Show Notes
Pre-order ADHD and Women by Dr. Jolene Brighten http://drbrighten.com/adhdandwomen and discover how hormones shape focus, motivation, executive function, and emotional regulation.
Have you ever found yourself snapping at your partner, feeling annoyed by your kids, or becoming irrationally frustrated by something as simple as a dirty dish in the sink—and then immediately wondering, What is wrong with me? If so, you're not alone. In this episode of The Dr. Brighten Show, Dr. Jolene Brighten explores a question that countless women quietly ask themselves: Why am I so irritated all the time? Through the lens of women's health, hormones, emotional well-being, and nervous system function, she reveals why irritability is often not a personality flaw but an important signal from the body.
Many women assume that constant irritability means they're becoming impatient, short-tempered, or less kind. But what if irritation isn't the problem? What if it's actually a messenger pointing toward unmet needs, hormonal shifts, emotional exhaustion, chronic stress, or the invisible load so many women carry every day? In this deeply validating episode, Dr. Brighten discusses the emotional and physiological factors that can influence mood, resilience, and reactivity while offering a powerful framework for understanding yourself with greater compassion.
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More from The Dr. Brighten Show
ADHD medication can feel different across your menstrual cycle, and a difficult month doesn’t automatically mean your treatment has failed. View the show notes and episode resources at https://drbrighten.com/podcast/adhd-medication-and-your-period/ .
ADHD rejection sensitive dysphoria (RSD), women’s mental load, and the relationship fights that never seem to end—this episode explores how ADHD can affect communication, friendship, intimacy, and the stories we tell ourselves about being “too much.” View the full show notes and resources at DrBrighten.com: https://drbrighten.com/podcast/adhd-and-relationships/
ADHD and hormones are deeply connected, and shifts in estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone may help explain why focus, mood, executive function, and even the experience of ADHD medication can change across the menstrual cycle and during perimenopause. View the full show notes and additional resources at https://drbrighten.com/podcasts/adhd-hormones-in-women/.
ADHD in women symptoms can hide behind straight As, a successful career, a packed calendar, and the exhausting work of appearing “fine.” In Episode 1 of the ADHD in Women series, Dr. Jolene Brighten joins psychiatrist Dr. Agnes Kwon Simone, pediatric psychologist Dr. Ann-Louise Lockhart, and clinical s/xologist Dr. Leann Borneman to unpack the signs women mask, the assessment gaps that lead to missed diagnoses, and how to advocate for a thorough evaluation. View the full show notes at https://drbrighten.com/podcasts/adhd-in-women-symptoms/ .
Did you know women with endometriosis are twice as likely to be diagnosed with ADHD? In my new book, ADHD and Women, I connect the dots between hormones, pain, mood, focus, and the symptoms women are too often told to simply push through—so you can finally understand what is happening in your body and brain. Get your copy: https://drbrighten.com/adhd-and-women/