High Functioning ADHD in Women
Women with adhd that are high functioning are frustrated and misunderstood in their relationships. The symptoms may be more severe during periods of hormonal changes, such as the premenstrual and pregnancy periods.
Many women and girls resort to compensatory strategies in order to cover their impairments and symptoms can delay the time for referral.
This group of patients faces a unique set 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 when they're successful it's easy to feel like a failure for things they cannot control. This can result in a vicious cycle where they are constantly overwhelmed and never good enough which can be detrimental to their self-esteem and mental health.
Girls who aren't treated for ADHD are more at risk of having low self-esteem for a long time, teen pregnancy, anxiety, depression, and addiction to drugs. As adults, they are at a higher risk of becoming single-parents of a child with ADHD and also facing financial difficulties or unemployment. They're also more likely to struggle with eating disorders, and their bad patterns can pass down to their children.
It is crucial for girls to get an assessment, as it will give them an understanding of their issues and enable them to manage their symptoms more efficiently. Many women report that they feel more confident after receiving their diagnosis, allowing them to stop beating themselves up over the small things they cannot control. It helps them to see their difficulties as strengths and help them focus their attention on the things that matter most (Waite, 2010).
As women mature and approach menopausal age, their hormone levels change and ADHD symptoms may get worse. This can make it harder for them to be diagnosed 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."
Being diagnosed with untreated adult ADHD can have devastating effects on self-esteem of women, and her relationships with her family and friends. The symptoms can disrupt everyday routines, leaving them frustrated and exhausted. It is possible that she cannot say no to people and end up overburdened herself and become resentful of those close to her. It can be difficult organizing her home and work life, which leads to missing appointments and documents getting lost. Additionally, she could be more susceptible to being triggered by rejection, which means she is more likely to react defensively and even lash out at the people she loves.
2. Rejection Sensitivity
Rejection sensitivity makes you feel very hurt when rejected. It could be real or perceived. It could be caused by a disagreement with your partner or a negative review from a coworker at work. The brain's natural defense mechanisms are overstimulated which can trigger thoughts and feelings that can harm your self-esteem and relationships. You may also experience depression, anxiety, and mood swings as a result of the sensitivity to rejection.
Although it's often attributed to ADHD, rejection sensitivity is actually a symptom of emotional dysregulation that affects how your brain handles emotions and the way you react to them. The symptoms can also be seen in other mental health disorders such as borderline personality disorder (BPD).
RSD patients may perceive events through a filter, making them appear darker or brighter than they are. This can cause people to interpret things as being related to rejection even if they aren't. RSD can also cause you to have a hard time regulating your emotions which is why it is important to have healthy coping strategies to handle this.
Check out the following articles to learn more about rejection sensitivity.
Although there isn't a cure for RSD but it is possible to manage your symptoms with the assistance of a mental health professional. You can utilize strategies for coping, such as cognitive behavior therapy, which helps you modify your negative thought patterns. You can also create a support network and practice mindfulness to lessen the chance of reacting negatively to rejection. This can help you find ways to overcome your RSD and help you live a more positive and satisfying life. It is also essential to stay clear of toxic relationships since they can make your symptoms worse. If you're in an abusive relationship, get counseling to learn the best way to leave. This can lessen the risk of having feelings of rejection, such as anxiety and depression. You can also increase your self-esteem by focusing on developing healthy relationships. This will help you feel more confident in your abilities and give you an unbiased view of the world around you.
3. Sexuality
ADHD symptoms can make maintaining a healthy relationship difficult. This often leads to sexual dysfunctions and risky behavior. Research suggests that women suffering from high functioning adhd are at a higher risk of developing these sexual problems than non-ADHD counterparts. These behaviors can also cause feelings of guilt and embarrassment which may negatively impact their relationships and wellbeing.
In one study, people with ADHD were found to be more likely than people without ADHD to have adventurous sexual interest. This was the case for both males and females. This could be due to the higher levels of impulsivity that could make them more likely to be influenced by sexual ideas and desires. In particular, the study showed that females with adhd were more likely to engage in paraphilic masturbation fantasies and behaviours. This included bondage, submissive roles, and sex with strangers. It was also common for them to go to sexual clubs and parties.
Both males and females with adhd had a higher rate of infidelity than those without the disorder. This was due their poor control of impulses and alcohol-related disinhibition. This is probably due to their higher levels of insecurity, and feeling misunderstood or criticized by their partners. The survey asked participants about their experiences with extra-partner relationships and sexual relations that were not contraceptive. Table 6 outlines the results from this section.
The study also used the Hypersexuality-Symptom Inventory-19 (HBI-19), which asked participants to discuss their problematic sexual behaviors. This questionnaire is composed of 19 items, and is divided into three subscales. Each item is scored on a five-point scale from 1 (never) to 5 (very often). The higher the score, more symptoms are present. The HBI-19 was utilized to evaluate sexual behaviors between adults with ADHD and those who do not.
These findings are significant, because the psychosexual outcomes for adults with ADHD have not been studied extensively. They have been linked to sexual dysfunctions, like STI's, unwanted pregnancies, relationship problems, adolescent and adult onset infidelity and risky sexual behaviors.
4. Relationships
Many people with high functioning ADHD have trouble in their romantic relationships. Lack of clarity in communication, and misunderstandings caused by symptoms such as inattention and forgetfulness can cause anger, resentment and a conflict in the relationship. A supportive network of friends and family members who understand can be beneficial for maintaining healthy relationships.
It is also important to remember that people suffering from ADHD are often unable to listen. They are easily interrupted by their impulsive behavior or own thoughts, which can cause them to lose the purpose of the conversation. People with ADHD are more likely to be struggling in multitasking, which can cause them to lose track of conversations or do other activities while others talk.
These battles can create a vicious cycle in which the person who is not ADHD is overwhelmed by anxiety and anger, and the ADHD partner feels misunderstood. They can then become more withdrawn and the issue can escalate from there.
Women with high-functioning ADHD are often overwhelmed and exhausted by their daily demands. They may feel guilt and low self-esteem as a result of their unpredictable and unorganized behavior, or feel that they're not able to handle their bills and chores. They might also have mood swings, sensitivity to rejection and a lack of sexual desire.
This is why it is essential for those with ADHD to find a treatment plan and seek assistance. It is also essential for those close to them, especially spouses, to understand the disorder and how it affects their loved one. They can collaborate to establish clear boundaries and expectations, then come up with an action plan to will meet those objectives. The non-ADHD partner can take on more financial responsibility while the person with ADHD would focus on organizing and completing housework.
Both partners must be working to improve their communication and create an established routine that includes regular schedules for sleeping, meal times, and time to relax and rest. treatment for adhd in women is also essential to find ways to make things easier for both parties by dividing household chores, or outsourcing some of the tasks that are challenging for a person with ADHD for example, hiring cleaning services or using apps to control costs.