Hormones, ADHD & Anxiety: Panic Attacks from Puberty to Perimenopause
✨ Perimenopause Power Moves: Transform your Hormones and Health! ✨
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Hormones, ADHD & Anxiety: Panic Attacks from Puberty to Perimenopause
"Anxiety is a thin stream of fear trickling through the mind. If encouraged, it cuts a channel into which all other thoughts are drained." – Arthur Somers Roche
If you’ve ever felt like your anxiety has a life of its own—surging without warning, hijacking your body, and leaving you breathless—you’re not alone. From puberty to perimenopause, the interplay of hormones, ADHD, and anxiety can create the perfect storm for panic attacks. But why does this happen? And more importantly, how can you regain control? Let’s unpack the science behind hormonal anxiety, why women with ADHD are more vulnerable, and the strategies that actually help.
When Panic Strikes: My First Experience with Anxiety
Anxiety has been the shadow lurking in the corners of my life, silent until it pounces, leaving me breathless, heart racing, and convinced that something terrible is about to happen.
I was 11 years old the first time it hit.
One moment, I was sitting in my Grade 6 classroom, staring at my math book. The next, my vision blurred into blackness. My hearing warped into eerie echoes, as if I’d been sucked into a tunnel. My heart pounded so loudly I thought everyone could hear it. Sweat poured down my face, my hands trembled, and an overwhelming thought took hold: I must be dying.
I sat frozen in my chair, my mind racing. Was I going blind? I wanted to run to the bathroom, to scream for help, but how could I when I couldn’t see?
And then, as suddenly as it had arrived, the darkness lifted. My vision returned. My hearing normalized. I could breathe again.
I should have been relieved. But instead, I was terrified. Because now I knew: my body could betray me at any moment, for no reason at all.
The Panic Attack That Changed Everything
Fast forward to college.
I was thriving—loving my classes, making friends, finally feeling like I belonged. Then, out of nowhere, it happened again.
In the middle of a geography lecture, my vision disappeared. The room blurred into a distorted nightmare. My ears buzzed with distant echoes. My heart slammed against my ribs, each beat a countdown to an impending doom I couldn’t see but could feel. I was certain: This is it. I’m dying.
I tried to stay calm. I gripped my desk, forcing myself to sit still. The guy next to me must have heard my shaky breathing, but I couldn’t ask for help. The fear of drawing attention was just as paralyzing as the panic itself.
And then, just like before, the terror passed. But it left behind something even worse: fear of the fear itself.
After that, I couldn’t step into a classroom without my heart racing. I avoided lectures. I took tests in isolation. My world shrank, controlled by the unpredictable terror of my own body.
Doctors ran test after test. GI specialists poked and prodded, searching for an answer that wasn’t there. It wasn’t until I stumbled across a medical article that I finally put the pieces together: I had anxiety. Severe, debilitating panic attacks.
It was a revelation. And it made me furious. How had no one—no teacher, no doctor, no psychologist—recognized what was happening to me? I had to diagnose myself.
By then, I was in full-blown survival mode. I ended up in the ER after one particularly bad attack, convinced my heart was failing. After five hours of waiting, I was sent home with no answers. Eventually, I was prescribed medication, and for the first time in years, I felt like myself again. It was a lifesaver—literally.
The ADHD Connection: Was This the Missing Link?
Decades later, another twist in my story appeared: I was diagnosed with ADHD. And suddenly, everything made even more sense.
ADHD isn’t just about focus. It’s about a nervous system that lives in a state of hyper-reactivity. Research shows that people with ADHD are more prone to anxiety and panic attacks because their brains struggle with emotional regulation and stress management. The constant overstimulation can lead to nervous system overload—aka, the perfect storm for panic attacks.
And then, there are the hormones.
The Hormone-Panic Connection: Why Women Are More Vulnerable
If you’ve ever felt like your anxiety worsens before your period, during postpartum, or in perimenopause—you’re not imagining it.
Hormones, especially estrogen and progesterone, play a massive role in brain chemistry. Estrogen helps regulate serotonin, the neurotransmitter that keeps us calm and balanced. When estrogen levels fluctuate—like during puberty, pregnancy, postpartum, and perimenopause—so does serotonin, making us more prone to anxiety and panic attacks.
Hormonal Anxiety Triggers Through Life
Puberty: Massive hormonal shifts, estrogen spikes, and a developing brain create a perfect storm for mood swings and anxiety.
Teen & Young Adult Years: Menstrual cycle fluctuations add another layer of unpredictability, increasing the likelihood of panic attacks.
Postpartum: Estrogen and progesterone levels crash after childbirth, which is why postpartum anxiety and depression are so common.
Perimenopause: Estrogen levels fluctuate wildly, leading to mood instability, increased anxiety, and—you guessed it—more panic attacks.
Adding ADHD to the mix makes this already volatile equation even more chaotic. ADHD brains are wired for stimulation, constantly bouncing between hyperfocus and overwhelm. When combined with hormonal fluctuations, the result can be an amplified sense of anxiety, unpredictable mood swings, and an increased likelihood of panic attacks. For women with ADHD, the hormonal dips of puberty, postpartum, and perimenopause can feel like being on a rollercoaster with no seatbelt, heightening emotional dysregulation and making it even harder to find balance.
Reclaiming Control: How to Manage Anxiety During Perimenopause
Managing anxiety isn’t about eliminating it completely—it's about understanding it, making space for it, and learning how to respond in ways that don’t let it control your life. Anxiety thrives in uncertainty and chaos, so creating a structured approach to care is key. Here are some strategies that have helped me regain control:
1. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
It's crucial to consult a doctor who specializes in bioidentical hormones rather than relying on conventional hormone prescriptions that may not be tailored to your needs. Bioidentical hormones mimic the body's natural hormones and can help stabilize estrogen and progesterone fluctuations that contribute to anxiety. Finding the right doctor who understands hormonal health and is willing to test your levels is essential for getting the right treatment.
2. Mindfulness & Meditation
Mindfulness and meditation are powerful tools for calming an overactive nervous system. Regular practice can help shift the brain out of a state of constant alertness, reducing the frequency and severity of panic attacks. Techniques like deep breathing, body scans, and guided imagery can train your mind to respond to stress with less intensity.
Apps like Insight Timer offer guided meditations specifically for anxiety relief, while journaling can also be an effective way to process emotions and recognize anxiety triggers.
Mindfulness isn’t just about relaxation—it’s a powerful tool for building emotional resilience and managing stress. By practicing mindfulness regularly, you can train your brain to respond to anxiety in a calmer, more balanced way, reducing its impact on your mental health.
3. Exercise—But Make It Enjoyable
Exercise is one of the most effective natural ways to regulate anxiety. Physical movement helps release endorphins, which improve mood and reduce stress. More importantly, exercise supports hormone balance, which can mitigate the spikes and crashes that contribute to anxiety.
Walking: Gentle movement in nature can calm the nervous system.
Strength Training: Lifting weights builds resilience in both the body and mind, improving confidence and reducing stress.
Yoga & Breathwork: Yoga combines movement with breath control, helping regulate cortisol levels and reduce anxiety symptoms.
Cardio Activities: Running, cycling, or swimming can help burn off excess nervous energy, leading to better mental clarity and relaxation.
4. Nutrition for Anxiety
Incorporating foods like fatty fish, nuts, seeds, leafy greens, and berries can help stabilize mood and reduce anxiety.
Fatty Fish (Salmon, sardines)
Nuts & Seeds (Almonds, walnuts, chia seeds)
Leafy Greens (Spinach, kale, Swiss chard)
Berries (Blueberries, raspberries, blackberries)
5. Professional Support
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) changed my relationship with anxiety. If you struggle with panic attacks, therapy can help you rewire your brain’s response to fear.
6. Prioritizing Sleep
Poor sleep and anxiety go hand in hand, creating a vicious cycle that can feel impossible to break. Hormonal shifts during perimenopause—especially fluctuating estrogen and progesterone—can make it harder to fall asleep, stay asleep, and wake up feeling rested. Add ADHD into the mix, and your brain may struggle to shut down at night, leading to racing thoughts, restlessness, and increased anxiety.
Creating a structured nighttime routine can help regulate your nervous system and promote deeper, more restorative sleep. Limiting screen time before bed, keeping your bedroom cool and dark, and sticking to a consistent sleep schedule can all improve sleep quality. If anxiety spikes at night, calming practices like deep breathing, meditation, or journaling can help quiet the mind and signal to your body that it’s time to rest.
Final Thoughts: You're Not Alone!
Panic attacks are terrifying. Anxiety is exhausting. And if you’re going through perimenopause, you might feel like you’re losing control. But here’s the truth: you are not broken. You are not crazy. And you are definitely not alone.
By understanding the connection between hormones, ADHD, and anxiety, you can take back control. Explore what works for you—whether it’s HRT, therapy, meditation, or all of the above.
You deserve to feel good in your body. And trust me—you will again.
Hormonally yours,
Kimberlee Erin
✨ Perimenopause Power Moves: Transform your Hormones and Health! ✨
Grab your free guide today! Recipes included!
👉 Download Now!
Resources for Further Reading
Just a heads-up: I’m a Certified Menopause Coaching Specialist and Holistic Nutritionist, and while I love sharing what’s worked for me and my clients, this blog is for informational purposes only. It’s not a substitute for medical advice. Always check in with your healthcare provider before starting new supplements, hormones, or treatments—especially since every woman’s perimenopause journey is different. You deserve personalized care that truly fits you.
