High Functioning ADHD in Women
Women with high functioning adhd are dissatisfied and often misunderstood by their relationships. The symptoms may be more severe in times of hormonal changes like premenstrual and pregnancy periods.
Many women and girls resort to compensatory strategies to hide their symptoms and impairments can delay referral.
This patient group has a unique set of challenges that need to be taken into account when treating them.
1. Self-Esteem is not a strong point.
Women can feel depressed by the social and emotional challenges of ADHD. Even when they're doing well it's easy to feel like a failure for things they aren't able to control. This can lead to an endless cycle of feeling like they feel constantly overwhelmed and never quite good enough which can be detrimental to their mental health and self-esteem.
Girls who aren't treated for ADHD are at higher risk of developing chronic low self-esteem as well as teen pregnancy, anxiety, depression, and abuse of substances. 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 underemployment. They are also more likely than other people to be afflicted by eating disorders and to pass on their bad habits to their children.
It is crucial for girls to get an assessment, as it will give them an understanding of their struggles and help them manage their symptoms more efficiently. Many women report feeling confident after receiving a diagnosis. They can now stop being a victim of things they can't manage. It can also help reframe their problems and refocus them on what's important (Waite 2010).
As women age and enter menopausal age, their hormone levels change, and ADHD symptoms can become more severe. It can be difficult to diagnose and treat patients with ADHD due to the fact that their symptoms can be incorrectly identified and dismissed as "hormonal", "that time of the month" or "an anxiety disorder".
Untreated adult ADHD can have a devastating impact on a woman’s self-esteem and relationships with her family and friends. Symptoms may interfere with a woman's daily routine that can leave her feeling angry and exhausted. It is possible that she cannot refuse to be around people, leading her to overburden herself and become resentful of those close to her. It could be difficult to organize the work and home lives of her children, leading to missed appointments and lost files. She may also be more easily triggered by rejection, so she may be more likely to be defensive 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. A disagreement with a partner, or an unkind comment from a colleague at work can trigger you. Your brain's defense mechanisms naturally become over-stimulated, and the thoughts and feelings that result can hurt your relationships and self-esteem. The sensitivity to rejection can also lead to depression, anxiety and mood swings.
While it's often associated with ADHD The issue of rejection sensitivity is actually a symptom of emotional dysregulation that affects the way your brain manages emotions and how you react to them. Other mental health conditions like borderline personality disorder could be a sign of these symptoms too.
RSD patients may perceive events through a filter, which makes them appear brighter or darker than they actually are. This makes them more likely to interpret things as being related to rejection, even though they are not. RSD can make you unable to control your emotions. This is why it is crucial to develop healthy coping mechanisms to deal with RSD.
Learn more about rejection sensitivity by reading the following 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 employ coping strategies such as cognitive behavioral therapy to alter your negative thinking patterns. You can also create an emotional support network and practice mindfulness to lower your risk of reacting negatively to rejection. This can help you find ways to overcome your RSD and allow you to live a more positive and fulfilled life. It is also important to stay clear of toxic relationships since they can cause your symptoms to worsen. If you're in an abusive relationship, seek out counsel to find out how to get out. This will help lower the risk of experiencing rejection-related feelings, such as anxiety and depression. You can also improve your self-esteem by focusing on creating healthy relationships. This will help you feel more confident about your abilities, and will give you an unbiased view of the world around you.
3. Sexuality
ADHD symptoms can make the maintenance of a healthy relationship a challenge. This can cause sexual dysfunctions and risky sexual behaviors. Women with adhd that is high functioning are at a higher risk of developing sexual problems. These behaviors can also result in feelings of guilt and shame and can have a negative impact on the quality of their relationships as well as their overall health.
One study surveyed adults with ADHD and found that they were more likely to be interested in sexual activities than those without the disorder. This was the case for both males and females. This was likely due to their higher levels of impulsivity which makes them more likely to act on sexual desires and thoughts. The study found that women with adhd are more likely to indulge in paraphilic fantasies and behaviors. This included bondage, submissive roles, and sex with strangers. It was also more typical for them to go to sexual clubs and parties.
Females and males with adhd had a higher risk of infidelity than those without the disorder. This was due to lack of impulse control and alcohol-related disinhibition, as well as their desire for sensation. This is probably due to their higher levels of insecurity and being misunderstood, or misjudged by their loved ones. The survey also asked respondents to describe their experiences with sexual relationships and sexual encounters without use of 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 sexual issues. This questionnaire is composed of 19 items, which are divided into three subscales. women and adhd is rated on a 5-point scale ranging between 1 (never) to 5 (very often). The higher the score, the more symptomatology is evident. The HBI-19 was used to assess the sexual behaviors of adults who have and those without ADHD.
These results are important, since the psychosexual outcomes of adults with ADHD were rarely studied. They have been associated with sexual dysfunctions like unwanted pregnancy and STIs, relationship dissatisfaction, adult-onset infidelity as well as dangerous sexual behavior.
4. Relationships
Many people with high functioning ADHD struggle with their romantic relationships. Lack of clarity in communication and misunderstandings due to issues like inattention and forgetfulness can cause anger, resentment, and conflict within the relationship. Maintaining healthy relationships can be helped by a supportive network of friends and family members who understand.
It is also important to keep in mind that people suffering from ADHD often have difficulty listening. They are easily distracted by their own thoughts or impulsive behaviors that could result in them missing out on the central purpose of a conversation. People with ADHD are more likely to have difficulty with multitasking, too which could cause them to tune out of conversations or perform other activities while others talk.
These battles can create a vicious cycle where the person who isn't ADHD is overwhelmed with stress and resentment and the ADHD partner feels misunderstood. They then tend to withdraw and the situation can get worse from there.
Women with high functioning ADHD often feel overwhelmed and exhausted by the demands of daily life. They may feel low self-esteem and shame because of their impulsive and disorganized behavior, or feel that they can't keep up with their bills and chores. They can also suffer from mood swings and rejection sensitivity, as well as low sexual drive.
This is why it is vital for those suffering from ADHD to establish a treatment plan and seek help. It is essential that those closest to them, particularly spouses, are aware of ADHD and how it affects the person they love. They can work together to establish clear expectations and boundaries, then come up with a plan of how they will meet those goals. For example, the non-ADHD partner might take on more of the financial responsibilities, whereas the person with ADHD might be focused on organizing and completing housework.
Both partners should also work to improve their communication and establish an established routine that includes regular sleeping patterns, meal times, and time to relax and rest. It's also important to find ways to make things simpler for both parties, such as sharing household chores or outsourcing some of the tasks that are difficult for the person with ADHD like hiring cleaning services or utilizing apps to manage costs.