Menopause, Dopamine, and the “New ADHD” Feeling: What’s Really Going On?

adhd symptoms behaviour change brain health dopamine emotional wellbeing focus and motivation habits hormone changes hypnotherapy hypnotherapy brighton identity change menopause midlife women nervous system regulation personal growth rapid transformational therapy self leadership May 01, 2026

Recently, on a trip to Milan, I let myself “go there”… like really “go there.”

The gelato, the pasta, the shopping.

I see myself as an N of 1 experiment and before the trip, I’d been fairly restrained as I was in “body engineering” mode, so I made an intentional decision to get swept up in it all. Just for the sheer pleasure of playing with life (and also exploring my emerging — stronger — Italian identity).

By the third day of this cultural experiment, my digestive tract felt like burning embers and my brain kept grabbing at the thought of “what’s next” like a Duracell bunny.

It was the morning of our departure as I sat waiting for my husband to finish his text, belly and suitcase bloated, when a curiosity popped into my head.

I asked myself the question…

“Now that I’m no longer driven by my reproductive hormones (oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone), am I now driven by my brain hormones (dopamine, serotonin etc.) instead?”

A very clunky question I know, but nevertheless, one worth asking to help me gain clarity on why my brain felt like a pinball machine during this trip.

Here’s what I discovered…

Before menopause, our systems run on a very strong internal rhythm.

Oestrogen and progesterone rise and fall in a monthly cycle, influencing mood, focus, motivation, emotional regulation and reward sensitivity. Everything is supported by this structure, this pulse, this rhythm.

After menopause, this internal cyclical rhythm that once gave us certainty (even if it was a pain in the neck), leaves us, well… open.

And what’s revealed in this openness can feel like something far less organised and predictable.

It’s not that we somehow “stop working,” but the way we regulate ourselves changes significantly and calls for a different (quite remarkable) approach from here on in (which we’ll explore in a moment).

But first… let’s talk about dopamine

Dopamine is often misunderstood as the “pleasure chemical.”

But it’s so much more than that.

It’s the innate internal system that asks…

“Is this worth moving toward?”

It governs:

Motivation (“I’m so excited about this”)
Anticipation (“I’m really looking forward to this”)
Reward seeking (“If I get through my day, I can have a piece of chocolate”)
Focus and drive (“I’m well into this!”)

Now here’s the key:

Oestrogen plays a role in modulating dopamine.

Which basically means, when oestrogen declines, dopamine can feel more… shouty.

This can show up as:

Restlessness (“What am I missing? Should I be doing something?”)
Increased drive for stimulation (work, learning, scrolling, doing)
Difficulty settling down in the evening
That “I need something to help me settle” feeling — like an open loop that needs closing

I’d been experiencing this a lot during my Milan trip and that’s what prompted me to ask the question…

“Am I more dopamine-driven now?”

And in a way, as a postmenopausal woman, I am.

Because the buffering system around dopamine regulation has changed.

The Dopamine Vacuum Effect

I like to call it the “dopamine vacuum” effect.

When your system no longer has a built-in rhythm (from those cycling sex hormones), your brain starts scanning for stimulation, novelty, reward and direction because it’s looking for a rhythm.

And here’s the big pivot…

If you don’t consciously set a rhythm, your brain will create one for you.

And if you let your brain create it, it won’t be intentional — it will be reactive.

That’s when you turn to all manner of things:

Compulsive scrolling
Overworking
Constant learning without integration
Jumping between tasks
Chasing small (or large) hits of satisfaction

I started to wonder if I was developing a lack of discipline (not something I thought related to me thanks to my Virgo rising).

But that’s when I realised…

It wasn’t a discipline issue.

It was dopamine trying to fill a void — a void not determined by my intention.

Why does this feel like ADHD?

Menopause emerges and you can start to wonder…

“Do I actually have ADHD?”

I’ve wondered this many times because the symptoms can look very familiar:

Distractibility (scrolling when you’re meant to be doing your taxes)
Inconsistent focus (you’re here but you’re not here)
Bursts of hyperfocus followed by shutdown (boom and bust anyone?)
Difficulty transitioning between tasks
Everything feeling “in process”
Craving stimulation (constant snacking)

So it’s no surprise many women begin to ask:

“Do I have ADHD?”

Sometimes, the answer is yes.

But often, what’s happening is different.

ADHD vs “menopause wonky dopamine brain”

It’s the same system pathway… but different origins.

ADHD is:

A lifelong neurodevelopmental pattern
Present from early life (even if masked)

Menopause-related dopamine changes are:

New or intensified in midlife
Linked to hormonal shifts
Often fluctuating

What menopause can do is:

Unmask existing ADHD that was previously compensated for
Or mimic ADHD by disrupting the same dopamine pathways

So the experience can feel identical…

But the root cause isn’t always the same.

The deeper layer (the bit no one really talks about)

There’s also something else happening here.

Something quieter. Deeper. More existential.

It can feel like the essence of us is changing.

Forgive me for using the D-word, but it’s like the closer we get to death, the more refined we become.

Life squeezes us.

Like essential oil pressed from orange peel.

These biochemical processes are life doing what it’s supposed to be doing.

Our soul is quite literally being distilled.

No wonder new identities start to emerge.

We move away from externally driven cycles, caregiving roles and structured rhythms…

And suddenly, the slate feels wiped clean.

We are…

O.P.E.N.

And here’s where it really matters…

If we don’t define ourselves using that special space within us…

Our primal brain will do it for us.

If we don’t intentionally shape our life…

Dopamine steps in to answer the question:

“What now?”

So what actually helps?

This is the turning point.

It’s about accessing that “special place” within yourself:

Will
Courage
Creativity
Imagination
Intuition
Curiosity
Trust

This is where you create your own rhythm.

A self-led rhythm.

A chosen rhythm.

You get to choose your sources of stimulation and reward rather than defaulting to whatever is quickest, loudest or most familiar.

And something beautiful happens when you do this…

Dopamine stops screaming when you give it direction.

A different way of closing the loop

Instead of needing to close the loop with:

Chocolate
Cigarettes
Shopping
A glass of wine

You choose something else.

Something intentional.

Something aligned.

And when you choose from that place…

You are shaping yourself.

Like an artist shapes clay.

A reframe worth holding onto

So instead of:

“I’m more ADHD now”
or
“I’m ruled by dopamine now”

Try this:

“My system is more sensitive to reward, direction and meaning… and it’s asking me to lead.”

And as for me…

As I sit here on the plane back from Milan writing this…

I’m thinking about the rhythm I’m going to set when I get home.

Who am I becoming now as a result of this experience?

Thankfully, I have a process for that.

Work With Me

If something in this blog has stirred something in you, you might be curious about working with me and having me support you (in that rather magical way that I do for people).

If so, you’re welcome to book in for a free connection call here:
👉 https://singingandhypnosis.as.me/connectioncall

Alternatively, if you’d like to learn more about the process:
👉 https://www.sallygarozzo.com/rapid-transformational-therapist

Sally Garozzo | Clinical Hypnotherapist Brighton & Online