ADHD and Menopause: A Practical Guide for Australians

ADHD in perimenopausal women and menopausal women

Australian sources say ADHD in girls and women can be missed or diagnosed late.

• The Australian ADHD Guideline notes evidence that girls and women with ADHD may frequently go unrecognised or be diagnosed late (AADPA).
• healthdirect says ADHD is more commonly diagnosed in young males but is also underdiagnosed in young females and adults (healthdirect).
• ReachOut Australia states that teenage girls are more likely to experience the inattentive type, which is less visible than the hyperactive type (ReachOut).

Our guides on inattentive ADHD in women and symptoms of ADHD in women go deeper on earlier life stages.

ADHD menopause symptoms and perimenopause symptoms compared

This table is for reflection only, and only a qualified professional can assess what is behind your symptoms.

One thing a clinician looks at is timing: the diagnostic checklist looks for symptoms before age 12.

Perimenopause and ADHD: what to tell your GP

Ask your clinician what current evidence says about hormones and attention, and describe everything you notice.

• Changes in focus, memory or mood, and whether they feel new or lifelong.
• Changes in sleep, such as trouble falling asleep or waking in the night.
• Extra demands in your life right now, such as work, ageing parents or teenagers.
• Low mood or anxiety, which healthdirect says adults with ADHD may experience.

TQN Care support workers help with personal care, community access, respite and help around the home across Sydney, Melbourne and surrounding areas (NSW & VIC). Tell us what you need and we will call you back.

ADHD and estrogen, HRT and ADHD research

You will see strong claims online about hormones, so it helps to know what to ask.

• Ask your GP or a menopause-informed doctor how oestrogen changes may affect your concentration, sleep and mood, and what evidence supports that.
• Ask whether HRT is suitable for you, and how it fits with any ADHD medicine, since only your doctor can weigh up your health history.
• Check any ADHD and menopause research against Australian sources such as the Australian ADHD Guideline, rather than social media summaries.
• Do not stop, start or change any medicine on the strength of an article. Talk to your GP, psychiatrist or pharmacist first.

Treatment for ADHD and menopause

There is no single plan, and the order of steps is a decision for you and your doctors.

• The Australian ADHD Guideline’s clinician factsheet states that cognitive behavioural approaches should be offered to adolescents and adults with ADHD (AADPA factsheet).
• The same factsheet lists stimulant medicines as first-line medication and others as second line, but choosing among them is for a prescriber to decide with you.
• Ask a GP to review sleep, mood and menopausal symptoms alongside attention, so each one is considered.
• healthdirect lists the ADHD Foundation on 1300 39 39 19 for ADHD support.

ADHD perimenopause burnout and daily life

If you feel worn out by daily demands, these practical ideas may ease the load. Tell your GP if exhaustion keeps building.

• Cut your list down to three essentials a day and let a support worker or family member take one recurring task, like laundry or shopping.
• Set phone alarms for medicines, meals and appointments, and keep your keys, wallet and glasses in one place by the door.
• Break tasks into ten-minute pieces with a timer, and rest before you hit empty rather than after.
• Tell your employer or family what helps, such as written instructions, quiet time or fewer back-to-back commitments.

If low mood and exhaustion are growing, our guide to depression and ADHD in women and the page on ADHD and social anxiety may help.

ADHD and menopause support under the NDIS

NDIS funding is only available if you meet the NDIS access requirements.

1. 1Keep a diary. Note for two weeks the tasks you struggle with, such as meals, cleaning, appointments and paperwork.
2. 2Ask for a letter. Ask your GP or specialist to describe how attention, memory and fatigue affect your daily activities.
3. 3Check eligibility. If you are eligible, support workers can help with household tasks, community outings and planning, and you can read about TQN Care NDIS services.
4. 4Look at other options. If you are not eligible, ask your GP about local services and mental health care options.

When to talk to a GP or specialist

• Memory, focus or organisation problems are new, worsening or affecting your work or relationships.
• You recognise lifelong ADHD traits in yourself and want to ask about an assessment.
• Sleep, mood or anxiety changes keep coming back or are not easing.
• You are taking medicine and notice changes in how it feels or works.
• Exhaustion and overwhelm are making it hard to look after yourself or others.

If you are thinking about suicide or self-harm, call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or text 0477 13 11 14. If a life is in danger, call 000.

TQN Care support workers help with personal care, community access, respite and help around the home across Sydney, Melbourne and surrounding areas (NSW & VIC). Tell us what you need and we will call you back.

Your next step

If everyday tasks have started to feel like too much, practical help can lighten the load while you work through assessments. TQN Care support workers help with household tasks, meals, appointments and community outings across Sydney, Melbourne and surrounding areas (NSW & VIC), going at your pace. See our NDIS services to find what fits, or make a referral to talk it through.