Hormones are powerful chemical messengers that shape how we think, feel, and function. For those with ADHD, hormonal fluctuations can significantly intensify symptoms, and when ADHD goes untreated, these hormonal changes can make everything from your emotions to your focus to your energy feel harder to manage.
At Breakfree, our psychologists provide neuro-affirming, evidence-based support that acknowledges the close relationship between hormones and ADHD. Let’s explore what the research tells us.
Hormones & ADHD in Children:
Though major hormonal changes haven’t begun yet, children with ADHD already show differences in the brain systems influenced by hormones such as dopamine, norepinephrine, and cortisol.
- Cortisol (the stress hormone) tends to run higher in children with ADHD, amplifying emotional reactivity and impulsive behaviour.
- Challenges with emotional regulation can increase cortisol spikes, creating a cycle of stress and ADHD symptom escalation.
- Early sleep–wake hormone disturbances (melatonin irregularities) contribute to sleep challenges (like frequent waking, restless sleep, trouble getting to sleep, etc), which can worsen hyperactivity and inattention.
When untreated, it can look like increased behavioural problems at school, heightened anxiety due to chronic stress hormone activation and/or lower self-esteem from repeated negative feedback.
Hormones & ADHD in Teenagers:
Puberty introduces a surge of hormones such as oestrogen, progesterone, and testosterone, that dramatically influence brain functioning. For many teenagers with ADHD, this is the stage when it becomes a tipping point.
- Oestrogen, which enhances dopamine availability, fluctuates widely and cyclically, often causing attention and/or mood swings, especially in girls.
- Progesterone spikes can worsen irritability, emotional overwhelm, and impulsive decision-making.
- Testosterone increases reward-seeking behaviour, potentially heightening risk-taking in teens with impulsive tendencies.
- Hormonal changes disrupt sleep cycles, reducing executive function capacity.
Without proper support, hormonal shifts combined with ADHD can lead to heightened anxiety, depression, or anger due to hormone-driven emotional volatility, increased likelihood of risky behaviours, academic decline as demands increase, challenges forming healthy peer relationships and/or negative self-image as symptoms intensify but remain misunderstood.
Hormones & ADHD in Adults:
In adulthood, hormones continue to influence ADHD symptoms but often in more subtle ways. For many people, this is when they first realise their symptoms have been misunderstood for years.
Research shows that hormonal transitions have profound effects on ADHD symptoms throughout a woman’s life. During the menstrual cycle, ADHD symptoms commonly worsen in the premenstrual phase when oestrogen levels drop, as lower dopamine activity can increase forgetfulness, irritability, sensory overload, and emotional intensity. Pregnancy and postpartum also bring significant changes, some individuals experience improved focus during pregnancy due to higher oestrogen levels, while others notice increased overwhelm. After birth, the sudden postpartum hormonal crash can intensify untreated ADHD, often contributing to mood instability and burnout.
As women move into perimenopause and menopause, declining oestrogen levels further reduce dopamine availability, frequently leading to memory lapses, emotional volatility, and severe executive functioning difficulties. It is also common for women to receive an ADHD diagnosis for the first time during perimenopause, as symptoms become more pronounced. Untreated ADHD throughout these hormonal stages increases vulnerability to chronic stress, mood disorders, relationship difficulties, occupational burnout, and an overall feeling of being “out of control” during major hormonal transitions.
Understanding this connection is the first step toward feeling more balanced, supported, and in control. Contact us at 0479 149 277 to begin your journey toward clarity, stability, and support.