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High Functioning ADHD in Women
Women with high functioning adhd experience frustration and miscommunication in their relationships. The symptoms can be more severe during times of hormonal changes, like the premenstrual or menstrual cycles.
Many women and girls are forced to resort to compensatory strategies, hiding their impairments and symptoms that can delay time until referral.
This group of patients faces specific problems that must be taken into account when treating them.
1. Self-Esteem is not a strong point.
The social and emotional challenges that accompany ADHD can cause women to feel down. Even when they're successful it's easy to feel like a failure due to things they can't control. This can create a vicious cycle where they feel overwhelmed and never good enough, which can affect their mental health and self-esteem.
Girls who aren't treated for ADHD are at greater risk of having low self-esteem for a long time, anxiety, teen pregnancy depression and substance abuse. As adults, they're more likely to be single-parents to a child with ADHD and facing financial hardship or underemployment. They're also more likely to be struggling with eating disorders, and their unhealthy patterns can pass down to their children.
It's crucial that women get a diagnosis as it will allow them to better understand the challenges they face and manage their symptoms. Many women report feeling confident after receiving a diagnosis. They can stop being a victim of things they aren't able to control. It can also help reframe their issues and help them focus on what's important (Waite 2010).
As women age and move towards menopausal age the hormone levels of their bodies change and ADHD symptoms can get worse. It can be difficult to diagnose and treat women with ADHD due to the fact that their symptoms can be misdiagnosed and dismissed as "hormonal", "that time of the month" or "an anxiety disorder".
Untreated adult ADHD can have devastating consequences on women's self-esteem as well as relationships with her family and friends. Symptoms may interfere with the woman's daily routine which can make her angry and exhausted. She may feel she can't refuse to be around people, leading her to overburden herself and become resentful of those close to her. She might have difficulty to manage her work and home life, which can lead to missing appointments and documents getting lost. 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 is a condition that makes you feel extremely when you are rejected, whether it is real or perceived. It could be caused by an argument with your partner or a negative comment from a coworker at work. Your brain's natural defense mechanisms become over-stimulated, and the thoughts, feelings, and beliefs that result could harm your self-esteem and relationships. You can also experience depression, anxiety and mood fluctuations as a result of the sensitivity to rejection.
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 respond 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, which makes them appear brighter or darker than they actually are. This can lead them to interpret and perceive things as rejection related, even though they're not. RSD can cause you to be incapable of controlling your emotions. This is why it is essential to develop healthy coping mechanisms to deal with RSD.
Read the articles below to learn more about the sensitivity to rejection.
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 like cognitive behavioral therapy to alter your negative thinking patterns. You can also establish a support network and practice mindfulness to lessen your chance of reacting negatively to rejection. This can help you find ways to overcome your RSD and help you lead a more pleasant and satisfying life. Avoid toxic relationships, because they can cause more symptoms. If you're in a abusive relationship, get counseling to discover the best method to leave. This will help reduce your risk of rejection-related feelings, such as depression and anxiety. You can also improve your self-esteem by creating healthy relationships. This will allow you to feel more confident in your abilities, and will give you an unbiased view of the world around you.
3. Sexuality
ADHD symptoms can make maintaining a healthy relationship challenging. This can lead to sexual dysfunctions and risky sexual behaviors. Women with adhd that is high functioning may be at greater risk of developing sexual problems. These behaviors can also lead to feelings of shame and guilt which can have a negative impact on their relationships as well as their overall health.
One study looked at adults with ADHD and discovered that they were more likely to have adventurous sexual interests than those who did not suffer from the disorder. Both genders were affected. This could be due to the increased levels of impulsivity which can cause them to be more likely be influenced by sexual ideas and desires. The study found that women who suffer from adhd are more likely to indulge in paraphilic fantasies and behavior. This included submissive role play, bondage and sexual relations with strangers. It was also common for them to go out to sex clubs and parties.
Both females and males suffering from adhd had a greater rate of infidelity than people without the disorder. This was due their poor control of impulses and alcohol-related disinhibition. It could also be because of their higher levels of insecurity and being misunderstood or mistreated 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 shows 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 sexual problems. The questionnaire consists of 19 items, and is divided into three subscales. Each item is scored using a five-point scale, ranging that ranges from 1 (never) to 5 (very often). The higher the score, the more symptomatology is present. The HBI-19 was used to evaluate the sexual behaviours of adults who have and those without ADHD.
These findings are important due to the fact that the psychosexual effects of people with ADHD have not been studied extensively. They have been linked to sexual dysfunctions, such as STI's and unwanted pregnancies, relationship dissatisfaction, adult and adolescent onset infidelity and risky sexual behavior.
4. Relationships
Many people with high functioning ADHD have issues in their romantic relationships. Insufficient communication and misunderstandings triggered by signs such as forgetfulness and inattention can result in anger, frustration, and conflict within the relationship. Maintaining healthy relationships can be assisted by a supportive network of family and friends who can understand.
It is also important to note that those with ADHD are often unable to listen. They are easily distracted by their own thoughts or impulsive behavior which can cause them to lose focus on the primary point of a discussion. People with ADHD may also have trouble multitasking, which can cause them to tune out conversations or do something else while another person is talking.
These battles can create a vicious cycle where the partner who is not ADHD is overwhelmed with anxiety and anger, and the ADHD partner feels that they are not understood. adhd symptoms women can get worse in the meantime as they become more isolated.
Women who have high-functioning ADHD are often overwhelmed and exhausted by the demands of their lives. They may experience feelings of low self-esteem and shame because of their chaotic and impulsive behavior, or feel as if they're unable to keep up with their chores and bills. They may also experience mood swings, sensitivity to rejection and a lack of sexual desire.
This is why it is crucial for people with ADHD to develop a treatment plan and seek out help. It is also essential for family members particularly spouses, to be aware of the disorder and how it affects their loved ones. They can work together to set clear boundaries and expectations, then come up with an action plan to can achieve those goals. For example the non-ADHD spouse could be more involved in the financial responsibilities, while the person with ADHD may be more focused on the task of organizing and finishing housework.
In addition, both parties must work together to communicate more clearly and effectively, and establish a routine that incorporates regular sleep schedules, meal times, and time for relaxation and rest. It is also crucial to find ways to make things easier for both parties by dividing household chores, or outsourcing certain tasks that are challenging for a person with ADHD, such as hiring an expert cleaning service or using apps to manage costs.