Can ADHD Symptoms Worsen During Menopause?

During menopause, a key stage in women's lives, hormonal fluctuations can cause several health-related problems. If you are living with ADHD, the hormonal changes before and after your menopause can set you back. If a woman has ADHD, its symptoms may worsen during menopause.

The decrease in oestrogen levels during menopause can cause hot flashes, weight gain, and sleep problems. In addition to this, it can also lead to new or worsening symptoms of ADHD.

ADHD can't be prevented or cured. 

However, diagnosing it early and providing a good treatment and education plan can help manage symptoms. In this blog, you will read about what ADHD is, the worsening of ADHD symptoms during menopause, and how to manage them.

Understanding ADHD and Menopause

First, let us understand what menopause is. Menopause is the natural cessation of your menstrual periods after a certain age. When you have not had a period or vaginal bleeding for 12 consecutive months, it is considered menopause. Usually, menopause occurs in your 40s or 50s. Although menopause is a natural process, symptoms that you experience during this phase make you feel uncomfortable.

Women's experience of menopause is highly individual. Even though science mentions a general set of symptoms, every woman experiences it in different ways and with different intensities. When you are nearing menopause, you will begin experiencing a particular set of symptoms, hot flashes being the most common. Also known as hot flushes, this is a sudden feeling of heat in the face, neck, and chest, skin flushing, sudden sweating, palpitations, and physical discomfort. These symptoms can last for several minutes.

Now, here's the thing about ADHD. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common mental disorders affecting children. The main symptoms of ADHD are inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity (quick actions). ADHD is a health problem that affects people's behaviour. People with ADHD typically experience problems such as restlessness, lack of concentration, and acting recklessly on impulse. It is a chronic condition that affects millions of children and often can continue into adulthood.

The researchers have not yet identified the actual causes of ADHD. However, there is evidence which says that genetics contribute to ADHD, and several genes have been linked to the disorder. Often, it is observed that relatives of individuals with ADHD are also affected by it. Now, the question is, can ADHD get worse during menopause? Further reading will help you clearly understand the answer.

Read more about - What Happens to Your Hormones During Menopause.

Why Menopause May Worsen ADHD Symptoms

During the menopausal phase of your life, your oestrogen levels decline. Ostrogen's impact on ADHD worsens it during menopause. Lower oestrogen levels can impact the neurotransmitters in your brain required for attention, emotion regulation, organisational skills, and memory. If you don't have ADHD, you may experience this. But if you already have ADHD, menopause can make your symptoms more severe. 

Dopamine (a chemical messenger that helps in signal transmission) will be low in women with ADHD. Reduced oestrogen levels exacerbate this. When you attain menopause, your difficulties may increase more than usual, or those symptoms you experienced before may worsen. You may feel depressed or anxious, and it can be difficult to cope with difficulties during this time. However, proper health counselling and understanding the effect of hormones on ADHD can help you manage your symptoms more effectively. 

Symptoms That May Worsen During Menopause

ADHD symptoms can become more severe during menopause as levels of the hormones oestrogen and progesterone drop. Those who experienced mild ADHD symptoms at a younger age may experience a worsening of symptoms during menopause.

During menopause, those who already have ADHD may experience new symptoms or have difficulty managing symptoms that were previously under control. When your hormone levels fluctuate, your brain chemicals are significantly affected. These changes can worsen mental disorders such as depression and anxiety.

Once you attain menopause, oestrogen settles at a permanent low. The changes in oestrogen levels can affect dopamine levels and their functioning. In turn, this can affect your emotional responses, memory, focus, and organisational skills.

An imbalance of dopamine can also cause cognitive decline during menopause, and other emotional regulation in menopause becomes difficult. It can lead to difficulty focusing or performing tasks requiring concentration or thinking. And can cause anxiety and mood swings.

Strategies for Managing ADHD Symptoms During Menopause

It is not possible to cure ADHD completely. However, several treatment options can help you manage your symptoms better. The treatment outcome will depend on your symptoms, preferences, and other medical treatment modalities you receive.

ADHD treatment usually includes a combination of therapies and medication intervention. Treatment of ADHD in menopausal women does not necessarily have to be different from general ADHD treatment. We can incorporate the general ADHD treatment strategy into the treatment of ADHD in menopausal women, too.

General management strategies for ADHD include - 

• Medications to improve focus and attention, such as stimulants or non-stimulant drugs. But both stimulants and non-stimulant medicines cannot be tolerated by everyone.
• Hormone therapy for ADHD symptoms to elevate progesterone and oestrogen levels can also help manage some newly worsened ADHD symptoms.
• Behavioural therapies, such as cognitive behavioural therapy, help to overcome cognitive decline.
• Counselling therapy to help people cope with their ADHD symptoms. It can also help to come out of low self-esteem and shame that many people with ADHD struggle with.
• Education to help people understand ADHD and its effects.
• In some people, techniques used to treat menopausal symptoms may help relieve the symptoms of ADHD.

Read more about - Top Menopause-Friendly Foods to Naturally Balance Your Hormones.

Lifestyle Modifications

Hormonal imbalances can worsen ADHD symptoms. If your symptoms are very severe, it is important to seek medical advice. However, when symptoms are not so severe, lifestyle modifications, self-care, and the development of new habits can make effective changes. Lifestyle tips for ADHD and menopause include various factors. Self-care and developing new habits is a good idea to overcome the

symptoms of ADHD in menopause. You can get some relief from your problem by following the following strategies:

• Good quality sleep: Your brain needs good quality sleep to restore your energy and function optimally.
• Regular physical exercise: Exercise reduces mental stress and improves your mood.
• Managing your mental health: It is common for people with ADHD to have depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions. Managing those conditions can also help manage your ADHD symptoms.
• Practising relaxation techniques: Practicing yoga, pranayama (breathing techniques), and meditation can benefit people with ADHD.
• Eating a healthy diet: Eating a healthy diet can help keep your gut healthy.
• Being socially active keeps you connected to your community and has a positive impact on brain function.

These strategies may not work for everyone with ADHD. So don't be afraid to experiment with the available remedies until you find the relief you seek.

When to Seek Medical Attention

If you are in the menopause stage and have already been diagnosed with ADHD or if you notice that your ADHD symptoms worsen during menopause, it is important to see your doctor for advice.

Similarly, suppose you are experiencing cognitive difficulties and mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety during your menopause that are making it difficult to manage your daily life. In that case, it is a good idea to see a doctor as soon as possible. Seeking medical advice as early as possible can prevent your symptoms from escalating.

Takeaway

Many times, ADHD remains without being diagnosed, even though it may have been bothering since childhood. In some cases, symptoms manifest during adulthood but are not detected, hurting psychological and social functioning and causing some other health issues.

But in some other cases, the symptoms aggravate during menopause and happen to get diagnosed. That means hormonal changes during menopause can influence ADHD symptoms and can cause aggravation of the symptoms.

If you know this well, you can seek medical help on time. This can help in early diagnosis of the condition, and you will be treated appropriately. Although, in some cases, hormonal therapy or drugs are required to treat, it can also make better changes if you make necessary changes in your lifestyle and incorporate psychotherapy and relaxation therapy.

If you are going through any difficulties related to ADHD and menopause, do not hesitate to contact Nirva. A group of determined professional health workers at Nirva are always ready to serve you.