ADHD and Perimenopause; What Happened With My Midlife ADHD Diagnosis Artwork

Big Stuff With Danielle Colley

You know who's going through BIG STUFF? Literally everyone. But it's how you handle it that makes the difference.

Award-winning author and life coach Danielle Colley gets real about the relentless expectations we put on ourselves, the comparison trap, and the gap between how life looks and how it actually feels.

For ambitious women who may be crushing their goals but are feeling crushed by them. Conversations that matter. A little advice, a little inspiration, and a lot of humanness. No toxic positivity - just raw honesty about what it really takes to thrive.

If you're burnt out from achieving everything or tired of pretending it's all fine, this is for you. Because life should feel GOOD to live.

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Big Stuff With Danielle Colley

ADHD and Perimenopause; What Happened With My Midlife ADHD Diagnosis

September 04, 2025 • Season 1 • Episode 7

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Three years ago I thought I was losing my mind—snappy with my family, flat in my business, and waking up with zero desire to face the day. What I didn’t know then was that perimenopause had turned up the volume on something I’d been living with all along: ADHD.

In this episode of Big Stuff, I share the real story of how I finally got diagnosed at 47, why so many women slip through the cracks, and how hormones can unmask ADHD in midlife. I’ll talk about the grief and relief of diagnosis, what treatment and support look like for me (from HRT to Post-it notes), and why ADHD is not a flaw—it’s a different operating system.

You’ll learn:

· How ADHD can present differently in women (and why it’s often missed)

· The link between estrogen, dopamine, and ADHD symptoms in perimenopause

· What the assessment and diagnosis process actually looked like for me

· The difference medication and HRT made (and what didn’t change)

· Simple, everyday supports that help a high-octane brain thrive

If you’ve ever wondered “Is this ADHD? Is it peri? Is it both?”—this episode is for you.

00:00 Introduction and Personal Story

01:04 The ADHD Diagnosis Journey

01:50 Perimenopause and ADHD

03:43 Struggles and Realizations

06:36 Seeking Professional Help