Do hormones help or hinder your ADHD?
In my last post, I told you about Jessica, a young mother with undiagnosed ADHD. Many of her symptoms could be brushed off as lazy, scattered and just plain disorganized. Just as I noted that women with ADHD present differently than men, they also have a differing experience of ADHD than men.
One obvious difference in the female experience relates to hormonal fluctuations as women mature over time. Although both men and women produce estrogen, the role it plays in the development and maintenance of the female body is decidedly more pronounced. Along with progesterone, it’s what makes us uniquely female. In a previous blog, I talked about how fluctuating hormones can wreak havoc on all women, but if you have ADHD, well let’s just say your experience can be a bit more challenging.
Estrogen is a hormone that has many functions. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, “many organ systems, including the musculoskeletal and cardiovascular systems, and the brain are affected by estrogen.” Your skin, hair, even your bones are affected by the levels of estrogen in your body. Then there’s the whole mood thing. As we go through the days and years of our lives, our estrogen levels can change dramatically. I’ve often heard my female clients bemoan the fact that they have periods of focus and productivity, followed by periods where they can’t motivate themselves to do much of anything at all. It turns out that varying levels of estrogen during the monthly cycle can impact focus and motivation-especially when you have ADHD. My clients get very frustrated and blame themselves for these dips, but, it’s just mother nature messing with them.
Although low levels of estrogen can have a negative impact, there is a flip side to the equation. According to Patricia Quinn, M.D., there are studies showing that estrogen boosts memory and cognitive functioning. So it makes sense that the higher levels of estrogen produced during pregnancy and breast feeding can actually improve ADHD symptoms. But as these levels plummet after childbirth, Dr. Quinn notes that women with ADHD may be more prone to postpartum depression. This is because ADHD is often accompanied by mood disorders such as anxiety and depression.
What comes next? As women approach their mid forties (or for some their mid thirties), they enter perimenopause. This is a transitional period when your body starts gradually producing less estrogen. It’s a signal that the child bearing years are coming to an end. Perimenopausal women often complain that they don’t sleep well, they feel sad, fatigued, anxious and irritable. This comes at a time in life when lots of women are dealing with other transitions and major life events, such as kids leaving for college or becoming a caretaker for a parent.
Menopause, when the ovaries stop releasing eggs and estrogen levels radically decrease, comes within eight to ten years. Sound like fun? According to Dr. Quinn, “This depression and the cognitive deficits associated with decreasing levels of estrogen that occur as a woman enters menopause, combined with ADHD symptoms may cause a woman with ADHD to have difficulty coping with her ADHD symptoms as well as she was previously.” If you’re a woman with ADHD, navigating daily responsibilities and regulating your moods can be really challenging on any given day. During the perimenopausal and menopausal phases, it can feel pretty disheartening and sometimes scary.
Because women have to endure this seesaw of highs and lows, many in the field of ADHD recommend letting your doctor know about your ADHD diagnosis and any medications you’re taking. Keeping track of your symptoms across time can provide valuable information for planning purposes and possibly adjustments to medications. There are even apps for keeping track of your symptoms across your cycles! One of the most popular is Flo Period Tracker. I’ve included a link below.
Being a woman is a blessing in many ways. We get to carry and give birth to amazing little human beings, which is an experience unlike any other. But with the cream comes the dregs, so to speak-those days when you feel miserable, cranky, in a funk. If you’re a woman with ADHD, be kind to yourself by noticing the changes you’re experiencing, and talking with your doctor about it. Actually… first make sure your doctor understands ADHD. If you’d like more information, there are wonderful articles on both https://chadd.org, as well as https://chesapeakeadd.com.
Suzanne Leon is a Certified Professional Coach who works with people affected by ADHD/ADD. Visit her website to learn more about the services she provides.
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/estrogens-effects-on-the-female-body
https://chadd.org/adhd-weekly/changing-estrogen-levels-affect-womens-adhd-symptoms-part-three/
https://flo.health/menstrual-cycle/health/flo-app
https://chesapeakeadd.com/home/education-and-training/articles/hormones-and-adhd-in-women/