Hormones + Neurodivergence: Why You’re Not Just Moody

Let’s get one thing straight: you’re not imagining it.

That shift in your attention, emotional regulation, energy levels, sensory tolerance, or even how much you can “mask” in social situations — it might not just be stress or lack of sleep.

It could be your hormones.

From puberty to pregnancy, postnatal recovery to perimenopause (and every cycle in between), hormonal changes can amplify, mute, or completely rearrange the way neurodivergence shows up.

And for many of us — especially women and AFAB (Assigned female at birth) neurodivergent people — this pattern has been misunderstood or misdiagnosed for far too long.

Let’s talk about the science behind hormones and neurodivergence.

First, What’s Neurodivergence?

Neurodivergence refers to natural variations in the way our brains are wired. This includes conditions such as:

• ADHD

• Autism

• PMDD (as a hormonally sensitive neurodivergent condition)

• Tourette’s

• Dyslexia and dyspraxia

• Sensory Processing Disorder

• PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance)

Every neurodivergent brain works a little differently, but all are impacted by the ebb and flow of hormones.

Hormones 101: A Crash Course in Neurochemistry

Hormones are chemical messengers that regulate processes like mood, attention, sleep, energy, and emotional regulation.

The key players in neurodivergence and hormonal sensitivity include:

• Estrogen: Enhances dopamine availability (hello, focus and emotional regulation!)

• Progesterone: Calming but can also increase irritability when out of balance

• Testosterone: Impacts confidence, motivation, and emotional control

• Cortisol: The stress hormone — often elevated in ND individuals

• Oxytocin: Linked to bonding, but neurodivergent brains often process it differently

• Melatonin: Regulates sleep-wake cycles; dysregulated in ADHD/autistic brains

• Dopamine: Critical for motivation and focus — already low in ADHD brains

So when hormone levels shift…everything shifts.

Puberty, PMDD, and Teenage Neurodivergence

Puberty is often the first time many neurodivergent girls and AFAB teens start to struggle more, not less.

Why?

• Rising estrogen and progesterone can cause increased emotional reactivity, sensory overwhelm, and masking fatigue.

• ADHD may worsen due to fluctuating dopamine availability.

• Autistic traits may become more pronounced or be mislabelled as “teenage angst.”

• Those with PMDD (Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder) — a severe hormone sensitivity condition — may experience intense mood swings, depression, rage, or shutdowns during the luteal phase of their cycle.

This is one reason ADHD and autism diagnoses are often missed in girls/AFAB teens until much later in life.

Pregnancy, Postpartum & the Masking Collapse

Pregnancy can bring unexpected changes for neurodivergent people:

• Some experience “ADHD relief” in pregnancy due to surges in estrogen (hello, dopamine boost!).

• Others feel more dysregulated due to sensory, emotional, or body changes.

• Post-birth, the crash of estrogen and progesterone can bring severe postpartum anxiety, depression, or burnout - especially in undiagnosed ND people.

• If you were masking hard before? The mask often slips in postpartum.

You’re not failing. You’re unmasked by biology.

Menstrual Cycles and Masking Burnout

The average person’s hormonal cycle spans about 28 days, and for many neurodivergent people, symptoms fluctuate across the month:

• Follicular (Days 1-14) - Estrogen rises = more dopamine, energy & focus.

• Ovulation (~Day 14) - Peak estrogen/testosterone = high social masking & creativity.

• Luteal (Days 15-28) - Progesterone rises, estrogen falls = emotional sensitivity, ADHD spikes, autistic shutdown.

• Menstruation - Low hormones = fatigue, low tolerance, sensory overwhelm.

If you notice a pattern of burnout, executive dysfunction, or emotional crashes at the same time each month - that’s not in your head.

That’s your nervous system trying to cope with massive neurochemical change.

Perimenopause, Menopause & the Late-Diagnosis Boom

During perimenopause (which can start in your late 30s or 40s), estrogen levels begin to decline unpredictably. This affects:

• Dopamine levels → exacerbating ADHD symptoms

• Emotional regulation

• Sleep and sensory sensitivity

• Memory and cognition

Many women/AFAB individuals are first diagnosed with ADHD or autism in midlife - not because it “just started,” but because their masking became unsustainable and their hormonal scaffolding disappeared.

Why This Gets Missed: The Problem with the “Standard” Lens

Historically, research on ADHD and autism has focused on cisgender boys - meaning the interaction between hormones and neurodivergence is wildly understudied.

And because masking — the effort to appear “normal” — is often stronger in girls/women/AFAB folks, many struggle in silence for decades before things hit breaking point.

The hormonal shifts act like a magnifying glass, exposing how much effort it takes just to “function.”

What Can Help?

Understanding this connection is empowering. Here are some science-backed tools:

1. Cycle Tracking

• Use apps or journals to track your mood, sensory tolerance, focus, and social energy across your cycle.

2. Lifestyle Adjustments

• Rest during your luteal phase

• Reduce decision-making when you’re depleted

• Nourish your nervous system (protein, omega-3s, magnesium)

3. ND-Aware Medical Support

• Seek hormone-sensitive psychiatric care

• Consider medication adjustments based on cycle phases

• Explore PMDD-specific support if applicable

4. De-Masking Support

• Reduce masking demands when hormones are low

• Advocate for flexible work and parenting rhythms

• Work with neurodivergent-affirming therapists or coaches

You Are Not “Too Much.” You Are Carrying Too Much.

Hormonal changes don’t create neurodivergence — they amplify it. And if you’ve felt like you’re constantly on a rollercoaster that no one else seems to see, please know:

You’re not broken. You’re biologically responding to a world that was never designed with you in mind.

We need more conversations — and more research — about this intersection. Until then, let’s keep speaking it out loud.

Want More Support?

At Caregility, we provide:

• Courses on ADHD, masking, and hormonal burnout

• Coaching for neurodivergent women and AFAB folks

• Practical tools for cycle mapping + executive dysfunction