Are Your Hormones Giving You ADHD with Dr. Jolene Brighten

Written By Lora Shahine, MD

Have you suddenly found it harder to focus, stay organized, or remember why you walked into a room? Can hormonal changes during your menstrual cycle or perimenopause make ADHD symptoms worse? And how can you tell the difference between ADHD and hormone-related brain fog?

In this episode of Brave & Curious, Dr. Lora Shahine sits down with the author of the brand-new book ADHD and Women, Dr. Jolene Brighten. 

Together they explore ADHD in women and the powerful connection between hormones and the brain. They discuss why ADHD often looks different in women, why so many women aren’t diagnosed until their 30s and 40s, and how shifts in estrogen, progesterone, and other hormones throughout the menstrual cycle and perimenopause can affect executive function, focus, motivation, mood, and emotional regulation.

You’ll learn how to recognize common signs of ADHD in women, why symptoms may intensify before your period or during perimenopause, and what other conditions, including thyroid dysfunction and iron deficiency, should be ruled out. 

Dr. Brighten also shares practical strategies for supporting brain health through exercise, sleep, and nutrition; what to know about ADHD medications and hormone therapy; and how tracking your symptoms can help you have a more productive conversation with your healthcare provider. 

In this episode you’ll hear:

[1:09] Meet Dr. Jolene Brighten

[2:41] What ADHD really is

[6:50] How ADHD shows up in girls

[8:41] Dr. Brighten’s diagnosis story

[11:56] Signs to watch for

[14:47] Perimenopause or ADHD

[20:11] Rule out thyroid and iron

[24:47] How to talk to your doctor

[28:43] Exercise, sleep, & brain energy

[35:15] Medication & evidence

[44:24] Hormones & brain development

[46:37] Superpower vs. disability

[49:08] Advice for late diagnosis

Resources mentioned: 

drbrighten.com

@drjolenebrighten on Instagram

Buy the book: drbrighten.com/adhd-and-women 

Dr. Shahine’s Weekly Newsletter on Fertility News and Recommendations

Follow @drlorashahine Instagram | YouTube | Tiktok | Her Books

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This episode was produced by Audiotocracy Podcast Production.

Lora Shahine, MD

Dr. Lora Shahine, reproductive endocrinologist at Pacific NW Fertility and Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Washington in Seattle, completed her residency in OBGYN at the University of California in San Francisco and fellowship in reproductive endocrinology at Stanford University. She is dedicated to educating and advocating for increased awareness of infertility, miscarriage, and the impact on environmental toxins on health through an active social media presence, teaching, clinical research, and authoring multiple blogs and books including best selling, ‘Not Broken: An Approachable Guide to Miscarriage and Recurrent Pregnancy Loss.’

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