Menopause and the…. Oh, wait. I forgot.

The other day I forgot the word “tweezers”. It simply fell out of my brain, and I sat there trying to explain what I was talking about. “You know…. That thing that plucks your eyebrow hair. You know… pluckers?”

I knew it at that moment. Overall, my forgetfulness was increasing. I even did some quick GOOGLE searches on early onset dementia. But it wasn’t quite fitting.

But then there it was. The information that would settle this issue for me once and for all.

My memory lapses were resulting from my ADHD experiencing menopause.

For women with ADHD, menopause can make your ADHD symptoms worse. As hormones change with estrogen levels decline, women can experience increased irritability, mood swings, difficulty concentrating, fatigue, and you guessed it… problems with their memory.

So what can we do? If you are taking medications for your ADHD, talk to your prescriber. There can be medications or other treatments out there that can help you manage these symptoms.

Other strategies include staying active, eating a healthy diet, and getting the sleep you need. Talking with a therapist can also be incredibly helpful and validating.

Don’t forget to be patient with yourself. Over time, your hormones will adjust and your ADHD symptoms will begin to lessen. Also, find yourself a good support system, and do not be afraid to ask for help.

While menopause can be challenging for us ADHDers, we are not alone. There are many resources available to help us manage our symptoms and make this transition easier.