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Bonus: AuDHD & Menopause — Autism+ADHD, Executive Function, Sensory Overload, HRT, Stimulants, Burnout & Workplace Supports | The Menopause Reset Podcast
Bonus deep-dive: Navigating neurodivergence and hormonal change. In this special episode of The Menopause Reset Podcast, hosts Susan and Karen unpack the AuDHD experience in perimenopause and menopause—where autism + ADHD meet shifting hormones and midlife stress.
What we cover
- Triple-threat model: baseline AuDHD (executive function, sensory, emotion), hormonal destabilization (estrogen, progesterone), and midlife load (work, caregiving) converging to create crisis.
- Neurobiology in plain English: estrogen’s support for dopamine/serotonin, progesterone’s effects via GABA, why drops and fluctuations worsen attention, mood, sleep.
- Unmasking & autistic burnout: why lifelong compensations “stop working,” signs of burnout, and why this is biology—not failure.
- Diagnostic overlap & overshadowing: brain fog, anxiety, sleep issues, sensory sensitivity—how menopause, ADHD, and autism overlap and confuse care.
- Care framework: bottom-up + top-down. Bottom-up: discuss HRT (often transdermal estrogen + micronized progesterone if appropriate), review ADHD meds dosing/efficacy, consider SSRIs/SNRIs or gabapentin when indicated. Top-down: reduce demands, externalize memory, control sensory input, predictable scaffolds, scheduled recovery.
- Interoception training: longer exhales, cool neck cloth, quick body scan to translate “alarm” into actionable signals.
- Workplace supports: desk fan, door-side seating, brief cool-down breaks, written follow-ups, quiet room access, flexible starts—framed as productivity tools.
- Clinician prep: the one-page snapshot (top problems, what helps, meds/history, concrete goals) to request neurodiversity-affirming care.
Try this tonight
Write your one-page snapshot for an upcoming visit; set the bedroom cooler; place water by the bed; practice two minutes of longer exhale breathing; stage a desk fan or cooling towel for tomorrow.
This week
Choose one bottom-up step (book an appointment to discuss HRT or ADHD-med adjustments) and one top-down step (visible task board with three daily actions). Block two recovery windows. Tell one trusted person what helps and what doesn’t.
Keywords: AuDHD, autism, ADHD, neurodivergence, menopause, perimenopause, brain fog, executive dysfunction, sensory overload, interoception, dopamine, serotonin, GABA, HRT, transdermal estrogen, micronized progesterone, stimulants, SSRIs, SNRIs, gabapentin, autistic burnout, masking, unmasking, workplace accommodations, energy budgeting, body doubling, CBT, ACT, DBT, women over 40, The Menopause Reset Podcast.
Subscribe/Follow: If this helped, follow on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, leave a quick rating/review, and share with a friend or clinician who needs the AuDHD lens.
Disclaimer: This bonus episode is for informational purposes only and is not medical or mental-health advice. Please consult your healthcare professional for personalized guidance. If you are in crisis or considering self-harm, seek immediate help.
View all episodes
By Menopause PodcastBonus deep-dive: Navigating neurodivergence and hormonal change. In this special episode of The Menopause Reset Podcast, hosts Susan and Karen unpack the AuDHD experience in perimenopause and menopause—where autism + ADHD meet shifting hormones and midlife stress.
What we cover
- Triple-threat model: baseline AuDHD (executive function, sensory, emotion), hormonal destabilization (estrogen, progesterone), and midlife load (work, caregiving) converging to create crisis.
- Neurobiology in plain English: estrogen’s support for dopamine/serotonin, progesterone’s effects via GABA, why drops and fluctuations worsen attention, mood, sleep.
- Unmasking & autistic burnout: why lifelong compensations “stop working,” signs of burnout, and why this is biology—not failure.
- Diagnostic overlap & overshadowing: brain fog, anxiety, sleep issues, sensory sensitivity—how menopause, ADHD, and autism overlap and confuse care.
- Care framework: bottom-up + top-down. Bottom-up: discuss HRT (often transdermal estrogen + micronized progesterone if appropriate), review ADHD meds dosing/efficacy, consider SSRIs/SNRIs or gabapentin when indicated. Top-down: reduce demands, externalize memory, control sensory input, predictable scaffolds, scheduled recovery.
- Interoception training: longer exhales, cool neck cloth, quick body scan to translate “alarm” into actionable signals.
- Workplace supports: desk fan, door-side seating, brief cool-down breaks, written follow-ups, quiet room access, flexible starts—framed as productivity tools.
- Clinician prep: the one-page snapshot (top problems, what helps, meds/history, concrete goals) to request neurodiversity-affirming care.
Try this tonight
Write your one-page snapshot for an upcoming visit; set the bedroom cooler; place water by the bed; practice two minutes of longer exhale breathing; stage a desk fan or cooling towel for tomorrow.
This week
Choose one bottom-up step (book an appointment to discuss HRT or ADHD-med adjustments) and one top-down step (visible task board with three daily actions). Block two recovery windows. Tell one trusted person what helps and what doesn’t.
Keywords: AuDHD, autism, ADHD, neurodivergence, menopause, perimenopause, brain fog, executive dysfunction, sensory overload, interoception, dopamine, serotonin, GABA, HRT, transdermal estrogen, micronized progesterone, stimulants, SSRIs, SNRIs, gabapentin, autistic burnout, masking, unmasking, workplace accommodations, energy budgeting, body doubling, CBT, ACT, DBT, women over 40, The Menopause Reset Podcast.
Subscribe/Follow: If this helped, follow on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, leave a quick rating/review, and share with a friend or clinician who needs the AuDHD lens.
Disclaimer: This bonus episode is for informational purposes only and is not medical or mental-health advice. Please consult your healthcare professional for personalized guidance. If you are in crisis or considering self-harm, seek immediate help.