#167 - When Perimenopause Unmasks ADHD With Dr. Jen Wolkin The Midlife Feast podcast

Fitness Jenn Salib Huber RD ND Menopause Midlife Womenshealth Intuitive Eating Podcasting Education Self-Improvement Nutrition Perimenopause

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#167 - When Perimenopause Unmasks ADHD with Dr. Jen Wolkin

8h ago 48:30

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Midlife brain fog and overwhelm aren’t signs of falling apart. It’s really just your biology getting louder. Dr. Jen Wolkin, a Harvard-trained neuropsychologist, explains how perimenopause can reveal ADHD that’s been there all along and why compassion, not willpower, brings clarity.

We unpack how estrogen shifts dopamine and norepinephrine, why hormone swings magnify time blindness and emotional reactivity, and how perfectionism and people-pleasing crumble under midlife’s mental load.

You’ll walk away with simple tools for clearer focus and steadier mood, including protein-forward meals, grazing stations to beat decision fatigue, and scripts for asking for help. This episode is science, validation, and relief all in one.

Connect with Dr. Jen

Instagram: @adhd_with_drjen, @drjenwolkin

Like what you learned? Check out these other episodes!

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Chapters

1. Welcome And Midlife Mission (00:00:00)

2. Why ADHD Feels Louder In Midlife (00:01:33)

3. Guest Intro: Dr. Jen Wolken (00:04:08)

4. No Such Thing As Adult-Onset ADHD (00:05:26)

5. History, Hidden Coping, And Hormones (00:07:12)

6. Masks Collapse Under Midlife Load (00:09:45)

7. Estrogen, Dopamine, And Fluctuations (00:12:50)

8. Lifespan Shifts: Puberty To Postpartum (00:17:02)

9. Mental Load And Default Parent Dynamics (00:20:17)

10. Perfectionism As A Mask (00:23:19)

11. Lowering The Bar With Food (00:26:32)

12. ADHD, Reward Systems, And Eating (00:29:07)

13. Primal Hunger And Interoception (00:32:42)

14. Practical Lunches And Grazing Stations (00:36:09)

15. Name It, Normalize It, Seek Support (00:39:12)

16. Compassion As A Cognitive Tool (00:42:02)

17. Radical Acceptance In Midlife (00:45:07)

18. Where To Find Dr. Jen And Closing (00:47:27)

168 episodes

#Fitness #Jenn Salib Huber RD ND #Menopause #Midlife #Womenshealth #Intuitive Eating #Podcasting Education #Self-Improvement #Nutrition #Perimenopause