relationship, seek out counsel to find out how to get out. This can help you reduce your risk of feelings of rejection, such as depression and anxiety. By focusing on healthy relationships 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 it difficult to maintain a healthy relationship. This can lead to sexual dysfunctions and risky behaviors. Women with high functioning adhd may be at greater risk of developing sexual problems. These behaviors can also cause feelings of shame and guilt which can have a negative effect on the quality of their relationships and overall well-being.
In one study, adults with ADHD were found to be more likely than those without ADHD to exhibit a sexual fascination. This was the case for males and females. This is probably due to the increased levels of impulsivity which could make them more likely to be influenced by sexual ideas and desires. In particular, the study showed that women with adhd were more likely to engage in paraphilic masturbation fantasies and actions. This included submissive role-play bondage, sex with strangers. It was also more common for them to go out to party and sex clubs.
Both females and males suffering from adhd had a higher rate of infidelity than those who did not have the disorder. This was due to their lack of control of their impulses and alcohol withdrawal. This was likely also a result of their higher levels of insecurity and being misunderstood or mistreated by their partners. The survey also asked respondents to describe their experiences with extra-partner sexual relations and sexual interactions without contraception. Table 6 summarizes the results of this section.
The study also used the Hypersexuality-Symptom Inventory-19 (HBI-19) which asked participants to describe their problematic sexual behavior. This questionnaire is composed of 19 items, which are divided into three subscales. Each item is evaluated on a 5-point scale ranging between 1 (never) to 5 (very often). The higher the score, the more symptomatology is present. The HBI-19 was used to assess the sexual behavior of adults with and without ADHD.
These results are important because the psychosexual experiences of adults with ADHD are not well-studied. They have been linked to sexual dysfunctions, such as STIs and unwanted pregnancy, relationship dissatisfaction, adult onset infidelity, and dangerous sexual behavior.
4. Relationships
Many people who have high functioning ADHD have issues with their romantic relationships. Lack of clarity in communication, and miscommunication caused by symptoms such as inattention and forgetfulness can cause anger, resentment, and conflict within the relationship. A supportive network of family and friends members who are able to understand each other can be beneficial for maintaining healthy relationships.
It is also important to note that people suffering from ADHD are often unable to listen. They are often interrupted by their impulsive behavior or own thoughts, which may cause them to miss the main point of the conversation. People with ADHD may also have trouble multitasking, which could cause them to tune out conversations or to do something else while someone else is talking.
These conflicts can lead to a cycle where the non-ADHD partner is overwhelmed with stress and resentment, and the ADHD partner feels misunderstood and defensive. They may then become more withdrawn, and the problem escalates from there.
Women with high-functioning ADHD are often overwhelmed and exhausted by their daily demands. They might experience feelings of guilt and low self-esteem as a result of their unpredictable and unorganized behavior, or feel that they're not able to handle their chores and bills. They can also suffer from mood swings and rejection sensitivity, as well as low sex drive.
It is crucial that people with ADHD seek treatment and seek out help. It is also essential for family members particularly spouses to learn more about the condition and how it affects their loved one. Together, they can set clear expectations and establish boundaries. They can then come up with an action plan to reach their goals. For instance the partner who is not ADHD could take on more of the financial responsibility, while the person with ADHD may be more focused on completing chores and organizing the house.
In addition, both partners should work to communicate more efficiently and clearly and establish a routine that includes regular sleeping patterns, meal times and time for rest and relaxation. It's important 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.