ADHD in women is often misunderstood, even by ourselves — and hormones are a big part of the story.

This week, host Cate Osborn chats with psychiatrist and researcher Dr. Lotta Borg Skoglund about how hormone cycles affect ADHD in women. From PMS to perimenopause, we explore how shifting hormones can change how ADHD shows up — and how that impacts mood, focus, and relationships.

Dr. Borg Skoglund shares what the research says, what often gets overlooked in diagnosis and treatment, and how understanding the patterns in your cycle can make everyday life a little easier.

Related resources

ADHD Girls to Women by Dr. Lotta Borg Skoglund
Lotta’s research group, GODDESS ADHD
A guide to hormones and ADHD
From the Climbing the Walls podcast: Are hormones the final frontier for women with ADHD?

Timestamps

(01:42) The changes in hormones during the menstrual cycle, and how they can affect ADHD symptoms

(04:57) ADHD symptoms across hormonal life milestones like puberty, pregnancy, and menopause

(10:21) The formation of Lotta’s research group GODDESS ADHD

(14:25) The importance of this overdue research, and the constant dismissal of women’s hormonal challenges

(17:12) Mapping your cycle to help understand your ADHD symptom fluctuations

(21:10) How do we track these things if our cycles are non-traditional?

(24:06) How do hormones connect to Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria?

For a transcript and more resources, visit the Sorry, I Missed This show page on Understood.org.

We love hearing from our listeners! Email us at sorryimissedthis@understood.org.

ADHD Unstuck is a free, self-guided activity from Understood.org and Northwestern University designed to help women with ADHD boost their mood and take small, practical steps to get unstuck. In about 10 minutes, learn why mood spirals happen and get a personalized action plan of quick wins and science-backed strategies that work with your brain. Give it a try at Understood.org/GetUnstuck.

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