When Menopause Meets ADHD: The Hormonal Perfect Storm

Remember when you "scraped by" managing your ADHD? Then perimenopause hit, and suddenly everything fell apart. Your coping strategies stopped working. Your symptoms got worse. You wondered if you were losing your mind.

You're not. This is biology.

Estrogen regulates dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin—the exact neurotransmitters already compromised in ADHD. When estrogen declines during menopause, you lose the hormonal scaffolding that was helping you function. It's not in your head; it's in your hormones.

What You'll Learn:

• [01:00] Why Gen X women are leading this conversation
• [04:00] How estrogen affects ADHD neurotransmitters
• [09:00] Why sleep becomes impossible
• [16:00] Emotional dysregulation intensifies
• [22:00] Memory and concentration problems explained
• [25:00] Practical strategies that actually work

Exercise, sleep hygiene adapted for ADHD, mindfulness that doesn't require sitting still, and when to seek professional support including HRT.

You're navigating genuine neurological changes, not personal failure.

Full show notes & resources:

There is a free journalling PDF with prompts available from episode page below.

Full Notes, Research Links and Resources: https://lightbulbadhd.com/podcast-archives/adhd-menopause/

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