Beyond the story
Looking for help?
Apps
Bright Sky
Bright Sky is a safe, easy to use app and website that provides practical support and information on how to respond to domestic violence. It is for anyone experiencing domestic violence, or for those worried about someone else.
Bright Sky can help you:
- Understand what domestic violence can look like
- Spot the warning signs of domestic violence
- Evaluate the safety of a relationship
- Locate the nearest support services across the United States
- Learn how to help a friend, loved one, or colleague that may be affected
Victims Voice
Giving legal advice to victims of Abuse.
VictimsVoice is built for legal admissibility so users can document information that holds up in court, investigators can collect the relevant evidence, and the prosecution can build a stronger case. It’s built to meet HIPAA, VAWA, VOCA, and FVPSA regulations, ensuring the most strict privacy and security standards are upheld.
MyPlan
myPlan provides anonymous questions about you and the relationship, and your answers will customize myPlan to your situation.
Narcissistic Abuse
This one's personal
What do you meme it was abuse?!?!
Sorry, I had to
The Link
between ADHD, Perimenopause and Fibromyalgia
ADHD, perimenopause, and fibromyalgia are significantly linked through overlapping symptoms (brain fog, fatigue, executive dysfunction) and shared biological pathways (neurotransmitters like dopamine/serotonin), with hormonal shifts during perimenopause often unmasking or worsening underlying ADHD, leading to misdiagnosis as fibromyalgia or vice versa, as both conditions involve central nervous system dysfunction and affect women disproportionately. Many women experience heightened ADHD-like symptoms (inattention, emotional dysregulation) due to fluctuating estrogen, making it hard to tell if it's hormonal changes or a new/worsening ADHD presentation, especially when combined with fibromyalgia's pain and cognitive issues.
The Overlap: Shared Symptoms & Mechanisms
- Cognitive Issues: Brain fog, poor focus, memory problems, difficulty with executive function (planning, organizing) are common in both ADHD and perimenopause/fibromyalgia.
- Neurotransmitter Link: Both conditions involve dysregulation in dopamine and norepinephrine pathways, affecting mood, focus, and pain perception.
- Central Nervous System (CNS): Fibromyalgia involves central sensitization (heightened pain signals), and ADHD is a CNS disorder, suggesting shared neurological roots.
- Hormonal Influence: Estrogen fluctuations in perimenopause can decrease ADHD medication effectiveness and exacerbate cognitive/emotional symptoms, making ADHD seem worse.
The Diagnostic Challenge
- Misdiagnosis: Perimenopausal symptoms like brain fog, fatigue, and mood swings are often misattributed as anxiety, depression, or fibromyalgia, or vice versa.
- Unmasking ADHD: Hormonal changes can reveal or amplify pre-existing, previously compensated ADHD in midlife women.
- Fibromyalgia & ADHD: Studies show a high co-occurrence, with ADHD often linked to greater fibromyalgia symptom severity and poorer quality of life.
Key Takeaway
Hormonal changes during perimenopause can mimic, trigger, or worsen ADHD and fibromyalgia symptoms, creating complex overlapping presentations where accurate diagnosis is difficult. Recognizing the significant connection between these conditions is crucial for effective treatment, as managing one often helps the others, potentially with ADHD medications improving pain/fatigue in FMS
According to Dr. Helen Wall
Neurodivergence (ADHD, autism, etc.) can be affected by hormonal fluctuations due to the interaction between hormones and the brain's chemical messengers.
1. Hormonal Sensitivity and the Brain: Oestrogen and progesterone levels fluctuate throughout the menstrual cycle, during pregnancy, and during menopause. These hormones influence neurotransmitter systems/ chemical messengers like serotonin, dopamine, and GABA, which regulate mood, focus, and energy. Neurodivergence (e.g., ADHD, autism, dyspraxia) often involves atypical neurotransmitter activity, making fluctuations more noticeable.
Oestrogen’s Role: High estrogen levels (e.g., before ovulation) can enhance focus and mood, while low levels (e.g., premenstrual phase) may worsen executive dysfunction, emotional regulation, and sensory sensitivities.
2. Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) and PMDD: For some women, premenstrual syndrome (PMS) or its more severe form, premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), can amplify neurodivergent traits. This happens due to the drop in oestrogen and serotonin levels, leading to heightened emotional sensitivity, irritability, or difficulty concentrating.
3. Cortisol and Stress: Hormonal shifts can increase cortisol (the stress hormone) levels, particularly during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. For neurodivergent individuals, stress responses may already be heightened, so this can exacerbate traits like anxiety, sensory overload, or difficulty managing change.
4. Menopause: During menopause, declining oestrogen levels and increased hormonal instability can worsen cognitive challenges, emotional regulation, and sensory issues, particularly exacerbating neurodivergence.
The diagnostic criteria and clinical view of things like ADHD are through a male gaze. So many women hit perimenopause undiagnosed and totally unravel.
Self help made simple
- Prioritize your emotional well-being
- Engage in mindful breathing exercises
- Create a support network around you
