Is It Menopause, ADHD, or Both? The Question More Midlife Women Are Beginning to Ask
Brain fog, forgetfulness, and loss of focus are central to the menopause conversation, but one expert warns that something critical is being missed.
Licensed psychologist Dr. Connie McReynolds, author of Solving the ADHD Riddle, believes there is a growing and largely unrecognised overlap between menopause and ADHD, leaving women confused, misdiagnosed, and trying to make sense of symptoms that don’t quite add up.
“I am seeing more women in midlife questioning what’s happening to them cognitively,” Dr. McReynolds says. “What looks like menopause on the surface could actually be long-standing ADHD that has never been identified, so when menopause is added into the mix, it becomes even harder to untangle.”
Part of the issue lies in how ADHD has historically been recognised. Girls are far more likely to internalise their struggles rather than display disruptive behaviour, meaning many move through childhood undiagnosed, only for those challenges to resurface later in life.
Dr. McReynolds explains, “Midlife can become a tipping point because the demands of work, family, and health changes start to show what’s been missed for years. The difficulty is that many ADHD symptoms, including poor concentration, forgetfulness, disorganisation, and difficulty following through, closely mirror those associated with menopause, so for women trying to understand what is happening, the two can feel almost indistinguishable.”
Without identifying the root cause, many women are left managing symptoms rather than understanding them, and over time this can show up as mental fatigue, anxiety, and a gradual loss of confidence.
Dr. McReynolds is calling for a shift in how these symptoms are approached, so the right support can be identified and put in place.
She concludes, “We need to stop looking at menopause and ADHD in isolation and start to connect the dots. Women deserve a clearer understanding of what is actually driving their symptoms so they can get the right support. For many, it is not one or the other; it may be both. Rather than believing they are the problem, there may be a clear and identifiable explanation that has simply never been considered.”
For more information go to https://www.conniemcreynolds.com/
About Dr. Connie McReynolds
Dr. Connie McReynolds is a licensed psychologist with more than 35 years of experience, specialising in ADHD, neurofeedback, and brain-based approaches to attention and memory. She is the author of Solving the ADHD Riddle and has been featured across national media including NBC, CBS, ABC, and Fox affiliates.