#142: Why Your ADHD Feels Worse: The Hormone Connection with Dr. Jolene Brighten (Part 1)

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Before motherhood, your ADHD may have felt quirky, fun, or even manageable. But then... the hormones hit. Postpartum. Perimenopause. Menopause. Suddenly, your ADHD symptoms feel out of control—the emotional swings, time blindness, anxiety, and exhaustion.

So is it just “mom life”? Or is there something bigger happening in your body?

Today, we’re getting real answers from Dr. Jolene Brighten, a hormone expert who actually understands ADHD. In this episode, we dive into:
🌀 How hormones impact ADHD from postpartum to menopause
😵‍💫 Why perimenopause feels like an ADHD nightmare—and what to do about it
🌙 The huge role progesterone plays in mood, sleep, and emotional regulation
🤯 How to tell the difference between ADHD symptoms and hormone-driven changes
🙅‍♀️ Why so many women don’t get diagnosed until one of these hormonal shifts happens
⚕️ How the medical system gaslights women—and why doctors dismiss hormone-related ADHD struggles

This is Part 1 of our convo because there’s just so much to unpack.

Meet Dr. Jolene Brighten

Dr. Jolene Brighten is a board-certified naturopathic endocrinologist, clinical sexologist, and fierce advocate for women’s health. She’s the best-selling author of Beyond the Pill, Healing Your Body Naturally After Childbirth, and Is This Normal? Her work has been featured in Forbes, Cosmopolitan, Huffington Post, The Guardian, and more. And most importantly? She has ADHD, too.

Where to Find Dr. Brighten:

📲 Instagram: @drjolenebrighten
🎙 Podcast: The Dr. Brighten Show
📚 Website & Books: drbrighten.com

🔥 This episode is a must-listen for every ADHD mom navigating hormone chaos. 

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