Neurodivergence and Women’s Health Issues
Many women endure years of misdiagnoses and being ignored by providers because they have a constellation of symptoms that appear unrelated. A lot of women are told their challenges are all in their head or are a natural part of being a human or getting older. Women with symptoms of ADHD and Autism may be especially misidentified, as undiagnosed neurodivergence can make recognizing the symptoms of medical issues more difficult. Unfortunately, many providers are unaware of the clear link between neurodivergence and women’s health issues.
Neurodivergence is an umbrella term. It encompasses ADHD, Autism, and other communication, socializing, learning, attention, and mood disorders. Many forms of neurodivergence are developmental, like Tourette’s and epilepsy, but some other forms of neurodivergence can be acquired, like a traumatic brain injury.
Neurodivergent people tend to have a few things in common:
- Sensory sensitivities
- Executive functioning challenges
- Attention difficulties
- Learning or processing challenges
The Neurodiversity Gender Gap
Another interesting commonality amongst those with neurodivergence is the gender gap. On average, it takes women 7-11 years, or sometimes much longer, to be diagnosed with Autism and/or ADHD than their male peers. The experience of being a woman and being neurodivergent is unique, and medical and psychiatric health are still catching up in our understanding of how gender and sex impact the manifestations of neurodivergence.
Neurodivergence and Dysautonomia
Since providers don’t always recognize neurodivergence in women, they also miss when people are neurodivergence and struggling with women’s health issues. Women who are neurodivergent are at higher risk of developing neurological, rheumatological, reproductive, and gastrointestinal issues. Amongst women who are neurodivergent, there are more commonalities – specifically, certain health issues. The conditions that are currently linked between neurodivergence and women’s health issues are::
- Ehlers-Danlos syndromes (EDS)
- Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS)
- Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS)
- Chiari malformation
- Migraines
- Fibromyalgia
- PMDD
- PCOS
- Endometriosis
- Food intolerances
Research from the National Institute of Health found that people who were neurodiverse were more than double as likely to have hypermobility, which is a symptom of EDS. Those who were neurodivergent and female were at a higher risk than those who were neurodivergent and male. In that same study, researchers found that neurodivergent people were more likely to report orthostatic intolerance (meaning their blood pressure dropped when they stood up too fast, or their heart rate spiked when they stood up too fast,) and musculoskeletal pain than a control group with neurotypical people.
While we know there is a clear link between dysautonomia and neurodivergence, we don’t know why. Unfortunately, even though this link is being studied and awareness is growing, many people with symptoms of dysautonomia disorders, like EDS and POTS, are told their symptoms are in their heads. In medical school, post providers are taught to look for horses, not zebras. This means providers are taught to look for things that are understood to be common – diabetes, high blood pressure, thyroid disorders. Unfortunately, things like POTS and EDS are still considered zebras – a little exotic and requiring specialized care.
Neurodivergence and Hormones
Interestingly, there is a hormonal link as well. Research suggests that people with PCOS have a higher likelihood of having a child with either autism or ADHD. Other studies have found a high rate of co-occurrence between ADHD and endometriosis. Obviously, we know there is a hormonal link!
Where this link becomes very apparent is during perimenopause. A lot of attention recently has been paid to a transition every woman will endure, if she lives long enough – menopause. 100% of people who live beyond middle age will endure menopause, and yet, there is very little research and almost no education given to providers in medical school about this major life change! Thanks to pioneering women, that is changing, but there is still a significant amount of misunderstanding in the general population and amongst health experts.
Most women will go through a transition called perimenopause. This is the period of time leading up until menopause, when hormone levels in the body shift. Menopause is defined as when a woman has not had a menstrual period for one year. Almost no woman, ever, felt like her typical self throughout her 20s and 30s and 40s, and woke up one day and didn’t have a period. Most women start to feel a shift in their brain and body in their 30s, and that shift is called perimenopause. Peri can last for 10 years (and I suspect even a bit longer).
Many women seek out an evaluation and treatment for neurodivergence when they enter perimenopause. The shift in estradiol and progesterone during this time can cause about 80 know symptoms, like brain fog, sleep issues, memory problems, irritability, and executive functioning issues – a lot of the same problems experienced in ADHD. Many women hit a metaphorical wall when they enter perimenopause and all the ways they were coping with their ADHD stops working.
You Deserve Support
If you’ve experienced neurodivergence and one, or several, of the health issues listed above, you are not alone. Many women find themselves dealing with a constellation of issues that all form a specific picture. A lot of times, undiagnosed and untreated neurodivergence is part of that picture.
If you’re a woman with untreated symptoms, know you are in good company. There is support out there you! Continue to advocate for yourself and seek out a provider who is willing to partner with you.
With Love,