High Functioning ADHD in Women
Women who have high functioning adhd are prone to frustration and miscommunication in their relationships. undiagnosed adhd in women may be more severe during times of hormonal changes like the premenstrual or menstrual cycles.
Many women and girls resort to compensatory strategies, masking their symptoms and impairments that can delay time to referral.
This group of patients has particular challenges that must be considered when treating them.
1. Lack of self-esteem
The emotional and social challenges that accompany ADHD can make women feel low. Even when they're successful, it is easy to feel like they're failing because of the things they aren't able to change. This can lead to an unending cycle of feeling overwhelmed and not good enough. This can have a negative effect on their mental well-being.
Girls who don't have treatment for ADHD are at higher risk of chronic low self-esteem and anxiety, teen pregnancy depression, and addiction to drugs. As adults, they're at greater risk of being single-parents to a child with ADHD and facing financial hardship or unemployment. They're also more likely to be struggling with eating disorders, and their negative patterns can pass down to their children.
It is essential that girls get a diagnosis as it will help them better recognize their struggles and manage their symptoms. Many women report that they feel much more empowered after receiving their diagnosis, which allows them to not be a victim of the little things they are unable to control. It can also help them reframe their struggles and refocus on what is important (Waite 2010).
As women age and enter menopausal age the hormone levels of their bodies change, and ADHD symptoms can get worse. This can make it difficult to diagnose and treated since they are often misdiagnosed as an anxiety or mood disorder, and the symptoms are dismissed as "hormonal" or "that time of the month."
Untreated adult ADHD can have a devastating impact on a woman’s self-esteem and relationships with her family and friends. The symptoms can disrupt daily routines, making her frustrated and exhausted. She might feel like she isn't able to refuse people, leading her to become overburdened and angry with people around her. It could be difficult to organize the work and home lives of her children which can lead to unscheduled appointments and files being lost. She could also be more easily angered when she is not liked and is more likely to snap at those she likes.
2. Rejection Sensitivity
Rejection sensitivity makes you feel very hurt when rejected. This can 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 over-stimulated and the thoughts and feelings that result can harm your relationships and self-esteem. You may also experience depression, anxiety, and mood fluctuations as a result of rejection sensitivity.
While it's often associated with ADHD, rejection sensitiveness is actually a sign of emotional dysregulation that affects how your brain manages emotions and how you react to them. Other mental health disorders such as borderline personality disorder can also be a cause for these symptoms.
RSD patients can see events through a filter, making them appear darker or brighter than they really are. This could cause them to interpret things as rejection related, even though they're not. RSD can also cause you to have a hard time regulating your emotions, which is why it's important to develop healthy strategies for coping to handle this.
You can find out more about rejection sensitivity by reading the articles below:
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 coping techniques such as cognitive behavioral therapy to alter your negative thinking patterns. You can also build a support network and practice mindfulness to reduce your chance of reacting negatively to rejection. This will help you overcome your RSD to live a more fulfilling and happier life. It is also crucial to avoid relationships that are toxic as they can cause your symptoms to worsen. If you're in an abusive relationship, seek out counseling to learn the best method to leave. This will reduce the risk of experiencing feelings of rejection like depression and anxiety. You can also boost your self-esteem by developing healthy relationships. This will make you feel more confident in your capabilities and provide a realistic perspective on life.
3. Sexuality
ADHD symptoms can make maintaining a healthy relationship challenging. This can lead to sexual dysfunctions and risky sexual behavior. Women with high functioning adhd may be at greater risk for sexual problems. These behaviors can cause feelings of shame and guilt which may affect their relationships and well-being.
In one study, people with ADHD were found to be more likely than those with ADHD to exhibit a sexual interest. Both males and women were affected. This is probably due to the increased levels of impulsivity which could make them more likely to act on their sexual ideas and desires. The study revealed that females with adhd are more likely to engage paraphilic fantasies and behavior. This included submissive role play and bondage as well as sexual relations with strangers. They also went to sex parties and more clubs.
Females and males with adhd had a higher rate of infidelity than those who did not have the disorder. This was due their poor control of impulses and alcohol-related disinhibition. undiagnosed adhd in women is likely due to their higher levels of insecurity, and feeling misunderstood or misjudged by their loved ones. The survey also asked respondents to describe their experiences with extra-partner sexual relations and sexual interactions without contraception. Table 6 shows the results of this section.
The study also utilized the Hypersexuality-Symptom Inventory-19 (HBI-19) which surveyed participants to discuss their sexual issues. The questionnaire consists of 19 items that are divided into three subscales. Each item is rated on a five-point scale that ranges from 1 (never) to 5 (very often). The higher the score, the more symptomatology is present. The HBI-19 was used to compare the sexual behavior of adults who have and those without ADHD.
These results are important since the psychosexual outcomes of adults with ADHD were not studied as often. They have been connected to sexual dysfunctions like STI's, unwanted pregnancies, relationship problems, adult and adolescent onset infidelity and risky sexual behaviours.
4. Relationships
Many people with high functioning ADHD experience difficulties in their relationships with loved ones. A lack of communication, and misunderstandings due to issues like inattention and forgetfulness can result in frustration, resentment, and conflict within the relationship. A strong group of family and friends members who are able to understand each other can be helpful for maintaining healthy relationships.
It is also important to remember that people with ADHD frequently have trouble listening. They are easily distracted by their own thoughts or impulsive behavior that could cause them to lose focus on the primary reason for a discussion. People with ADHD are more likely to have difficulty with multitasking, too and can cause them to become disengaged of conversations or perform other things while someone else is talking.
These battles can create a cycle where the non-ADHD partner becomes overwrought with anger and stress, and the ADHD partner feels misunderstood and defensive. They then tend to become more introverted and the situation can get worse from there.
Women with high-functioning ADHD are often exhausted and overwhelmed by their everyday demands. They may feel low self-esteem or shame because of their impulsive, chaotic behavior. Or they might feel like they cannot manage their obligations and bills. They might also experience mood swings, rejection sensitivity and low sexual desire.
For these reasons, it is vital for those suffering from ADHD to establish an effective treatment plan and seek help. It is also essential for those close to them particularly spouses to learn more about the disorder and how it affects their loved ones. They can work together to establish clear boundaries and expectations and then devise a plan for how they can achieve those goals. The non-ADHD partner can take on more financial responsibility while the person with ADHD would focus on organizing and completing housework.
In addition, both parties must work together to communicate more clearly and effectively and establish a routine that includes regular sleeping patterns, meal times and time for rest and relaxation. It's also important to discover ways to make life easier for both of you for example, dividing household chores, or outsourcing some of the tasks that are difficult for a person with ADHD like hiring cleaning services or using apps to control costs.