Menopause and ADHD: What’s the Connection?

Menopause is tough on its own, but when you throw attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) into the mix, it ups the challenge. Hormones wreak havoc on your brain. When you’re going through one of the biggest hormonal changes of your life, you might see changes in your ADHD, too.

But there are ways to get your mind and body back on track. When you find what works for you, you can tap into the parts of ADHD that make it feel more like a superpower.

How Does ADHD Look Different for Women?

When you picture ADHD, you probably imagine a little boy who bounces off the walls and has trouble paying attention in class. Until recently, research focused much more on boys and hadn’t tapped into what ADHD looks like for children assigned female at birth (AFAB). It highlighted the physical and behavioral signs of ADHD, but we now know there’s a lot that goes on under the surface.

As Dr. Kirstin Bouse says on the Sexy Ageing podcast hosted by Tracy Minnoch Nuku, “Women tend to be more adept at masking. And so, what we noticed in females is that some of the behavioral versions of the hyperactivity are far more subtle.” She also talks about how a girl tapping her fingernails, twirling her hair, or shaking one leg might be less disruptive than someone jumping out of their seat in class, but they can still be signs of ADHD.

A woman with ADHD might seem spacey or forgetful. She may be disorganized, lose things easily, or even have anxiety and other mental health conditions. If you notice signs like these cropping up during menopause, it helps to first learn how to recognize ADHD in women and the different ways it can show up.

What Happens When You Put Menopause in the Mix?

If you have ADHD, you might have noticed you had more bad days right before or during your period, when your estrogen is at its lowest. As estrogen falls, like it does during menopause, your dopamine levels go down with it. Since , that extra dip can make it even harder to feel interested or engaged in their day-to-day activities.

Meanwhile, menopause hits you with other changes to your body and mind. You might notice you’re getting more forgetful, have a harder time focusing, and get frustrated more easily when your ADHD flares up.

The double whammy of ADHD and menopause can mean your ADHD medication doesn’t work as well as it used to. Or, if you’re just starting on medication, you may find that it doesn’t improve how you feel that much. You might have to adjust medications and hormone treatments or learn new ways to manage your ADHD and menopause symptoms.

Tips for Making Life with ADHD and Menopause Easier

There’s no cookie-cutter menopause or ADHD experience. Likewise, the management plan that works for your friend might not work as well for you. But that doesn’t mean you can’t feel better. Start here, and use some of these tips for managing your ADHD in the face of menopause:

• Keep your task lists manageable
• Start the day with dopamine-boosting activities
• Ask for help in identifying and fixing problems
• Use ADHD and menopause relief tools

Keep Things Manageable

A lot of people with ADHD have trouble prioritizing tasks. You lay out 10 things to start, but what you can actually manage is three. Everything feels important, and it can send you into a spiral as you try to create a more realistic list for yourself.

It can help to err on the side of underestimating what you can do. That way, if you complete all your tasks, you feel accomplished. After all, you can always add more later.

“Maybe it’s like, here’s my list of everything I need to do and now I need to chop it in half because that’s probably going to be realistic,” Dr. Bouse says in Sexy Ageing. She also reminds us that there’s no shame in asking for help if you can’t break out of these overwhelming cycles yourself.

Start the Day with Dopamine

Making more dopamine first thing can motivate you to get things done throughout the day. Many people turn to exercise to increase their energy, but it’s not limited to that. You can also put on an upbeat playlist, meditate, go outside, eat a protein-rich breakfast, or give yourself a change of scenery.

Ask for Help

Sometimes, the menopause/ADHD combo makes things you once did automatically feel impossible. Use your support system to get back on track—most of the time, people are happy to be there for you.

Body doubling can give you the motivation you need to get things done when they feel impossible on your own. For example, if you’re having trouble cleaning your home, ask a friend to come over and hold you accountable. You might also ask someone to put your to-do list into perspective and manage your expectations. Asking for this support can help you avoid burning out.

Use Your Tools

ADHD and hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can work together to manage your symptoms. One may not be enough on its own. That’s why it’s important to work with your providers to find the right management tools and medications for your body and mind. Along with medications, you might find some relief with menopause supplements.

Accepting that your ADHD brain works differently than neurotypical ones can open doors to discovering what makes life most comfortable for you. You may need to adjust tools you already have or change your approach to management more significantly.

Can You Develop ADHD During Menopause?

The short answer is…we don’t know for sure. Because ADHD research has often excluded people assigned female at birth, we’re only now starting to see how complex it is.

Some researchers believe people diagnosed in adulthood had symptoms earlier and didn’t realize it. For instance, they may have had more external stability with family or school that cut down on issues like time management. Then, later, when they have to manage their own time, these problems show up. And while that does often happen, it’s not the only possibility.

More recent research shows that some people do develop ADHD in adulthood. While ADHD is often genetic, it can have other causes, too. It’s not too far-fetched to think that, as menopause causes hormonal changes, it can also contribute to late-onset ADHD.

Next Steps for Managing ADHD and Menopause

Since ADHD isn’t as well-understood in women and girls, it can make getting diagnosed difficult. That said, if you want a diagnosis, start by doing research on ADHD and look for a provider who can evaluate and diagnose you.

Whether you have an ADHD diagnosis, want to pursue one, or are happy without it, you can still use ADHD tools to make your life easier. They can give you the freedom to discover how to support and accommodate your needs as you go through menopause. ADHD and menopause might make you feel like your life is falling apart, but it doesn’t have to stay that way.

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