High Functioning ADHD in Women

Women with high functioning adhd experience frustration and miscommunication in their relationships. Symptoms can heighten at times of hormonal change like the pre-menstrual period and pregnancy.

Many girls and women resorting to compensatory strategies to hide their symptoms and impairments could delay referral.

This group of patients has particular issues that must be taken into account when treating them.

1. Insecurities about self-esteem

The social and emotional challenges associated with ADHD can make women feel low. Even if they're successful, it's easy to feel like they're a failure because of things they cannot change. This can result in an endless feeling of being overwhelmed and unsatisfied. This can have a negative impact on their mental well-being.

Girls with untreated ADHD are at higher risk of having low self-esteem for a long time and anxiety, teen pregnancy, depression, and abuse of substances. 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 be struggling with eating disorders, and their bad patterns can pass down to their children.

It's crucial that girls receive a diagnosis since it will help them comprehend their struggles and help them manage their symptoms. Many women report feeling confident after receiving an diagnosis. They can stop berating themselves over things they cannot control. It can also help them reframe their problems and refocus them on what's important (Waite 2010).

As women mature and approach menopausal age, their hormone levels change and ADHD symptoms may get worse. This makes it more difficult to diagnose and treated because they're often misdiagnosed as anxiety or mood disorder and their symptoms are dismissed as "hormonal" or "that time of the month."

Untreated adult ADHD can have devastating effects on a woman’s self-esteem and relationships with her family and friends. The symptoms can affect women's daily routines that can leave her feeling angry and exhausted. She might feel that she is unable to say no to people which causes her to burden herself and feel resentful towards those close to her. She may find it difficult to manage her work and home life which can lead to missing appointments and lost files. She could be more prone to being angered when she is not liked, making her more likely to snap at people she loves.

2. Rejection Sensitivity

Rejection sensitivity causes you to feel a strong sense of when you're rejected, either real or perceived. It could be caused by an argument with your partner or a negative comment from a colleague at work. The brain's natural defense mechanisms are overstimulated, resulting in thoughts and feelings that can harm your self-esteem and relationships. You can also experience depression, anxiety, and mood fluctuations as a result of rejection sensitivity.

Rejection sensitivity, while typically associated with ADHD is actually a sign of emotional dysregulation. This impacts how your brain processes emotions and how you react to them. Other mental health conditions like borderline personality disorder can be a sign of these symptoms too.

People suffering from RSD may see events through filters that make them appear more dark or dimmer than they really are. This can cause them to perceive and interpret things as if they are related to rejection, even if they're not. RSD can also cause you to have a difficult to control your emotions which is why it is important to have coping strategies that are healthy to deal with this.

Check out the following articles to learn more about rejection sensitivity.

While there is no cure for RSD however, you can manage your symptoms with the assistance of an expert in mental health. You can use coping techniques like cognitive behavioral therapy to alter your negative thinking patterns. You can also develop mindfulness and create a network of support to decrease your chance of experiencing negative reactions to rejection. This can aid you in overcoming your RSD to live a more fulfilled and happier life. It is also important to avoid relationships that are toxic as they can make your symptoms worse. If you are in a abusive relationship, seek counseling to learn how to safely get out. This can reduce your risk of rejection related feelings like depression and anxiety. By focusing on relationships that are healthy that you are in, you will increase your self-esteem. This will help you feel more confident about your capabilities and provide an objective view of life.

3. Sexuality

ADHD symptoms can make it difficult to maintain a healthy romantic relationship. This can lead to sexual dysfunctions and risky sexual behaviors. Women with adhd that is high functioning are at a higher risk of developing sexual problems. These behaviors can result in feelings of guilt and shame which can have a negative impact on their relationships as well as their overall health.

In one study, adults with ADHD were found to be more likely than those without ADHD to have adventurous sexual interest. Both males and women were affected. This is probably due to the greater impulsivity levels that could make them more likely to 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 behaviors. This included submissive role play, bondage and sexual relations with strangers. They also went to sex parties and clubs more often.

Both females and males suffering from adhd had a higher rate of infidelity than people without the disorder. This was due to their lack of control of impulses and alcohol-related disinhibition. This is probably due to their higher levels of insecurity and being misunderstood, or misjudged by their partners. The survey asked respondents about their experiences with extra-partner relationships and sexual relations without contraception. Table 6 provides the results for this section.

In the final analysis, the study utilized the Hypersexuality Symptom Inventory-19 (HBI-19) to inquire of participants about their problematic sexual behavior. The questionnaire comprises 19 items that are divided into three subscales. Each item is evaluated on a 5-point scale ranging between 1 (never) to 5 (very often). The higher the score the more symptomatology is present. The HBI-19 was developed in order to compare sexual behaviors between adults with ADHD and those without.

These findings are important because the psychosexual outcomes of adults with ADHD have not been studied extensively. They have been associated with sexual dysfunctions like unwanted pregnancy and STIs relationships, dissatisfaction with relationships and add adult women-onset infidelity, as well as risky sexual behaviors.

4. Relationships

Many people who have high functioning ADHD have trouble in their romantic relationships. Lack of clarity in communication and misunderstandings caused by symptoms such as forgetfulness and inattention can cause anger, resentment and a conflict within the relationship. A supportive group of family and friends members who are able to understand each other can be beneficial for maintaining healthy relationships.

It is important to remember that people who suffer from ADHD have a difficult time listening. They are easily distracted by their thoughts or their impulsive behavior, which could result in them missing out on the central purpose of a conversation. People with ADHD are more likely to have difficulty in multitasking, which can cause them to become disengaged of conversations or perform other activities while someone else is talking.

These battles can create a cycle where the non-adhd in men and women partner is overwhelmed with stress and resentment, and the ADHD partner feels misunderstood and defensive. The problem can escalate from there as they become more withdrawn.

Women with high-functioning ADHD are often exhausted and overwhelmed by their everyday demands. They may feel shame and low self-esteem because of their chaotic and impulsive behavior, or feel like they're not able to handle their bills and chores. They might also have mood swings, rejection sensitivity and low sexual desire.

It is important that those with ADHD seek treatment and seek out help. It is also important for family members, especially spouses, to be aware of the disorder and how it affects the person they love. They can work together to establish the right expectations and boundaries and then devise a plan of how they will meet those goals. For example the partner who is not ADHD could be more involved in the financial responsibilities, while the person with ADHD might focus on completing chores and organizing the house.

In addition, both partners must work together to communicate more effectively and clearly and establish a routine that includes regular sleeping patterns, meal times, and time for rest and relaxation. It is important to find ways to simplify things for both partners, such sharing household chores or outsource certain tasks that are difficult for someone with adhd in women.