ADHD and Menstruation: Are My Hormones Exacerbating My Symptoms?

Phone alerts are what keeps Assistant LaLaine in her time. She has four alarms to wake up, one to get dressed, another to pack her work bag, and more.

“There’s a million different ones. There’s different times of the day,” says the 30-year-old, scrolling through the alarms on her phone.

“For a lot of people, it feels like overkill, but I have these pointers that I have to hit,” says Layla, who says the process helps focus her ADHD mind and establish a routine.

But this sense of control evaporates as Laila’s period approaches—the peak of her period.

“It’s like you’re clinging to the ball that keeps rolling for dear life, and you’re always hurting yourself and the world.”

ADHD is a condition in which the brain works differently for many people, including problems with things like concentrating, controlling emotions and sitting, according to the NHS.

Discussions about women’s menstrual cycles exacerbating their ADHD symptoms have been rampant on social media and forums.

A first-of-its-kind study from King’s College and Queen Mary University of London is putting that link to the test by asking 50 women with ADHD who were taking medication for it to track their menstrual cycle and its impact on their ADHD symptoms and their daily lives.