Looking For Inspiration? Look Up High Functioning ADHD In Women
High Functioning ADHD in Women
Women who suffer from high functioning adhd can be unhappy and are often misunderstood in their relationships. The symptoms may be more severe in times of hormonal changes such as the premenstrual and pregnancy periods.
Many women and girls use compensatory strategies to concealing their impairments and symptoms which may delay the time to referral.
This patient group faces particular issues that need to be taken into consideration when treating them.
1. Lack of Self-Esteem
Women can be depressed due to the social and emotional challenges of ADHD. Even if they're successful, it's easy to feel like they're an failure due to things they cannot change. This can create an unending cycle where they are constantly overwhelmed and never quite good enough and can affect their mental health and self-esteem.
Girls who aren't treated for ADHD are at greater risk of developing chronic low self-esteem as well as anxiety, teen pregnancy, depression and substance abuse. As adults, they're at an greater risk of being the sole parent to a child with ADHD, financial crises and underemployment. They're also more likely to struggle with eating disorders, and their unhealthy habits can be passed on to their children.
It's important for girls to receive a diagnosis, because it will give them an understanding of their issues and enable them to manage their symptoms more efficiently. Many women report feeling more confident after receiving the diagnosis. They are no longer being a victim of things they can't control. It can also help to reframe their problems and refocus them on what is important (Waite 2010).
As women age and enter menopausal age the hormone levels of their bodies change, and ADHD symptoms can become more severe. It can be difficult to diagnose and treat people suffering from ADHD as their symptoms could be incorrectly identified and dismissed as "hormonal", "that time of month" or "an anxiety disorder".
Untreated adult ADHD can have devastating consequences on a woman’s self-esteem and relationships with her family and friends. The symptoms can disrupt daily routines, making her frustrated and exhausted. It is possible that she isn't able to refuse people, causing her to feel overwhelmed and resentful towards those who are around her. It can be difficult to manage her work and home life, resulting in missed appointments and lost documents. She may be more easily angered when she is not liked, making her more likely to snap at people she loves.
2. Rejection Sensitivity
Rejection sensitivity is a condition that causes you to feel intensely when you're being rejected, either real or perceived. A disagreement with a partner, or an insult from a colleague at work can trigger you. Your brain's natural defense mechanisms are over-stimulated and the thoughts, feelings, and beliefs that result could harm your relationships and self-esteem. You may also experience depression, anxiety and mood swings as a result of rejection sensitivity.
Although it's often attributed to ADHD, rejection sensitivity is actually a symptom of emotional dysregulation that affects the way your brain handles emotions and how you react to them. Other mental health issues such as borderline personality disorder may also show these symptoms.
RSD patients may perceive events through a filter, making them appear darker or brighter than they actually are. This makes them more likely to interpret and interpret events as if they are related to rejection, even if they are not. RSD can make you incapable of controlling your emotions. This is why it is essential to develop healthy coping mechanisms to deal with RSD.
Learn more about rejection sensitivity by reading the articles below:
While there is no cure for RSD it is possible to manage symptoms with the assistance of a mental health professional. You can use coping techniques like cognitive behavior therapy to change your negative thinking patterns. You can also engage in mindfulness and create a network of support to decrease the chance of having negative reactions to rejection. This will aid you in overcoming your RSD to live a more fulfilling and happier life. It is also important to avoid relationships that are toxic as they can cause symptoms to become worse. If you're in a abusive relationship, seek out counseling to learn the best method to leave. This will help lessen the risk of having rejection-related feelings, such as anxiety and depression. You can also increase your self-esteem by creating healthy relationships. This will help you feel more confident in your abilities, and will give you an objective view of the world around you.
3. Sexuality
ADHD symptoms can make maintaining a healthy relationship difficult. This can cause sexual dysfunctions or risky sexual behavior. Research suggests that women with high functioning adhd are at a greater risk of experiencing these sexual problems than their non-ADHD counterparts. These behaviors can also cause feelings of shame and guilt which may affect their relationships and overall well-being.
One study looked at adults with ADHD and found that they were more likely to have adventurous sexual interests than those without the disorder. Both genders were affected. This is likely due to their higher levels of impulsivity, which makes them more likely to act upon their sexual desires and thoughts. Specifically, the study found that females with adhd were more likely to engage in paraphilic sex fantasies and actions. This included submissive roles, bondage, and sex with strangers. They also went to sex events and more clubs.
Both men and women with adhd were more likely be infidelity than those who didn't have the disorder. This was due to their poor impulse control and alcohol-related disinhibition, as well as their desire for sensation. 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 affairs and sexual relations without contraception. Table 6 shows the results of this section.
adhd women test iampsychiatry.uk used the Hypersexuality-Symptom Inventory-19 (HBI-19), which asked participants to discuss their sexual issues. This questionnaire consists of 19 items that are grouped into three subscales. Each item is rated on a 5-point scale ranging between 1 (never) to 5 (very often). The higher the score the more symptomatology it has. The HBI-19 was used to compare the sexual behaviours of adults who have and those without ADHD.
These results are important because the psychosexual outcomes of adults with ADHD have been scarcely studied. They have been associated with sexual dysfunctions, such as STI's and unwanted pregnancies, relationship dissatisfaction, adolescent and adult onset infidelity and risky sexual behaviors.
4. Relationships
Many people with high functioning ADHD have issues in their romantic relationships. A lack of clear communication, and miscommunication due to symptoms like forgetfulness and inattention can cause anger, resentment and conflict within the relationship. A strong network of family and friends members who understand can be beneficial in maintaining healthy relationships.
It is crucial to keep in mind that people who suffer from ADHD have trouble listening. They are easily distracted by their thoughts or their impulsive behavior that could cause them to lose focus on the primary purpose of a conversation. People with ADHD are more likely to struggle with multitasking as well and can cause them to tune out of conversations or do other activities while someone else is talking.
These struggles can result in an unbalanced relationship where the non-ADHD partner is overwhelmed with anger and stress and the ADHD partner feels misunderstood and defensive. The issue could escalate in the meantime as they become more withdrawn.
Women who have high functioning ADHD often feel overwhelmed and exhausted by the demands of daily life. They may experience feelings of guilt and low self-esteem as a result of their impulsive and disorganized behavior, or feel as if they can't keep up with their chores and bills. They might also feel mood swings, rejection sensitivity and a lack of sexual desire.
This is why it is essential for those with ADHD to find an effective treatment plan and seek help. It is also crucial for their family members, especially spouses, to be aware of the condition and how it affects the person they love. They can work together to set clear expectations and boundaries and then devise a plan of how they will meet those objectives. For instance the non-ADHD spouse could take on more of the financial responsibilities, while the person with ADHD may be more focused on the task of organizing and finishing housework.
Both partners should also strive to improve their communication and establish a routine, which includes regular eating patterns, sleeping times, and time to relax and rest. It's important to find ways to make things easier for both spouses, such as dividing household tasks or outsourcing some of those that are difficult for a person with ADHD.