ADHD
After a diagnosis, so many aspects of life can make more sense: the overthinking, the overactive brain that rarely switches off, the ruminating tendency, worry at times, procrastinating and sometimes catastrophising.
One concept that can be particularly powerful to understand is Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria (RSD). RSD can make emotional pain, particularly perceived rejection, feel overwhelming and deeply personal. You may have always known you were sensitive, but learning about RSD can help to understand experiences from much earlier in life.
Things intensify during for example, a bereavement, a shock, bringing perhaps death anxiety and depression.
For women through the stage of perimenopause, this can potentially cause waves or phases of anxiety and low mood. As menopause approaches, for some women, the signs that we may now recognise as ADHD can become more visible: escalating overthinking, catastrophising, insomnia burn out and exhaustion.
One ADHD trait which might be easy to see is the intensity of one’s empathy. The ADHD person often feels the emotional pain of others very quickly and very deeply. Sometimes it feels as though they can walk into a room and sense the emotions of everyone in it — almost like a sixth sense. In many ways this is a gift but also a challenge.
It creates a loyal friend, a compassionate listener and someone who can hold space for others. At the same time it can mean that boundaries need attention and repair. Through therapy and learning more about ADHD, it’s possible to work on strengthening one’s sense of self, understanding that we are separate from the emotions and needs of other and that we are responsible for our own happiness. This can lead to the realisation that you have a right to be happy, and that you are not responsible for always being there for everyone else.
