High Functioning ADHD in Women
Women who suffer from high functioning adhd may experience frustration and miscommunication in their relationships. The symptoms may increase during times of hormonal change, like the pre-menstrual period and pregnancy.
Many women and girls resort to compensatory strategies to mask their symptoms and impairments could delay referral.
This group of patients faces a unique set of issues that must be considered when treating them.
1. Self-esteem issues
The emotional and social issues that accompany ADHD can make women feel down. Even when they're successful, it's easy to feel like a failure because of things they aren't able to change. This can result in an unending cycle of feeling overwhelmed and not good enough. This can have a negative impact on their mental well-being.
Girls who suffer from ADHD who aren't treated are at a higher risk of having low self-esteem and teenage pregnancy. They also have a higher chance of depression, anxiety, and substance abuse. As adults, they're at an greater risk of being the sole parent to children with ADHD, financial crises and underemployment. They're also more likely to suffer with eating disorders, and their negative habits can be passed on to their children.
It's crucial that women receive a diagnosis because it will help them better understand the challenges they face and manage their symptoms. Many women report feeling confident after receiving a diagnosis. They can now stop berating themselves over things they cannot control. It can also help to reframe their problems and refocus them on what's important (Waite 2010).
As women age and move towards menopausal the hormone levels of their bodies change and ADHD symptoms may get worse. It can be difficult to diagnose and treat patients with ADHD as their symptoms could be incorrectly identified and dismissed as "hormonal", "that time of month" or "an anxiety disorder".
Having untreated adult ADHD can have devastating effects on a woman's self-esteem, and her relationships with friends and family. The symptoms can disrupt women's daily routines that can leave her feeling angry and exhausted. She may feel that she can't refuse people, causing her to feel overwhelmed and resentful of people who are around her. She might find it difficult to organize her home and work life and this can lead to missing appointments and lost files. She may also be more easily triggered by rejection therefore she's more likely to react defensively and lash out at people she loves.
2. Rejection Sensitivity
Rejection sensitivity causes you to feel very hurt when rejected. This could be real or perceived. It could be caused by an argument with your partner or a negative comment from a colleague at work. Your brain's natural defense mechanisms are over-stimulated, and the thoughts and feelings that result could harm your relationships and self-esteem. Rejection sensitivity can also lead to depression, anxiety and mood shifts.
Although it's often attributed to ADHD Rejection sensitiveness is actually a sign of emotional dysregulation, which affects the way your brain handles emotions and how you react to them. Other mental health conditions like borderline personality disorder can also be a cause for these symptoms.
RSD patients might perceive events through a filter, which makes them appear darker or brighter than they actually are. This can cause them to interpret and interpret events as rejection-related, even when they're not. RSD can also cause you to have a hard managing your emotions which is why it's crucial to develop healthy strategies for coping to deal with this.
Check out the following articles to learn more about rejection sensitivity.
Although there isn't a cure for RSD, it's possible to manage your symptoms with the assistance of an expert in mental health. You can use strategies for coping, such as cognitive behavior therapy, which helps you change your negative thinking patterns. You can also create a support network and practice mindfulness to reduce your chance of reacting negatively to rejection. This will aid you in overcoming your RSD to live a more fulfilling and happy life. It is also essential to stay clear of toxic relationships since they can make your symptoms worse. If you are in a abusive relationship, seek counseling to learn how you can safely quit. This will reduce the risk of feeling depressed and anxious like depression and anxiety. You can also increase your self-esteem by building healthy relationships. This will make you feel more confident in your abilities and give an honest view of life.
3. Sexuality
ADHD symptoms can make maintaining a healthy relationship challenging. This can result in sexual dysfunctions or risky sexual behaviors. Research suggests that women suffering from high functioning adhd are at higher risk of having sexual problems than non-ADHD counterparts. These behaviors can lead to feelings of shame and guilt which can have a negative impact on their relationships and overall well-being.
One study conducted a survey of 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 likely due to the increased levels of impulsivity which can make them 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 behavior. This included submissive roles, bondage and sexing with strangers. They also attended sex parties and more clubs.
Both females and males suffering from adhd had a greater rate of infidelity than those without the disorder. This was due to their inability to control their impulses and alcohol withdrawal, as well as the desire to feel. This could also be due to their higher levels of insecurity and feeling misunderstood by partners. The survey also asked participants to share their experiences with sexual relationships and sexual encounters without the use of contraception. Table 6 provides the results for this section.
The study also used the Hypersexuality-Symptom Inventory-19 (HBI-19) which surveyed participants to discuss their problematic sexual behaviors. This questionnaire consists of 19 items that are divided into three subscales. Each item is scored on a 5-point scale, between 1 (never to 5) (very frequently)). The higher the score, more symptomatology is present. The HBI-19 was used to evaluate the sexual behaviors of people with and without ADHD.
These results are important, since the psychosexual outcomes of adults with ADHD were not studied as often. They have been linked to sexual dysfunctions such as STIs and unwanted pregnancy, relationship dissatisfaction and adult-onset infidelity, as well as risky sexual behaviors.
4. Relationships
Many people who have high functioning ADHD have trouble in their relationships with loved ones. Lack of clarity in communication and misunderstandings caused by symptoms such as forgetfulness and inattention can lead to anger, resentment, and conflict within the relationship. Maintaining healthy relationships can be assisted by a network of family and friends who understand.
It is also important to note that people suffering from ADHD often have difficulty listening. They are easily interrupted by their impulsive behavior or own thoughts, which could cause them to lose the purpose of an exchange. People with ADHD may also have trouble multitasking, which can lead them to mute conversations or perform other tasks while another person is talking.
These conflicts can result in a vicious cycle in which the person who is not ADHD becomes overwhelmed with anxiety and anger, and the ADHD partner feels that they are not understood. related web site may then become more withdrawn, and the problem escalates from there.
Women who have high-functioning ADHD are often exhausted and overwhelmed by their everyday demands. They may experience low self-esteem or shame because of their impulsive, disorganized behavior. Or they might find themselves struggling to manage their obligations and bills. They may also experience mood swings, rejection sensitivity and low sex desire.
Because of this, it is vital for those suffering from ADHD to establish an effective treatment plan and seek help. It is crucial that those closest to them, especially spouses, learn more about ADHD and how it affects the person they love. Together, they can set clear expectations and establish boundaries. Then, they will come up with an action plan to achieve their goals. The non-ADHD spouse could take on more financial responsibility while the person with ADHD would focus on organizing and completing the housework.
Both partners should be working to improve their communication and establish a routine, which includes regular eating patterns, sleeping times, and time to relax and rest. It is also essential to find ways to make things easier for both parties by dividing household chores, or outsourcing some tasks that are challenging for a person with ADHD, such as hiring a cleaning service or using apps to manage expenses.