PERIMENOPAUSE: THE SILENT TRIGGER FOR LATE ADHD DIAGNOSIS
Why so many women are asking “Is this ADHD… or something else?”
For thousands of women, perimenopause feels as though it arrives as a sudden collapse in their ability to cope rather than a gentle transition.
Tasks that were once manageable feel impossible.
Emotions that were once contained feel volcanic.
Memories that were once sharp become slippery.
And women who have spent their whole lives holding everything together begin to ask questions like:
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Why can’t I remember anything anymore?
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Why am I overwhelmed by the smallest thing?
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Why do I feel like I’ve lost control of my brain?
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Is this ADHD - and have I had it all along?
You are not imagining it.
And you are absolutely not alone.
Perimenopause can be a powerful, destabilising force for anyone - but for women who already have ADHD (diagnosed or undiagnosed), or women with certain Executive Functioning vulnerabilities, it can feel like the ground is shifting under their feet.
Let’s break down what’s really happening.
Oestrogen: The Hidden Regulator of Focus, Mood & Memory
Oestrogen doesn’t just shape reproductive health - it directly influences the brain’s dopamine system
Dopamine
Dopamine is at the core of:
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attention
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motivation
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working memory
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emotional regulation
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Executive Functioning
In ADHD, the dopamine system works differently.
But even in non-ADHD brains, dopamine is sensitive to hormonal fluctuations.
During perimenopause, oestrogen becomes unpredictable - rising, crashing, surging, plummeting.
Oestrogen
During perimenopause, oestrogen fluctuates and becomes unpredictable - rising, crashing, surging, plummeting.
This irregularity can cause:
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heightened distractibility
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emotional sensitivity
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forgetfulness
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sleep disruption
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reduced resilience
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“brain fog”
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difficulties starting tasks
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a decline in mental stamina
Classic ADHD symptoms
Does this sound familiar?
These are also classic ADHD symptoms.
So the overlap is huge - and confusing.
This is why many women ask:
“Is this perimenopause, ADHD or both?”
The answer?
It might be ADHD.
But it also might be hormonal.
And it could be both, amplified together.
This is where clarity becomes crucial - and empowering.
Why Perimenopause Unmasks ADHD
That Was Always There
For women who do have underlying ADHD, perimenopause often becomes the moment everything spills over.
Why?
Because oestrogen fluctuations strip away the coping strategies women have been relying on for decades:
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The perfectionism
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The masking
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The 'holding it all together'
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The hypervigilance
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The routine-based systems
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The people-pleasing
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The spreadsheets, calendars and colour coding
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The working twice as hard to appear 'fine'
When oestrogen destabilises dopamine, those compensations no longer work as well.
Suddenly the cracks show - not because the woman is doing anything wrong, but because the scaffolding she used to depend on isn’t holding in the same way.
This is why perimenopause is one of the most common triggers for adult women seeking an ADHD diagnosis.
It isn’t that the ADHD has 'got worse.'
It’s that the masking became unsustainable.
Final Thoughts
If you are reading this and recognising yourself in these experiences, please know this: you are not “failing,” you are not “losing it” and you are certainly not alone.
What you are feeling is real, explainable and shared by countless women navigating the complex crossroads of hormones and Executive Functioning. Whether your challenges are rooted in ADHD, perimenopause or the powerful interaction of both, there is a way forward - one built on understanding your brain, honouring your limits and rebuilding support systems that truly fit who you are now.
Clarity is not about labelling yourself; it’s about reclaiming compassion for your own experience and finding the tools that help you thrive through this transition and beyond.
You deserve that clarity, and you deserve support that sees the whole of you.
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