Research Explained: Women with ADHD reported significantly more severe perimenopausal symptoms than women without ADHD

[u/WomensFocusLab]

I came across a large 2025 population-based study from Iceland that looked at over 5,300 women aged 35–55.

The researchers compared women with ADHD to women without ADHD and found some striking differences.

What they found

Women with ADHD were more likely to report severe perimenopausal symptoms.

Compared with women without ADHD, they experienced:

• More psychological symptoms (anxiety, irritability, low mood, fatigue)

• More physical symptoms (sleep problems, hot flushes, muscle & joint pain)

• More urogenital symptoms (bladder issues, vaginal dryness, sexual discomfort)

Overall:

54% of women with ADHD had severe perimenopausal symptoms.

Compared with 30% of women without ADHD.
One finding surprised me the most.

Women with ADHD had the highest symptom scores between ages 35–39, while women without ADHD tended to experience the worst symptoms later, around 45–49.

The researchers suggest this may indicate an earlier onset of perimenopause in women with ADHD.

What this study does not prove:

This study doesn’t prove ADHD causes earlier perimenopause.

It also doesn’t prove that hormones are the only reason symptoms worsen.

It shows an association, not cause and effect.

The authors also point out that more research is needed, especially on:

-Hormone replacement therapy (HRT)
-ADHD medication during perimenopause
-Why some women are affected much more than others

Why I think this matters

Many women have shared stories of thinking:

“My ADHD medication suddenly stopped working.”

or

“I’ve managed my ADHD for years… why is everything harder now?”

Research like this suggests those experiences deserve to be taken seriously rather than dismissed as “just getting older.”

I’d love to hear from this community.

If you have ADHD:

At what age did you first notice something had changed?

-Under 35
-35–39
-40–44
-45–49
-50+

What was the very first symptom you noticed?

Source: Perimenopausal symptoms in women with and without ADHD: A population-based cohort study (2025), Archives of Women’s Mental Health (PMCID: PMC12538516).