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High Functioning ADHD in Women
Women with high functioning adhd are unhappy and are often misunderstood in their relationships. The symptoms may increase during times of hormonal change like the pre-menstrual period and pregnancy.
Many girls and women resort to compensatory strategies, masking their symptoms and impairments that can delay time to referral.
This group of patients has specific challenges that must be considered when treating them.
1. Lack of self-esteem
Women can be depressed by the social and emotional challenges of ADHD. Even when they're doing well it's easy to feel like a failure due to things they aren't able to control. This can lead to an endless cycle of feeling like they feel constantly overwhelmed and never satisfied and can be detrimental to their mental health and self-esteem.
Girls who suffer from ADHD who aren't treated are at greater chance of developing chronic low self-esteem and teen pregnancy. They also have a greater chance of depression, anxiety and substance abuse. As adults, they are at a higher risk of becoming single-parents of a child with ADHD and experiencing financial crisis or underemployment. They're also more likely to struggle with eating disorders, and their unhealthy patterns could be passed on to their children.
It's important for girls to receive a diagnosis, because it will provide them with an understanding of their struggles and help them manage their symptoms more effectively. Many women report that they feel more empowered after receiving their diagnosis, which allows them to not be a victim of the small things they cannot manage. It can also help them see their challenges as strengths and focus their focus on what is important most (Waite, 2010).
As women age and approach menopause their hormone levels may change, and ADHD symptoms may worsen. This can make it harder for them to be identified and treated because they're often misdiagnosed as having anxiety or mood disorder, and their symptoms are viewed as "hormonal" or "that time of the month."
Untreated adult ADHD can have devastating consequences on a woman’s self-esteem and relationships with her family and friends. Symptoms can interfere with everyday routines, leaving them feeling exhausted and angry. She may feel she can't say no to people which causes her to burden herself and become resentful of the people closest to her. It could be difficult to organize her home and work life, leading to unscheduled appointments and files being lost. She may be more easily angered when she is not liked, making her more likely to snap at those she likes.
2. Rejection Sensitivity
Rejection sensitivity makes you feel very hurt when rejected. This could be real or perceived. You might be triggered by a disagreement with your partner or a negative feedback from a coworker at work. Your brain's defense mechanisms naturally become over-stimulated and the thoughts, feelings, and beliefs that result can hurt your self-esteem and relationships. The sensitivity to rejection can also result in anxiety, depression and mood fluctuations.
Rejection sensitivity, while typically associated with ADHD is actually an indication of emotional dysregulation. This affects the way your brain handles emotions and how you react to them. Other mental health issues like borderline personality disorder can also show these symptoms.
People suffering from RSD may see events through a filter that makes them appear darker or dimmer than they really are. This makes them more likely to interpret things as being related to rejection, even though they're not. RSD can also cause you to have a harder managing your emotions and that's why it's crucial to have coping strategies that are healthy to deal with this.
Check out the following articles to find out more about rejection sensitivity.
Although there isn't a cure for RSD however, you can manage your symptoms with the help of a mental health professional. You can use coping techniques like cognitive behavioral therapy to alter your negative thinking patterns. You can also practice mindfulness and build a network of support to reduce your chance of experiencing negative reactions to rejection. This can help you overcome your RSD to live a more fulfilled and happy life. It is also crucial to avoid relationships that are toxic as they can cause symptoms to become worse. If you're in an abusive relationship, seek out counsel to find out how to get out. This can lower the risk of experiencing feelings of rejection, like depression and anxiety. You can also boost your self-esteem by creating healthy relationships. This will make you feel more confident in your abilities and provide an honest view of life.
3. Sexuality
ADHD symptoms can make maintaining a healthy relationship difficult. This can lead to sexual dysfunctions and risky behaviours. Women with high functioning adhd are at a higher risk for sexual problems. These behaviors can also lead to feelings of guilt and shame, which can have a negative impact on their relationships and overall wellbeing.
One study looked at adults with ADHD and found that they were more likely to have adventurous sexual interests than those who did not suffer from the disorder. Both genders were affected. This is probably due to the greater impulsivity levels that can make them more likely to act on sexual thoughts and desires. The study found that women who suffer from adhd are more likely to engage sexual fantasies and actions. This included bondage, submissive roles and sex with strangers. It was also more common for them to go out to sex clubs and parties.
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. This could be due to their greater levels of anxiety, and feeling misunderstood or misjudged by their partners. The survey asked participants to describe their experiences with extra-partner relationships and sexual relations that were not contraceptive. Table 6 summarizes the results of this section.
In the final analysis, the study utilized the Hypersexuality Symptom Inventory-19 (HBI-19) to inquire from participants about their problematic sexual behavior. This questionnaire consists of 19 items that are divided into three subscales. Each item is evaluated on a 5-point scale ranging that ranges from 1 (never) to 5 (very often). The higher the score, the more symptomatology there is. The HBI-19 was utilized to evaluate sexual behaviors between people with ADHD and those who do not.
These findings are significant because the psychosexual experiences of people with ADHD are not well-studied. They have been linked with sexual dysfunctions such as unwanted pregnancy and STIs, relationship dissatisfaction and adult-onset infidelity, as well as dangerous sexual behavior.
4. Relationships
Many people who have high functioning ADHD struggle with their romantic relationships. Lack of clarity in communication and miscommunication caused by symptoms such as forgetfulness and inattention could lead to frustration, anger and conflict in relationships. A supportive network of friends and family members who understand can be beneficial for maintaining healthy relationships.
It is crucial to keep in mind that those with ADHD have trouble listening. They can be interrupted easily by their impulsive behavior, or their own thoughts, which can cause them to lose the purpose of a conversation. People with ADHD might also have difficulty multitasking, which can lead them to mute conversations or to do something else while another person is talking.
These battles can create a vicious cycle in which the person who is not ADHD is overwhelmed with anxiety and anger, and the ADHD partner feels misunderstood. adhd in women treatment tend to withdraw, and the problem escalates from there.
Women who have high-functioning ADHD are often exhausted and overwhelmed by their daily demands. They may experience low self-esteem or shame because of their impulsive, chaotic behavior. They may find themselves struggling to manage their chores and bills. They might also be suffering from mood swings and rejection sensitivity, as well as low sex drive.
This is why it is essential for those who suffer from ADHD to establish a treatment plan and seek assistance. It is essential that those who are closest to them, especially spouses, learn more about ADHD and how it affects the person they love. They can work together to establish the right expectations and boundaries, then come up with a plan for how they will meet those goals. For example the non-ADHD spouse could take on more of the financial responsibilities, whereas the person with ADHD might be focused on organizing and completing housework.
Both partners should work to improve their communication and create a routine that includes regular sleeping patterns, meal times, and time for relaxation and rest. It is also essential to discover ways to make life easier for both parties, such as sharing household chores or outsourcing some tasks that are challenging for a person with ADHD like hiring an expert cleaning service or using apps to manage costs.