Perimenopause often triggers mental decline

In this week’s episode of The ADHD Women’s Wellbeing Podcast, we’re exploring the complex and often overlooked intersection of ADHD, hormones, and women’s mental health, particularly during pivotal life transitions like perimenopause.

I’m joined by Dr. Helen Wall, a GP and registered menopause specialist with the British Menopause Society. Helen is also a resident GP on BBC Breakfast, a columnist for Woman magazine, and public health clinical director in Greater Manchester. She therefore brings both clinical expertise and real-world empathy to bridge the gap between professional healthcare and accessible, compassionate advice to ensure women feel heard, understood, and properly supported.

We explore why so many women feel dismissed or misdiagnosed when seeking help for emotional and physical symptoms related to hormone fluctuations, and touch on everything from progesterone sensitivity and HRT, to advocating for yourself at the GP, and the growing need for women’s health education that takes neurodiversity seriously.

I discuss the crossover of ADHD and hormones in my new book, The ADHD Women's Wellbeing Toolkit, which is now available. Grab your copy here!

Key Takeaways:

• Why so many women with ADHD report mental health declines during perimenopause, including PMDD, anxiety, and mood disorders.
• The connection between hormonal sensitivity and neurodivergence, and why it's often overlooked by mainstream medicine.
• How stereotypes and stigma contribute to late ADHD diagnosis in women, especially in midlife.
• The shift in how menopause is being discussed and treated post-COVID.
• The dangers of a "one-size-fits-all" approach to HRT and why personalised prescriptions matter.
• Why clinicians must join the dots between long-term anxiety and depression and undiagnosed ADHD or hormonal issues.
• The growing importance of patient-led care and better GP education around menopause and neurodiversity.
• How to advocate for yourself at the doctor’s office when your concerns have been dismissed.

Timestamps:

• 01:50 – ADHD & Hormonal Concerns
• 04:00 – Perimenopause & Mental Health
• 06:10 – Misconceptions About ADHD Hormones
• 10:06 – ADHD in Women: The Hidden Struggles
• 16:19 – Personalised HRT & Progesterone Sensitivity
• 25:12 – Women’s Health Advocacy in Practice
• 31:21 – Self-Advocacy for Better Treatment

Join the More Yourself Community - the doors are now open!

More Yourself is a compassionate space for late-diagnosed ADHD women to connect, reflect, and come home to who they really are. Sign up here!

Inside the More Yourself Membership, you’ll be able to:

• Connect with like-minded women who understand you
• Learn from guest experts and practical tools
• Receive compassionate prompts & gentle reminders
• Enjoy voice-note encouragement from Kate
• Join flexible meet-ups and mentoring sessions
• Access on-demand workshops and quarterly guest expert sessions

To join for £26 a month, click here. To join for £286 for a year (a whole month free!), click here.

We’ll also be walking through The ADHD Women’s Wellbeing Toolkit together, exploring nervous system regulation, burnout recovery, RSD, joy, hormones, and self-trust, so the book comes alive in a supportive community setting.

Links and Resources:

• Find my popular ADHD workshops and resources on my website [here].
• Follow the podcast on Instagram: @adhd_womenswellbeing_pod
• Connect with Helen on Instagram @doctorhellenwall
• Kate Moryoussef is a women's ADHD lifestyle and wellbeing coach and EFT practitioner who helps overwhelmed and unfulfilled newly diagnosed ADHD women find more calm, balance, hope, health, compassion, creativity and clarity.