ADHD in Menopause

The editors of ADDitude magazine want to hear from you!

The following survey is intended for women with diagnosed or undiagnosed ADHD who are experiencing or have experienced perimenopause and/or menopause. All ADDitude readers are welcome to answer this survey, however some questions may not be applicable to you if you do not fit this description. This survey is designed to help ADDitude editors better understand the impact of hormonal fluctuations on ADHD and vice versa; it represents editorial research, not rigorous scientific study. We will share your aggregated responses with the ADDitude community and may quote comments in the magazine and online, but we will not use full-name attributions without explicit permission.

At the end of this survey, you will have the opportunity to download an ADDitude eBook, with our thanks.

Please note that no personal or individual data from this survey will ever be reported. ADDitude never shares any information about its subscribers, e-newsletter recipients, or survey respondents. (Read our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.)

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* 1. What is your gender?

Female

Male

Non-binary

Prefer not to say

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* 2. What is your age?

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* 3. How many children do you have?

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* 4. At what age were you diagnosed with ADHD?

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* 5. Which of the following best describes your presentation of ADHD?

Inattentive type

Hyperactive/impulsive type

Combined type (inattentive plus hyperactive/impulsive)

I don't know

None of the above. I do not have ADHD.

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* 6. Please share your other mental and physical health diagnoses (select all that apply):

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Bipolar Disorder

Diabetes

Sensory Processing Disorder

Autism Spectrum Disorder

Depression

Heart Disease

Anxiety

Alzheimer's

Eating Disorder

Breast or Other Cancer

Learning Disorder

Other (please specify)

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* 7. At what age did you enter perimenopause (menstrual irregularity)?

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* 8. At what age did you enter menopause (no periods for 12 consecutive months)?

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* 9. Please rate the impact of the following symptoms through age 9:

	1 - Minor impact	2	3 - Life-altering impact	N/A
Impulsivity	Impulsivity 1 - Minor impact	Impulsivity 2	Impulsivity 3 - Life-altering impact	Impulsivity N/A
Procrastination	Procrastination 1 - Minor impact	Procrastination 2	Procrastination 3 - Life-altering impact	Procrastination N/A
Hyperactivity / restlessness	Hyperactivity / restlessness 1 - Minor impact	Hyperactivity / restlessness 2	Hyperactivity / restlessness 3 - Life-altering impact	Hyperactivity / restlessness N/A
Time-management difficulties	Time-management difficulties 1 - Minor impact	Time-management difficulties 2	Time-management difficulties 3 - Life-altering impact	Time-management difficulties N/A
Disorganization	Disorganization 1 - Minor impact	Disorganization 2	Disorganization 3 - Life-altering impact	Disorganization N/A
Emotional dysregulation	Emotional dysregulation 1 - Minor impact	Emotional dysregulation 2	Emotional dysregulation 3 - Life-altering impact	Emotional dysregulation N/A
Social struggles	Social struggles 1 - Minor impact	Social struggles 2	Social struggles 3 - Life-altering impact	Social struggles N/A
Overwhelm	Overwhelm 1 - Minor impact	Overwhelm 2	Overwhelm 3 - Life-altering impact	Overwhelm N/A
Perfectionism	Perfectionism 1 - Minor impact	Perfectionism 2	Perfectionism 3 - Life-altering impact	Perfectionism N/A
Inattention / distractibility	Inattention / distractibility 1 - Minor impact	Inattention / distractibility 2	Inattention / distractibility 3 - Life-altering impact	Inattention / distractibility N/A
Brain fog & memory issues	Brain fog & memory issues 1 - Minor impact	Brain fog & memory issues 2	Brain fog & memory issues 3 - Life-altering impact	Brain fog & memory issues N/A

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* 10. Please rate the impact of the following symptoms from age 10 to 19:

	1 - Minor impact	2	3 - Life-altering impact	N/A
Impulsivity	Impulsivity 1 - Minor impact	Impulsivity 2	Impulsivity 3 - Life-altering impact	Impulsivity N/A
Procrastination	Procrastination 1 - Minor impact	Procrastination 2	Procrastination 3 - Life-altering impact	Procrastination N/A
Hyperactivity / restlessness	Hyperactivity / restlessness 1 - Minor impact	Hyperactivity / restlessness 2	Hyperactivity / restlessness 3 - Life-altering impact	Hyperactivity / restlessness N/A
Time-management difficulties	Time-management difficulties 1 - Minor impact	Time-management difficulties 2	Time-management difficulties 3 - Life-altering impact	Time-management difficulties N/A
Disorganization	Disorganization 1 - Minor impact	Disorganization 2	Disorganization 3 - Life-altering impact	Disorganization N/A
Emotional dysregulation	Emotional dysregulation 1 - Minor impact	Emotional dysregulation 2	Emotional dysregulation 3 - Life-altering impact	Emotional dysregulation N/A
Social struggles	Social struggles 1 - Minor impact	Social struggles 2	Social struggles 3 - Life-altering impact	Social struggles N/A
Overwhelm	Overwhelm 1 - Minor impact	Overwhelm 2	Overwhelm 3 - Life-altering impact	Overwhelm N/A
Perfectionism	Perfectionism 1 - Minor impact	Perfectionism 2	Perfectionism 3 - Life-altering impact	Perfectionism N/A
Inattention / distractibility	Inattention / distractibility 1 - Minor impact	Inattention / distractibility 2	Inattention / distractibility 3 - Life-altering impact	Inattention / distractibility N/A
Brain fog & memory issues	Brain fog & memory issues 1 - Minor impact	Brain fog & memory issues 2	Brain fog & memory issues 3 - Life-altering impact	Brain fog & memory issues N/A

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* 11. Please rate the impact of the following symptoms from age 20 to 39:

	1 - Minor impact	2	3 - Life-altering impact	N/A
Impulsivity	Impulsivity 1 - Minor impact	Impulsivity 2	Impulsivity 3 - Life-altering impact	Impulsivity N/A
Procrastination	Procrastination 1 - Minor impact	Procrastination 2	Procrastination 3 - Life-altering impact	Procrastination N/A
Hyperactivity / restlessness	Hyperactivity / restlessness 1 - Minor impact	Hyperactivity / restlessness 2	Hyperactivity / restlessness 3 - Life-altering impact	Hyperactivity / restlessness N/A
Time-management difficulties	Time-management difficulties 1 - Minor impact	Time-management difficulties 2	Time-management difficulties 3 - Life-altering impact	Time-management difficulties N/A
Disorganization	Disorganization 1 - Minor impact	Disorganization 2	Disorganization 3 - Life-altering impact	Disorganization N/A
Emotional dysregulation	Emotional dysregulation 1 - Minor impact	Emotional dysregulation 2	Emotional dysregulation 3 - Life-altering impact	Emotional dysregulation N/A
Social struggles	Social struggles 1 - Minor impact	Social struggles 2	Social struggles 3 - Life-altering impact	Social struggles N/A
Overwhelm	Overwhelm 1 - Minor impact	Overwhelm 2	Overwhelm 3 - Life-altering impact	Overwhelm N/A
Perfectionism	Perfectionism 1 - Minor impact	Perfectionism 2	Perfectionism 3 - Life-altering impact	Perfectionism N/A
Inattention / distractibility	Inattention / distractibility 1 - Minor impact	Inattention / distractibility 2	Inattention / distractibility 3 - Life-altering impact	Inattention / distractibility N/A
Brain fog & memory issues	Brain fog & memory issues 1 - Minor impact	Brain fog & memory issues 2	Brain fog & memory issues 3 - Life-altering impact	Brain fog & memory issues N/A

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* 12. Please rate the impact of the following symptoms from age 40 to 59:

	1 - Minor impact	2	3 - Life-altering impact	N/A
Impulsivity	Impulsivity 1 - Minor impact	Impulsivity 2	Impulsivity 3 - Life-altering impact	Impulsivity N/A
Procrastination	Procrastination 1 - Minor impact	Procrastination 2	Procrastination 3 - Life-altering impact	Procrastination N/A
Hyperactivity / restlessness	Hyperactivity / restlessness 1 - Minor impact	Hyperactivity / restlessness 2	Hyperactivity / restlessness 3 - Life-altering impact	Hyperactivity / restlessness N/A
Time-management difficulties	Time-management difficulties 1 - Minor impact	Time-management difficulties 2	Time-management difficulties 3 - Life-altering impact	Time-management difficulties N/A
Disorganization	Disorganization 1 - Minor impact	Disorganization 2	Disorganization 3 - Life-altering impact	Disorganization N/A
Emotional dysregulation	Emotional dysregulation 1 - Minor impact	Emotional dysregulation 2	Emotional dysregulation 3 - Life-altering impact	Emotional dysregulation N/A
Social struggles	Social struggles 1 - Minor impact	Social struggles 2	Social struggles 3 - Life-altering impact	Social struggles N/A
Overwhelm	Overwhelm 1 - Minor impact	Overwhelm 2	Overwhelm 3 - Life-altering impact	Overwhelm N/A
Perfectionism	Perfectionism 1 - Minor impact	Perfectionism 2	Perfectionism 3 - Life-altering impact	Perfectionism N/A
Inattention / distractibility	Inattention / distractibility 1 - Minor impact	Inattention / distractibility 2	Inattention / distractibility 3 - Life-altering impact	Inattention / distractibility N/A
Brain fog & memory issues	Brain fog & memory issues 1 - Minor impact	Brain fog & memory issues 2	Brain fog & memory issues 3 - Life-altering impact	Brain fog & memory issues N/A

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* 13. Please rate the impact of the following symptoms from age 60 and beyond:

	1 - Minor impact	2	3 - Life-altering impact	N/A
Impulsivity	Impulsivity 1 - Minor impact	Impulsivity 2	Impulsivity 3 - Life-altering impact	Impulsivity N/A
Procrastination	Procrastination 1 - Minor impact	Procrastination 2	Procrastination 3 - Life-altering impact	Procrastination N/A
Hyperactivity / restlessness	Hyperactivity / restlessness 1 - Minor impact	Hyperactivity / restlessness 2	Hyperactivity / restlessness 3 - Life-altering impact	Hyperactivity / restlessness N/A
Time-management difficulties	Time-management difficulties 1 - Minor impact	Time-management difficulties 2	Time-management difficulties 3 - Life-altering impact	Time-management difficulties N/A
Disorganization	Disorganization 1 - Minor impact	Disorganization 2	Disorganization 3 - Life-altering impact	Disorganization N/A
Emotional dysregulation	Emotional dysregulation 1 - Minor impact	Emotional dysregulation 2	Emotional dysregulation 3 - Life-altering impact	Emotional dysregulation N/A
Social struggles	Social struggles 1 - Minor impact	Social struggles 2	Social struggles 3 - Life-altering impact	Social struggles N/A
Overwhelm	Overwhelm 1 - Minor impact	Overwhelm 2	Overwhelm 3 - Life-altering impact	Overwhelm N/A
Perfectionism	Perfectionism 1 - Minor impact	Perfectionism 2	Perfectionism 3 - Life-altering impact	Perfectionism N/A
Inattention / distractibility	Inattention / distractibility 1 - Minor impact	Inattention / distractibility 2	Inattention / distractibility 3 - Life-altering impact	Inattention / distractibility N/A
Brain fog & memory issues	Brain fog & memory issues 1 - Minor impact	Brain fog & memory issues 2	Brain fog & memory issues 3 - Life-altering impact	Brain fog & memory issues N/A

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* 14. When did ADHD have the greatest impact overall on your daily life?

Ages 0 to 9

Ages 10 to 19

Ages 20 to 39

Ages 40 to 59

Age 60 and beyond

The impact has remained steady throughout my life

Please share more about the life stage when you felt the greatest impact from ADHD:

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* 15. Did you notice a difference in the severity of some ADHD symptoms during perimenopause and/or menopause?

Yes

Not applicable

If yes, please describe which symptoms flared, which symptoms faded, and how the severity fluctuated, if at all:

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* 16. Did any of the following symptoms appear for the first time during perimenopause or menopause? (select all that apply)

Social struggles

Time-management difficulties

Brain fog & memory issues

Disorganization

Hyperactivity / restlessness

Overwhelm

Inattention / distractibility

Not applicable

Emotional dysregulation

Procrastination

Impulsivity

Perfectionism

Other (please specify)

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* 17. If you answered Yes to any symptoms appearing for the first time during perimenopause or menopause, please describe how they have affected your daily life:

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* 18. If you entered menopause 5 or more years ago, have any of these new or changed symptoms since faded or grown worse over time? Please explain:

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* 19. Please rate on a scale of 1 (ineffective) to 5 (very effective) each of the following common ADHD treatments that you’ve tried during your lifetime. Select "N/A" for any treatments you have not tried.

	1 – Ineffective		3		5 – Very effective	N/A
Stimulant medication for ADHD	Stimulant medication for ADHD 1 – Ineffective	Stimulant medication for ADHD	Stimulant medication for ADHD 3	Stimulant medication for ADHD	Stimulant medication for ADHD 5 – Very effective	Stimulant medication for ADHD N/A
Non-stimulant medication for ADHD	Non-stimulant medication for ADHD 1 – Ineffective	Non-stimulant medication for ADHD	Non-stimulant medication for ADHD 3	Non-stimulant medication for ADHD	Non-stimulant medication for ADHD 5 – Very effective	Non-stimulant medication for ADHD N/A
Exercise	Exercise 1 – Ineffective	Exercise	Exercise 3	Exercise	Exercise 5 – Very effective	Exercise N/A
Nutrition	Nutrition 1 – Ineffective	Nutrition	Nutrition 3	Nutrition	Nutrition 5 – Very effective	Nutrition N/A
Supplements and vitamins	Supplements and vitamins 1 – Ineffective	Supplements and vitamins	Supplements and vitamins 3	Supplements and vitamins	Supplements and vitamins 5 – Very effective	Supplements and vitamins N/A
Mindfulness	Mindfulness 1 – Ineffective	Mindfulness	Mindfulness 3	Mindfulness	Mindfulness 5 – Very effective	Mindfulness N/A
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)	Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) 1 – Ineffective	Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)	Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) 3	Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)	Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) 5 – Very effective	Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) N/A
Psychotherapy	Psychotherapy 1 – Ineffective	Psychotherapy	Psychotherapy 3	Psychotherapy	Psychotherapy 5 – Very effective	Psychotherapy N/A
Other	Other 1 – Ineffective	Other	Other 3	Other	Other 5 – Very effective	Other N/A

If you selected a rating for "Other," please specify the type of treatment:

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* 20. Did your ADHD treatment plan change during perimenopause or menopause?

Yes

Not applicable

If yes, please describe any changes to your medication(s) and non-pharmacological treatment(s):

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* 21. Are you taking hormone replacement therapy (or have you ever)?

Yes – I am currently taking hormone replacement therapy

Yes – I have taken hormone replacement therapy in the past

No – I have never taken hormone replacement therapy

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* 22. If you answered yes to the question above, which of the following prompted you to take hormone replacement therapy?

Cognitive symptoms (memory, executive function, etc.)

Physical symptoms (sleep, hot flashes, etc.)

Both cognitive and physical symptoms

Other (please specify)

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* 23. If you answered yes to question #21, how did hormone replacement therapy impact your ADHD symptoms?

It improved my ADHD symptoms

It worsened my ADHD symptoms

I noticed no difference

Other (please specify)

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* 24. Has your diet, fitness, and health routine changed during perimenopause or menopause?

Yes

Not applicable

If yes, please describe any changes to your diet, exercise, or wellness plan:

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* 25. Please share the strategies or treatments that have provided you with the most relief for symptoms of ADHD and related conditions during perimenopause and/or menopause:

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* 26. Please identify yourself so that we can attribute your comment(s) correctly if printed in a future issue of ADDitude. You may provide your first and last name, city, and state; first name and state only; or leave the fields blank if you prefer to remain anonymous. We will only use first names and state in online content.

First Name

Last Name

City/Town

State/Province

Country

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* 27. Would you like to share more about your story of navigating menopause with ADHD? If so, please complete the following fields so that the ADDitude editorial team may contact you.

NOTE: We will NOT publish your contact information or make it public in any way. (See ADDitude's full privacy policy.)

First Name

Last Name

City/Town

State/Province

Country

Email Address

Phone Number

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* 28. Jeanette Wasserstein, Ph.D., and Mary V. Solanto, Ph.D., are designing a research study on perimenopausal and menopausal women with ADHD. If you are interested in participating in their research, please enter your email address below and they will contact you with more information when it becomes available.

Email Address

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