Feeling like your brain has left the chat? In this episode, we explore the messy intersection of burnout, executive dysfunction, and perimenopausal brain fog in neurodivergent women. We’re calling out the dangerous “adult-onset ADHD” myth, unpacking the hormonal crash behind your midlife identity crisis, and offering practical, punk-fueled validation.

💥 What You’ll Learn:

• The real reason ADHD often gets diagnosed in midlife

• How menopause-related hormone shifts disrupt your neurodivergent brain

• Why executive dysfunction isn’t laziness or lack of motivation

• How to differentiate burnout from neurological shutdown

• Why rest isn’t always enough—and what else to try

🔍 Topics We Cover:

• Estrogen-dopamine interplay and brain fog

• Executive dysfunction vs. physical fatigue

• Capitalist productivity traps and the myth of bounce-back

• Diagnosis denial, medical gaslighting, and wellness misinformation

• Reclaiming self-awareness, neurodivergence, and your time

💊 Meds & Support Mentioned:

• Wellbutrin

• ADHD stimulants (contextually discussed)

• Restorative practices (non-productivity-based)

📚 Resources + Shoutouts:

• Unmasking Autism by Dr. Devon Price

• Burnout: The Podcast by Emily & Amelia Nagoski

• Ramsay & Rostain (2016). Clinical Psychology Review

• Louise Newson, British Menopause Society

📱 Follow + Connect:
→ DM us your ragey brain fog stories @adhdperipunks on IG and TikTok
→ Share this episode with a friend who's questioning everything
→ Rate = comment + review to help us smash stigma and reach more ND midlifers

Summary

Midlife exhaustion hits different when you’re neurodivergent—and in this episode of ADHD PeriPunks, we break down the tangled mess of burnout, executive dysfunction, and menopause brain fog. Sarah and Chrissy dive into what happens when ADHD or autism collides with perimenopause, and why the collapse of your coping strategies isn’t a failure—it’s biology.

We dismantle the myth of “adult-onset ADHD” (nope, not a thing), explore how hormonal changes disrupt neurotransmitter function—especially dopamine and estrogen—and explain why so many women finally reach diagnosis in midlife. We also cover the subtle but important differences between physical fatigue and neurological shutdown, and why rest alone won’t fix what’s actually executive dysfunction.

This episode validates the hell out of ND women who are feeling broken, exhausted, or confused—and arms you with the science, language, and community you need to make sense of it all. Plus, we rant (lovingly) about misinformation in the wellness world, the pressure to be “productive,” and how capitalism gaslights women into ignoring our very real neurological needs.

If you’ve ever asked yourself, “Am I burned out, or is my brain just not braining?”—this one’s for you.

Keywords:ADHD executive dysfunction vs burnout, menopause brain fog ADHD, perimenopause fatigue neurodivergence, late ADHD diagnosis women, estrogen dopamine and ADHD, neurodivergent women midlife, adult ADHD myths, mental health perimenopause, cognitive overload ADHD, hormonal changes and brain function