The ADHD & PMDD Connection
If you have ADHD and notice that your symptoms seem to worsen right before your period, you’re not alone. Many women with ADHD experience increased emotional sensitivity, brain fog, and impulsivity in the days leading up to their period. This isn’t just a coincidence, there’s a strong link between ADHD and PMDD (Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder), and understanding this connection can help you manage both more effectively.
PMDD is a severe form of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) that affects mood, energy levels, and cognitive function. Unlike regular PMS, PMDD can cause extreme mood swings, depression, anxiety, and difficulty concentrating. These symptoms appear in the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle (the week or two before your period) and disappear shortly after menstruation begins.
Living with your ADHD Diagnosis
As much as an ADHD Diagnosis can bring about this “finally I know what it is” sentiment which feels like relief, it can also feel like grief for some. Grief for their previous self and the many years they spent questioning, judging, being unkind to themselves and struggling in many areas of their lives (at least 2 to get diagnosed in the UK!).
The years they laid in bed for days, unable to start or finish even the smallest thing. The many different medications they were wrongly prescribed or self-prescribed (including the misuse of other substances to feel better). The many arguments or disagreements with family members, colleagues, friends or partners. The accidents and lost items. The many times they wish they could push a button and just “function normally”. The list goes on, but it’s a story I hear more often than not unfortunately.
ADHD Comorbidities
One thing that’s becoming clearer, is that ADHD rarely is a standalone condition. Right now the estimate is that 1 in 2 people with ADHD also suffer from another condition simultaneously.
The most common comorbidities (as they are called) are autism (AuDHD), anxiety, OCD, learning difficulties such as dyslexia and depression.
Without being a medical professional, I question whether anxiety or depression are highly likely for most people with ADHD seeing how much symptoms can impact people’s lives or whether they are in fact completely independent from the ADHD.
Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria
For people with ADHD, this term means a lot. It provides an explanation for the many times they’ve found themselves reacting to any form of rejection, big or small with an immense amount of emotional pain and turmoil.
For people without ADHD, this may be one of those symptoms that is lesser known or they didn’t know it had a name and research attached to it.
Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD) is when someone feels extreme emotional pain from rejection, criticism, or even the possibility of disappointing others. It’s not just being a little upset—it can feel overwhelming, like a deep, intense sadness, embarrassment, or even anger.
Women and ADHD
Since I’ve become an ADHD coach, I am not only meeting people who proactively seek out my help, but also meeting people via a number of other circumstances, and even just at the pub who have either recently been diagnosed or are waiting to be diagnosed.
These people tend to be women which could be pure chance, the fact that I am a female coach, or actually just because more women are finally seeking out the help and support they need.
The real answer is complex, whilst there are more men than women who have had an ADHD diagnosis (about 3:1), there is evidence to suggest that due to the difference in women’s and men’s behaviour, that isn’t due to ADHD being more prevalent in men. Women are just incredibly good at masking to a point where they are often misdiagnosed.