All Aboard ADHD

How do fluctuating female hormones interact with ADHD? And why can perimenopause make everything feel like it’s suddenly falling apart?
In this episode of the All Aboard ADHD podcast, Claire is joined by Dr. Helen Wall - Senior NHS GP, British Menopause Society Specialist, and author of Menopause and ADHD. 
Together they unpack the science to help women better understand the powerful connection between hormones, the brain, and ADHD. They discuss:
🧠 The Patient Who Changed Everything: how one “treatment‑resistant” patient, misdiagnosed for years with anxiety and depression, led Helen to realise “we were basically managing undiagnosed ADHD”. This, alongside her own perimenopause, sparked her mission to understand hormones and neurodivergence, reshaping her whole approach medically.
🎢 Dopamine, Oestrogen and the “Double Whammy”: why ADHD brains rely so heavily on stable dopamine, how wildly fluctuating oestrogen in perimenopause disrupts that signalling, and why so many women describe midlife as feeling like “a bomb has gone off” when it comes to their ability to function.
🎭 Masking, High Functioning, and the Hidden Cost: how girls learn to “fit in” using layers of scaffolding and people‑pleasing, until hormones shift, the mask slips, and the structure collapses: “what they were doing was never sustainable in the first place.”
🔍 ADHD vs Perimenopause: the huge overlap in symptoms (brain fog, emotional swings, overwhelm), how to tell what’s lifelong ADHD traits versus newer hormone-driven changes, and understanding why ADHD doesn’t start at menopause.
💊 HRT, Progesterone Sensitivity and Trial-and-Error: what we now know (and don’t yet know) about HRT in ADHD, body-identical vs synthetic progesterone, Mirena coils, and why some neurodivergent women respond very differently: “there’s no good and bad progesterone - every woman is very different.”
🌿 Lifestyle, Nervous System Regulation and Externalising the Brain: practical ways to widen your bandwidth: everything from stress, cortisol, sleep, and gut health; to cutting back on alcohol / caffeine. Plus ADHD‑friendly strategies like “externalising the brain” with lists, structure and support.
🎗️ Diagnosis, Support and Self-Advocacy: why you shouldn’t put your life on hold waiting years for an NHS assessment, the value of ADHD coaching and peer support, and Helen’s core message: “trust your gut… don’t diminish yourself.”
This episode is a validating, science-rooted deep dive for any woman wondering why midlife suddenly feels unmanageable, or whether ADHD and hormones might be part of the story.
Please note Helen was in her busy NHS GP office when this episode was recorded, so you will hear mic knocking, keyboard sounds, and background noise as a result.
Further resources and links:
Follow Helen on Instagram: @doctorhelenwall

Dr Helen Wall’s book Menopause and ADHD: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Menopause-ADHD-neurodivergence-Vermilion-Empowered-ebook/dp/B0FMHWD54R

Find More about Helen’s Work: https://tvhealthdoctor.com/

ADHD AF charity: https://adhdaf.org

ADHD coaching and resources from Claire: https://allaboardadhd.com

Follow Claire on Instagram & TikTok: @allaboardADHD

The views shared in this episode are those of the guest, based on their professional expertise and personal experience. This content is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical, educational, or psychological advice. Please consult a qualified professional for personalised support relevant to your individual circumstances.

How can a late ADHD diagnosis reshape your understanding of your childhood, identity, and future - especially when you’re also navigating queerness, creativity, and being “the hyper kid” who never quite fit the school system?
In this episode of All Aboard ADHD, Claire talks to Dean Quinton - UK broadcaster, radio presenter, Big Brother 2024 housemate, and LGBTQ+ advocate. Newly diagnosed with ADHD at 37, Dean shares how “everything finally clicked into place,” from school struggles and sleepless nights to creative careers, queer identity, and a deep drive to help young people feel seen. Together they discuss:
🧭How Dean first recognised his ADHD: working in a school with SEND students and being affectionately called “obviously ADHD” by both pupils and friends.
🎭His school experience as an undiagnosed child: not sitting still, constant talking, being told “he’s intelligent, but he doesn’t listen”, yet thriving in art, drama and music.
🏷️Internalised labels and adult self‑doubt: how years of being seen as disruptive or lazy turned into feeling “I’m not intelligent enough”, which held him back from jobs and opportunities.
😴Sleep, sensory needs and the ADHD brain at night: lifelong insomnia, racing thoughts, and why background noise like a bedroom fan or ADHD sleep playlists can make all the difference.
🎙️Creativity as a superpower from radio to barbering and beyond: hyperfocus, seeking perfection, being entertaining on air, and refusing to live “in a box” - “I can’t do numbers all day, but I can entertain the masses”.
🏳️‍🌈Queer, neurodivergent and finding your chosen family: Pride, representation, and how being open and authentically you, creates visibility that helps others come out and seek support.
❤️Parenting, education and what kids really need: why love, acceptance and flexible schooling matter more than grades - “You don’t realise how much just loving and accepting that child will change their entire life”.
If you were ever “too much” as a kid, if your child is both neurodivergent and queer, or if you’ve wondered whether a late ADHD diagnosis will help explain your whole life story, Dean’s honest, colourful, and hopeful reflections will leave you feeling seen, and remind you there is nothing wrong with your brain.
Further resources & links
Follow Dean on Instagram @deanquinton 

Youth Charity: It Gets Better UK - positive stories and support for LGBTQ+ young people: https://www.itgetsbetter.org.uk/ 

GlitterBeam Radio - Proud to be Different: https://www.glitterbeam.co.uk/

ADHD coaching and resources from Claire: https://allaboardadhd.com

Follow Claire on Instagram and TikTok: @allaboardADHD

The views shared in this episode are those of the guest, based on their professional expertise and personal experience. This content is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical, educational, or psychological advice. Please consult a qualified professional for personalised support relevant to your individual circumstances.

How are ADHD and hypermobility connected? And what does that mean for our kids’ bodies, brains and behaviour?
In this episode, Claire is joined by Dr Jessica Eccles, Consultant Psychiatrist, Associate Professor in Brain–Body Medicine at Brighton and Sussex Medical School, and award‑winning researcher. Drawing on over 17 years of research, Jessica unpacks:
🤸‍♀️What hypermobility really is: exploring hypermobility as a clue to connective tissue differences affecting joints, gut, blood vessels, lungs, skin & more. 
👀Clues for parents to spot hypermobility early: such as sitting in “the W position”, sway‑back knees, frequent ankle sprains, “clicky hips” & long thin fingers or toes.
😵‍💫Pain, dizziness, POTS & standing in queues: how loose connective tissue affects blood flow, and can cause light‑headedness or palpitations, causing struggles with things like school assemblies, queues & hot showers.
🧬The prevalence of hypermobility in women with ADHD and autism (nearly 70%!) : the fascinating research linking hypermobility with many other conditions, including ADHD, autism and Tourette’s, dizziness, inflammation, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia and long Covid.
🌡️The surprising links between hypermobility, emotion regulation, interoception & alexithymia: exploring the connections between the nervous system, difficulty naming feelings (alexithymia), poor interoception (e.g. not noticing hunger) & how this relates to meltdowns & impulsivity.
🏫School, support & reasonable adjustments: why school can be extra hard due to pain, fatigue and dizziness, plus practical ideas to support children.
🌟From “falling apart” to pattern recognition & strengths: helping families see one connected picture instead of “15 separate problems”, and recognising the strengths it brings, such as creativity & unique ways of thinking.
If your child has ADHD and also struggles with tummy troubles, joint pain, clumsiness, dizziness, fatigue, or “mystery” symptoms, this episode may completely reframe how you understand them. It offers a powerful, science‑backed lens on the brain–body connection that could change how you advocate for, and support your child.
Resources & Links
Dr Jesscia Eccles Linktree: https://linktr.ee/bendybrain

Bendy Brain YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BendyBrainDrJessicaEccles 

-Dr Jessica Eccles interview with her mum: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3SCSdMMfIo 
-Anxiety and emotional regulation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szH-jEr6SNA&list=PLYbWSKEtwW7cv-IH55EXbI8PtZJ5RlN3H&index=6 
EDS GP Toolkit (for talking with your GP about hypermobility): https://gptoolkit.ehlers-danlos.org/ 

EDS School Toolkit (school‑based support ideas): https://theschooltoolkit.org/ 

SEDS Connective – charity on hypermobility & neurodivergence (Jane Green): https://www.sedsconnective.org/ 

Neurodivergent characteristics predicting emotional regulation problems linked to proprioception: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39005028/ 

Chronic pain and fatigue paper: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33479064/ 

BBC History of ADHD episode: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0028997

Jane Green - Alphabet Soup: https://www.instagram.com/p/C7kPEeuOMgB/ 

Ehlers-Danlos Syndromes (EDS): https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/ehlers-danlos-syndromes/ 

Types of EDS - EDS3 / EDHST /  JHS / BJHS: https://www.ehlers-danlos.org/what-is-eds/information-on-eds/types-of-eds/ 

Postural Tachycardia Syndrome (PoTS): https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/postural-tachycardia-syndrome/ 

Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS): https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/chronic-fatigue-syndrome-cfs/ 

The views shared in this episode are those of the guest, based on their professional expertise and personal experience. This content is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical, educational, or psychological advice. Please consult a qualified professional for personalised support relevant to your individual circumstances.

How can neurodivergent adults, especially those with ADHD and/or autism, build trust and maintain authentic friendships, in a way that works with their brains instead of against them?
In this episode of the All Aboard ADHD podcast, Claire is joined by Caroline Maguire, award‑winning author, ADHD coach, and neurodivergent adult herself. Building on her first book Why Will No One Play With Me?, Caroline’s new book Friendship Skills for Neurodivergent Adults, offers a practical playbook for adults who have always felt “bad at friendship” and are ready to try again on their own terms. Claire and Caroline discuss:
🤔 Why adult friendship still feels hard - the impact of childhood social struggles, lack of practice, together with “a new day” of diagnosis and self-understanding.
🧠 What’s actually going on in our brains - the layered challenge of executive function, developmental delay (“stage not age”), plus how this shapes confidence and connection.
🧩 Past experiences, rejection, and self-worth - how old wounds, people pleasing, and low confidence can push friendship to the bottom of the list.
🎭 Masking vs adapting - the difference between suppressing traits vs choosing temporary adjustments; plus the links to anxiety, depression, and people pleasing.
🌡 Levels of friendship and rushing intimacy - exploring the idea of different friends for different things, the 60‑hour guideline, and why acquaintances aren’t necessarily friends
🍦 Trust, oversharing, and the ice‑cream scoop model - building trust through track record, sharing information about ourselves in “scoops” rather than tubs, and how to spot both red and green flags.
🧭 Caroline’s formula for friendship - shared experiences + nurturing + reciprocity + time; and how to troubleshoot when progress stalls.
🔁 Maintaining friendships with ADHD brains - the challenge of "out of sight, out of mind", plus how to use systems, reminders, and honest communication about capacity.
If you’ve ever thought, “I’m just not good at friendship,” this episode gives you the language, validation, and concrete tools (not vague advice) to gently rebuild your confidence and create lasting, fulfilling friendships.
Further resources & links
Friendship Skills for Neurodivergent Adults by Caroline Maguire

Why Will No One Play With Me? by Caroline Maguire

Follow Caroline on Instagram: @authorcarolinem

Learn more about Caroline and Social Skills: https://carolinemaguireauthor.com/

ADHD coaching and resources from Claire: https://allaboardadhd.com

Follow Claire on Instagram & TikTok: @allaboardADHD

The views shared in this episode are those of the guest, based on their professional expertise and personal experience. This content is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical, educational, or psychological advice. Please consult a qualified professional for personalised support relevant to your individual circumstances.

What does it feel like to raise and advocate for a child with ADHD and autism, in systems that weren’t designed for them?
In this episode of the All Aboard ADHD podcast, Claire is joined by Susie Verrill, Parenting and Lifestyle Influencer, writer, and mum of three. Susie shares her experience of raising a son with an AuDHD profile: from the early signs she noticed in preschool and the school’s dismissive response, to navigating the long NHS diagnostic process, adapting family life, and parenting in a way that works for her child, even when it doesn’t match other people’s expectations.
They discuss:
🧩 Early Signs and Gut Instinct: emotional dysregulation in preschool, strong family “radar” for neurodiversity, and why the fact that “he has friends and makes eye contact” was enough for teachers to overlook him.
🏫 School Resistance and SENCO Support: the disappointment of being shut down by teachers, the harmful “just boy behaviour” narratives, and the turning point when Susie pushed for proper SENCO involvement.
🩺 Diagnosis Through the NHS: the long wait, “throwing everything at it” with practical supports, then how the diagnosis brought relief and validation, rather than shame.
⚡ ADHD in Daily Life: craving novelty, extremes of focus and distractibility, sleep struggles, social energy, and the familiar “I’m bored” crash after big days out.
🏡 Parenting Differently: using screens as regulation, having flexible expectations around clothes, manners and mealtimes, plus embracing a loud, chaotic, and loving home.
💛 Strengths and Hope: Susie shares her love for her son’s clear boundaries, blunt politeness, humour, physical energy, curiosity, and her belief that “there is space in the world” for him exactly as he is.
If you’re parenting a neurodivergent child and feeling dismissed, judged or unsure if you’re “doing it right,” this warm and honest conversation will leave you feeling less alone, more validated, and more confident to trust your instincts and build a life that fits your child’s brain.
Further resources and links:
Find Susie on Instagram @susiejverrill

ADHD coaching and resources from Claire: https://allaboardadhd.com

Follow Claire on Instagram & TikTok: @allaboardADHD

The views shared in this episode are those of the guest, based on their professional expertise and personal experience. This content is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical, educational, or psychological advice. Please consult a qualified professional for personalised support relevant to your individual circumstances.