Ep. 198 - Navigating ADHD and Menopause with Shanna Pearson

In this eye opening episode of Not Your Mother’s Menopause Podcast, Dr. Fiona Lovely sits down with Shanna Pearson, a world-renowned expert on adult ADHD with over 26 years of experience. For the woman who feels like the wheels are suddenly coming off the bus in midlife, this conversation is the explanation you’ve been searching for.

Shanna cuts through the noise with a compassionate yet honest perspective. She explains why ADHD is not a superpower for many women who have been silently struggling, but a very manageable reality that requires specific tools—tools that often stop working during the hormonal upheaval of perimenopause. The episode dives deep into the crucial link between declining estrogen and plummeting dopamine, revealing why previously hidden ADHD symptoms can erupt and overwhelm at this life stage.

Together, Fiona and Shanna unpack the heartbreaking cycle of misdiagnosis, where women are frequently labeled with anxiety or depression, given the wrong medications, and left feeling hopeless as their core challenges go unaddressed. Shanna provides a masterclass on the internal experience of ADHD, from the exhaustive daily masking and paralyzing overwhelm to the emotional intensity that stems from a brain that cannot compartmentalize.

Most importantly, this dialogue offers a powerful pathway forward. Shanna shares actionable insights on mood scheduling, reframing self-compassion, and finding the right “brush for your curly hair”—the specific strategies that can work with your unique brain wiring. This is an essential listen for any woman who has ever asked, “Why can’t I just…?” or felt profoundly misunderstood by the world and herself.

Learn more about Shanna here: https://www.adhdcoaching.com/

 

Thank you to our sponsors for this episode:

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Dr. Fiona Lovely is a longevity, health and wellness expert with specialties in menopause medicine, functional neurology and functional medicine.  She is speaking to the topics of women's health around perimenopause and menopause.

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