Found at 40
Turns out, life doesn’t come with a manual—but it does come with a podcast.
Found at 40 is a podcast for women in midlife having honest conversations about relationships, work, parenting, and figuring out who we are in this season.
Each week, guests over 40 share their best lessons, hilarious moments, and wisdom that only comes from surviving the ultimate group projects of marriage, motherhood, and careers. Together, we talk through the chaotic season of shifting identities, evolving marriages, growing kids, perimenopause knocking at the door, and the quiet panic of reinvention.
It’s what we’ve learned now that we’re finally old enough to know better—and still occasionally do it anyway. Because midlife isn’t a crisis… it’s just incredibly well-researched content.
Welcome to the group chat you didn’t know you needed.
Instagram: @foundat40podcast
Found at 40
Why So Many Women Are Getting ADHD Diagnoses in Midlife: ADHD vs. Dysregulation
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There is a question that so many women in midlife seem to be asking lately: “Do I have ADHD… or am I just completely overwhelmed?” Using a recent article about women receiving ADHD diagnoses in midlife as a jumping-off point, they talk through inattentive ADHD, hyperfocus, procrastination, emotional dysregulation, and the systems women build to keep life moving. Sarah shares what it was like growing up as a smart, energetic, often “spacey” kid whose ADHD traits were easy to miss, while Chrissi explores the difference between lifelong ADHD and the very midlife feeling of dysregulation– being scattered, overstimulated, and maxed out. It’s part sister conversation, part midlife brain audit, and part permission slip to ask a better question than “What’s wrong with my brain?”
(0:00) 🧠 Why so many women are asking about ADHD in midlife
(1:00) 📅 Maycember chaos, end-of-school-year overload, and the midlife mental load
(3:00) 💉 PRP facials, aging, sister banter, and the ongoing “who’s older?” debate
(7:00) 🦷 Sarah’s root canal, big test energy, and major life transitions
(9:00) 📖 The article that sparked the conversation: women, ADHD diagnoses, and the systems that suddenly stop working
(11:00) 🤸 Sarah’s childhood ADHD clues: constant movement, gifted programs, spacing out, and missed signs
(13:00) 📝 Why inattentive ADHD in girls was so often overlooked
(16:00) 🧺 When motherhood, work, and unpredictability overwhelm even the best coping systems
(18:00) 🎯 Hyperfocus, changing majors, “going off vibes,” and wondering what could have been different
(21:00) ⏰ Procrastination, urgency, adrenaline, and the crash after getting everything done
(24:00) 🎓 Former gifted girls, anxiety, ADHD, and the shame of feeling smart but stuck
(26:00) ☕ Caffeine, ADHD medication, and what it feels like when a noisy brain finally quiets down
(28:00) 🛒 The grocery list spiral: when one simple task turns into a full life reorganization
(31:00) 🌪️ ADHD vs. dysregulation: feeling scattered, overwhelmed, overstimulated, or unable to function
(33:00) 🔊 Emotional, sensory, and behavioral dysregulation in midlife
(36:00) 🚪 Reducing input, setting boundaries, and the “unless there’s fire or blood” rule
(38:00) 🫶 Lowering the shame and asking what your brain actually needs
(40:00) 🐅 The tiger-in-captivity question, summer survival, kids’ phones, and midlife brain management
(43:00) 💬 Final thoughts for ADHD women, dysregulated women, and everyone whose brain is following side quests
Link to Liz Moody podcast episode on ADHD and dysregulation
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📱 Check out @foundat40podcast on Instagram for extras, outtakes, and mild oversharing
🎙️ Listen on Apple Podcasts and Spotify
📺 Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Foundat40
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