High Functioning ADHD in Women
Women with high functioning adhd experience discontent and confusion in their relationships. The symptoms can become more severe during periods of hormonal changes, like the pre-menstrual period and pregnancy.
Many women and girls resort to compensatory strategies in order to cover their impairments and symptoms can delay referral.
This patient group faces particular challenges that must be considered when treating them.
1. Insecurities about self-esteem
The emotional and social challenges that accompany ADHD can cause women to feel low. Even when they're successful and have a good time, it's easy for them to feel like a failure for things they aren't able to control. This can create a vicious cycle where they feel overwhelmed and never satisfied which can take a toll on their mental health and self-esteem.
Girls who suffer from ADHD who are not treated are at a greater risk of having low self-esteem as well as teen pregnancy. They also have a higher risk of anxiety, depression, and substance abuse. As adults, they're more likely to be single-parents to a child with ADHD and experiencing financial crisis or unemployment. They're also more likely to struggle with eating disorders, and their unhealthy patterns can pass down to their children.
It's crucial that girls get a diagnosis as it will help them better recognize their struggles and manage their symptoms. Many women say that they feel more empowered after receiving their diagnosis, allowing them to stop beating themselves up over the small things they cannot control. It can also help them reframe their issues and help them focus on what's important (Waite 2010).
As women age and move towards menopausal, their hormone levels can change, and ADHD symptoms may worsen. It is often difficult to identify and treat people suffering from ADHD because their symptoms may be incorrectly identified and dismissed as "hormonal", "that time of the month" or "an anxiety disorder".
Having untreated adult ADHD can have devastating consequences on women's self-esteem and her relationships with friends and family. The symptoms can affect everyday routines, leaving them feeling exhausted and angry. She might feel that she is unable to say no to people which causes her to burden herself and become angry with the people closest to her. She may find it difficult organizing her work and home life, resulting in delayed appointments and lost documents. She can also be more easily triggered by rejection therefore she's more likely to be defensive and snap at those she loves.
2. Rejection Sensitivity
The sensitivity to rejection causes you to feel extremely hurt when you are rejected. This could be real or perceived. A disagreement with your partner or a negative comment from a co-worker at work could trigger you. Your brain's defense mechanisms naturally become overwhelmed and the thoughts emotions, feelings, and beliefs that result can hurt your relationships and self-esteem. The sensitivity to rejection can also result in anxiety, depression and mood shifts.
Although it's often linked to ADHD Rejection sensitiveness is actually a sign of emotional dysregulation that affects the way your brain handles emotions and how you respond to them. Other mental health disorders like borderline personality disorder could also show these symptoms.
People with RSD might see events through an eye that makes them appear more dark or dimmer than they really are. This makes them more likely to interpret and interpret events as being related to rejection, even though they're not. RSD can make you unable to control your emotions. This is why it is crucial to develop healthy coping strategies to manage RSD.
You can learn more about the issue of rejection sensitivity by reading the following articles:
Although there is no cure for RSD it is possible to manage symptoms with the assistance of a mental healthcare professional. You can use coping techniques like cognitive behavior therapy to change your negative thinking patterns. You can also engage in mindfulness and build a network of support to decrease your chance of experiencing negative reactions to rejection. This will aid you in overcoming your RSD to live a more fulfilled and happier life. Avoid relationships that are toxic, as they can exacerbate your symptoms. If you are in an abusive relationship, you should seek counseling to learn how you can safely get out. This will help lessen the risk of having 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 help you feel more confident about your capabilities and provide a realistic perspective on life.
3. Sexuality
ADHD symptoms can make the maintenance of a healthy relationship a challenge. This can lead to sexual dysfunctions and risky behavior. Research suggests that women with high functioning adhd are at higher risk of having sexual problems than their non-ADHD counterparts. These behaviors can 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 have adventurous sexual curiosity. Both genders were affected. This is likely due to the greater impulsivity levels that can cause them to be more likely to act on sexual thoughts and desires. The study found that females who suffer from adhd are more likely to engage in paraphilic fantasies and behaviors. This included submissive role play, bondage and sex with strangers. They also attended sex parties and more clubs.
Both women and men who suffer from adhd were more likely be in a relationship than those who did not suffer from the disorder. This is due to their lack of impulse control, alcohol disinhibition and sensation-seeking. This is probably due to their greater levels of anxiety and a feeling of being misunderstood or misjudged by their partners. The survey also asked respondents to describe their experiences with extra-partner sexual relationships and sexual encounters without use of contraception. Table 6 presents the results for this section.
The study also used the Hypersexuality Symptom Inventory-19 (HBI-19) to inquire of participants about their sexual problems. The questionnaire is comprised of 19 items, which are divided into three subscales. Each item is scored on five-point scale, starting between 1 (never to 5 (very frequently)). conversational tone , the more symptomatology is present. The HBI-19 was used to evaluate the sexual behaviors of adults who have and those without ADHD.
These findings are significant, because the psychosexual outcomes for adults with ADHD were not studied as often. conversational tone have been associated with sexual dysfunctions like unwanted pregnancy and STIs, relationship dissatisfaction and adult-onset infidelity, as well as risky sexual behavior.
4. Relationships
Many people who have high functioning ADHD struggle with their romantic relationships. Lack of clarity in communication and misunderstandings caused by symptoms such as inattention and forgetfulness may result in anger, frustration and conflict within a relationship. Maintaining healthy relationships can be helped by a supportive network of family and friends who understand.
It is also important to remember that people with ADHD are often unable to listen. They can be interrupted easily by impulsive behavior or their own thoughts, which can cause them to lose the purpose of the conversation. People with ADHD may also have trouble multitasking, which can cause them to shut out conversations or do something else while someone else is talking.
These conflicts can result in a vicious cycle where the partner who is not ADHD becomes overwhelmed with anger and stress, while the ADHD person feels untrusted. The issue could escalate from there as they become more isolated.
Women with high functioning ADHD often feel overwhelmed and exhausted by the demands of their daily life. They may feel guilt and low self-esteem as a result of their chaotic and impulsive behavior, or feel that they're not able to handle their household chores and bills. blog might also be suffering from mood swings and rejection sensitivity as well as low sexual drive.
It is important that those with ADHD seek treatment and seek help. It is crucial that those closest to them, particularly spouses, understand ADHD and how it affects the person they love. Together, they can establish clear expectations and establish boundaries. They can then create an action plan to meet their goals. For example the partner who is not ADHD could be more involved in the financial responsibilities, while the person with ADHD might be focused on organizing and completing housework.
Both partners should be working to improve their communication and create a routine that includes regular eating patterns, sleeping times, and time for relaxation and rest. It's important to find ways to make things easier for both spouses, such as splitting household chores or outsourcing certain tasks that are difficult for someone with ADHD.