Interview with Dr. Steven Storage: ADHD vs Anxiety or Bipolar Disorder, and Why the Brain-Based Approach Changes Everything

When we think about ADHD, many of us default to a stereotype: the kid who cannot sit still, who blurts out, who is always “too much” and always “disrupting.” But if we only look for that single expression, we miss the real story that plays out in bedrooms, boardrooms, classrooms, and kitchens, especially for women.

Dr. Thais Aliabadi and Mary Alice Haney talk to Dr. Steven Storage, who reframes ADHD as a brain health and executive function issue, not a simple personality flaw or a symptom list. He also addresses a pattern we hear about again and again: years of anxiety or depression diagnoses that never quite fit, until someone finally asks the right question and rethinks the root cause.

Below is a question-and-answer style walkthrough of the key ideas: what ADHD actually is, how it differs from bipolar disorder, why it is so frequently misdiagnosed (especially in girls and women), and what brain-based treatment can look like. We also cover practical steps for brain health, including dopamine support, sleep, exercise, nutrition, and what changes during perimenopause.

Table of Contents

• What ADHD Actually Is (And Why the Name Is Misleading)
• ADHD in Women: Why It’s Often Missed or Misdiagnosed
• The ADHD Brain Explained: Dopamine & the Prefrontal Cortex
• ADHD Medications: Stimulants vs Non-Stimulants Explained
• ADHD vs Bipolar Disorder: Why Misdiagnosis Happens
• The ADHD Brain Explained With Tools: History, Testing, and Brain Patterns
• The 7 Different Types of ADHD (And Why It Changes Treatment)
• Alcohol, Cannabis, and Other Substances: How They Affect the ADHD Brain
• How to Naturally Increase Dopamine: Sleep, Exercise, and Nutrition
• Perimenopause, Menopause, and the “Unmasking” of ADHD
• ADHD During Pregnancy and Postpartum: Treatment Without Guessing
• One Habit That Improves Brain Health
• FAQ: ADHD, Anxiety, Bipolar Disorder, and Dopamine
• Final Thoughts: Rethinking ADHD as Brain Health

What ADHD Actually Is (And Why the Name Is Misleading)

How do you define ADHD?

We start with a mindset shift: we do not view ADHD as a disorder in the narrow, purely negative sense. It does come with real challenges. But it is also a way of being wired.

ADHD stands for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. And yes, the name itself can be misleading. It makes ADHD sound contagious or strictly pathological, when in reality it is often best understood as a brain regulation difference that influences attention, follow-through, impulsivity, restlessness, and emotional regulation.

What about ADD? Is that different?

ADD is now called ADHD, predominantly inattentive type. In everyday language, “ADD” is often easier to say. But clinically, the key point is the same: ADHD is still ADHD, just expressed through different symptom patterns.

Is ADHD mostly genetic?

In general, yes. Dr. Storage describes ADHD as primarily genetic, with heritability estimates in a high range (around 0.7 to 0.9). That does not mean genes are the only factor, but it does mean that for many people, ADHD is not something that simply “appeared” out of nowhere.

It is also important because genetics shapes what supports might be most effective. If you know ADHD is largely supply-based in the brain, you can start matching strategies to the brain’s needs instead of forcing a one-size-fits-all approach.

What does ADHD actually look like day to day?

One of the most common myths is that ADHD means someone “can never focus.” That is not true.

People with ADHD can often hyperfocus intensely when something matters, is interesting, competitive, or urgent. The challenge is regulating attention when something feels less engaging. For many people, two minutes of an uninteresting task can feel like an eternity.

Common symptom categories include:

• Difficulty regulating focus (the attention “break pedal” is inconsistent)
• Distractibility
• Impulsivity, which can show up behaviorally and mentally
• Difficulty with follow-through and task completion
• Restlessness (external in many boys, more internal in many girls and women)

Dr. Storage also highlights a really useful way to think about symptoms: in ADHD, it is not just what you do. It is also how thoughts and emotions move through you, and whether you can “pump the brakes.”

ADHD in Women: Why It’s Often Missed or Misdiagnosed

Why is ADHD often overlooked in girls and women?

Part of the problem is visibility. Boys with ADHD are often more disruptive in classrooms. Teachers and caregivers see the hyperactivity and impulsivity immediately.

For many girls, ADHD is more internal. It can look like daydreaming, slower follow-through, and difficulty sustaining attention. If the child is bright, “not failing” can hide the struggle. The result is that the person feels inadequate, even when their effort is real.

Dr. Storage describes how, by age 12, many children with ADHD have accumulated a large number of pieces of negative feedback. Not always dramatic at any single moment, but small comments and corrections that add up. That pattern chips away at self-esteem.

And when people with ADHD compensate, they often do it in ways that can be mistaken for other diagnoses. Two common strategies are:

• Perfectionism (trying to prevent mistakes because it already feels like something is off)
• People-pleasing (saying yes to avoid conflict or disappointment)

Over time, this can produce chronic anxiety, depression, and internalized negative emotion. So the clinical story becomes: “She must have anxiety.” “She must have depression.” And then the original ADHD signal stays buried.

What does misdiagnosis often look like in real life?

Dr. Storage frequently sees a familiar arc: a woman spends years treating anxiety or depression without a durable fit. Then, sometimes, the first time a woman gets assessed is when she brings in her child. Suddenly, the child’s ADHD-like patterns sound exactly like her.

It can be both validating and heartbreaking. Validating because it finally makes sense. Heartbreaking because she may have been on prescriptions for a condition she does not actually have.

What should parents and teachers watch for in children?

At home, it can be hard to diagnose ADHD because typical behavior changes with age. But Dr. Storage suggests looking for patterns such as:

• Difficulty regulating attention, sometimes paired with “locked in” focus on something engaging
• Being able to play video games for hours and not respond when called, while less interesting tasks feel painful
• Chronic boredom complaints
• Dopamine-seeking behaviors, which can include conflict, hyper-competitiveness, or craving sugar and treats
• Restlessness and challenges with sleep
• Academic struggles relative to potential

In school, Dr. Storage highlights that it matters when issues interfere with development. Teachers may notice a child seems to be in their “own world,” needs repeated reminders, or does not fully understand material, even if they can perform intellectually.

The ADHD Brain Explained: Dopamine & the Prefrontal Cortex

What is happening in the brain?

Dr. Storage uses a helpful metaphor: ADHD can be understood as a supply and demand issue.

The “supply” is the brain’s ability to support the prefrontal cortex. The “demand” is what the person is asked to do, academically and emotionally, day after day.

He explains that the prefrontal cortex acts like an executive center and a “brake pedal.” It helps with:

• Focus
• Organization
• Impulse control
• Emotion regulation

When the prefrontal cortex is underactive, it needs more dopamine and norepinephrine to run effectively. That is why focus and regulation feel harder. It also helps explain why people with ADHD often feel emotionally overwhelmed or “out of sync” with their own goals.

So, how do we get dopamine naturally?

Dr. Storage emphasizes that dopamine support is not just one lever. You can influence it through:

• Food (nutrition that supports neurotransmitter systems)
• Exercise
• Good sleep
• Medications when appropriate
• Supplements chosen thoughtfully and personalized to the person

He also cautions that no two people need the same supplement regimen, and working with a healthcare professional matters.

Examples mentioned include:

• L-tyrosine (an amino acid precursor to dopamine)
• Ashwagandha (supporting cortisol regulation, which can help dopamine be expressed more effectively)
• Omega-3 fatty acids
• Vitamin D for inflammation-related support

The bigger theme is: we aim to calm overactivity, increase dopamine to the prefrontal cortex, and reduce inflammation where possible.

ADHD Medications: Stimulants vs Non-Stimulants Explained

Is medication the only treatment option?

No. Dr. Storage pushes back against the idea that medication is the only path. Medicine can be helpful for the right person in the right situation, but it is not the whole picture.

That matters because symptom checklists can be subjective. If we only match symptoms and guess, we miss the underlying brain pattern that can influence which medication class is most compatible.

What are the main families of ADHD medications?

There are two main categories:

• Stimulants
  • Methylphenidates: examples include Ritalin, Concerta, Focalin
  • Amphetamine derivatives: examples include Adderall and related medications
• Non-stimulants (several options exist)
  • Guanfacine
  • Clonidine
  • Wellbutrin (bupropion)
  • Strattera (atomoxetine)
  • Qelbree (viloxazine)

How do stimulants work?

Dr. Storage describes both families as increasing dopamine and norepinephrine, but through slightly different mechanisms:

• Methylphenidates: block reuptake of dopamine and norepinephrine
• Amphetamine derivatives: not only increase neurotransmitter availability, but also promote additional release

He also notes that stimulants often work quickly, sometimes the same day, when the dose and fit are correct.

What side effects should people watch for?

Common stimulant side effects can include:

• Reduced appetite
• Sleep issues for some people
• Agitation or anxiety
• Rebound irritability as the medication wears off

If someone experiences anxiety or agitation, Dr. Storage suggests it may signal a medication mismatch, a timing issue (such as needing longer-acting coverage or a booster), or the need to explore a different option.

How do non-stimulants differ?

Non-stimulants tend to have a more calming effect. Dr. Storage emphasizes that they often increase norepinephrine more than dopamine, which can be especially helpful for restlessness and impulsivity. They may be a better fit when anxiety is a major component of ADHD, though each person is different.

Potential side effects include feeling “too calm,” tiredness, or lightheadedness, depending on which non-stimulant is selected.

Is medication selection still trial-and-error?

Traditionally, a lot of psychiatry uses trial-and-error. Dr. Storage argues that we can do better if we know more about the subtype of ADHD and use additional tools such as neuroimaging patterns and genetic testing to stratify options.

The goal is to reduce guesswork and improve the chances of matching the right medication class to the right brain pattern.

ADHD vs Bipolar Disorder: Why Misdiagnosis Happens

Why is it difficult to separate ADHD and bipolar disorder?

Dr. Storage explains that they are distinct, but they can appear similar depending on the person and the clinical lens. In practice, misdiagnosis often happens because:

• Healthcare delivery may be rushed due to insurance and system constraints
• Training can be limited in how to assess nuance beyond checklists
• Symptom criteria overlap, since diagnoses can be built largely from reported symptoms
• Assessment time can be short, making careful longitudinal history harder

He also points out a structural problem: the DSM was not created as a neuroscience-based diagnostic instrument. It was built for research uniformity across studies, but the symptom criteria are inherently subjective, and conditions can overlap.

What makes bipolar disorder different from ADHD mood swings?

This is one of the most important segments for readers who suspect either diagnosis.

In bipolar disorder, bipolar episodes involve sustained elevated states of mania characterized by features like:

• Decreased sleep need (sleeping only a couple of hours)
• Energetic, maintained elevation, often like the Energizer Bunny
• Racing thoughts
• Faster speech
• Risky behaviors

That rhythm typically lasts at least a week for mania or hypomania patterns, followed by a crash into depression that can last weeks or months.

With ADHD, Dr. Storage describes mood shifts as much more minute-to-minute, hour-to-hour, and day-to-day. The person might wake up feeling one way and later feel something totally different. The “tempo” is different.

He also shares a personal example from a patient experience: some people have been treated as hypomanic, feel terrible on those medications, and later learn the correct diagnosis is severe ADHD that was not adequately recognized.

Why does this matter?

Because medication mismatch can be more than ineffective. It can feel destabilizing, exhausting, or wrong for the nervous system. When the diagnosis is right, the treatment becomes less of a gamble and more of a targeted support plan.

The ADHD Brain Explained With Tools: History, Testing, and Brain Patterns

How do clinicians confirm ADHD in teenagers and adults?

Dr. Storage emphasizes that good assessment is not one-dimensional. It is a combination of:

• History: including family history because ADHD is often inherited
• Symptom mapping: impulsivity, emotional liability, difficulty regulating focus, risk-taking, dopamine-seeking behaviors
• Context: for example, screen time as a dopamine-rich environment can complicate attention and switching
• Brain-focused assessment: looking at brain activity patterns
• Neuropsychological testing: objective measures of executive functioning

What does brain-based assessment look like?

He describes two routine tests used in their assessments:

• Connors: a computer test that can help tease out executive functioning challenges
• Total brain assessment: an objective measure of focus, switching focus, memory, and other factors

Then, in their neuroimaging work, Dr. Storage also discusses SPECT scanning, which looks at where blood flow is going as a proxy for activity patterns in the brain. Blood flow patterns can suggest where activity is higher or lower.

Why not rely on checklists alone?

Because checklists measure symptoms. They do not necessarily reveal the underlying brain pattern driving those symptoms. And as a result, someone can have the same label while needing different medication approaches.

The 7 Different Types of ADHD (And Why It Changes Treatment)

Are there subtypes of ADHD?

Yes. Dr. Storage describes their neuroimaging work as identifying seven different types based on activity patterns.

He notes that standard clinical practice does not always incorporate brain scans, which is one reason treatment can feel like guessing.

What are the seven types?

He explains them like this:

• Classic ADHD: attention, follow-through, organization, time management, and impulse control challenges
• Inattentive ADHD (often associated with what used to be called ADD): focus challenges, distractibility, time management, procrastination
• Anxious ADHD: prefrontal cortex reduced activity paired with basal ganglia areas that are “on fire,” creating a blend of ADHD plus anxiety where norepinephrine is elevated
• Over-focused ADHD: hyperfocus, looping, obsessivity, and sometimes OCD-like symptoms or rigid oppositional patterns in kids
• Temporal ADHD: reduced activity in temporal lobes that are important for mood regulation, with aggression or verbal and physical aggression potentially becoming more prominent
• Limbic ADHD: thalamus activity as “emotional gatekeeper,” often with ADHD plus depressive symptoms, since depression can make focus harder
• Ring-of-fire ADHD: deep brain areas show very high activity while the prefrontal cortex may look okay, and stimulants may be less tolerated because the prefrontal cortex already appears sufficiently active

The key takeaway is not that we need to self-diagnose ourselves into a category. It is not that ADHD is not one brain pattern. Treatment should ideally reflect which pattern is most consistent for the person.

Is brain imaging standard of care for ADHD?

No, Dr. Storage says it is not. Medical institutions often implement evidence-based tools decades after the evidence exists. He also frames his perspective strongly: in psychiatry, people can feel like clinicians are “guessing” because they are not always directly assessing the organ being treated.

Alcohol, Cannabis, and Other Substances: How They Affect the ADHD Brain

How do drugs and alcohol affect ADHD?

Dr. Storage describes a cycle relevant to dopamine. Many substances with abuse potential can create a transient dopamine spike. For someone with dopamine deficiency, that feels great in the moment.

But over time, he says these substances gradually reduce blood flow to the brain. Cannabis, he notes, reduces brain blood flow faster than alcohol or nicotine, based on the comparison he mentioned.

He also uses a “lemon squeezer” analogy. Each time someone uses alcohol, dopamine spikes, but the system recalibrates and drops to a lower baseline. Eventually, drinking is not to feel amazing anymore, but to chase the feeling of normal. That is the addiction mechanism.

Does this affect executive function permanently?

He suggests executive function can be impacted, and chronic use can have effects that extend beyond intoxication. He also notes the brain takes time to recover, and he references that recovery from chronic use can take months.

Can the brain heal?

Yes. Dr. Storage emphasizes brain plasticity and dynamic blood flow. If someone optimizes sleep, nutrition, exercise, avoids harmful exposures, and uses the right supplements, scans can show meaningful change six months later. The “not stuck” message is central.

Is drinking different for teenagers versus adults?

He says yes because teen brains are still developing. He links early toxin exposure, like ethanol, to greater disruption in a brain that is still wiring itself. He also notes that cannabis in developing minds can be more detrimental and is associated with increased psychosis risk in early use.

Is there any safe amount of alcohol?

From a “purist brain health” perspective, he argues there is no safe amount because ethanol is a toxin. At the same time, he acknowledges real life. A glass of wine with friends can support connection and stress relief. His practical approach is to be intentional and understand that alcohol is not good for brain health, even when it is socially valued.

How to Naturally Increase Dopamine: Sleep, Exercise, and Nutrition

If someone suspects ADHD, where should they start?

Dr. Storage’s answer is: start with the basics and focus on dopamine-friendly routines.

Sleep: What does “on point” mean?

He gives three practical sleep hygiene recommendations:

1. Use the bed only for sleep: avoid homework, gaming, or reading in bed. This improves sleep efficiency, which is the ratio of time asleep versus time in bed. He suggests aiming for 90 percent or more.
2. Reduce screens before bed: A rule of thumb is shutting off screens about an hour before sleep. Screens may get you into sleep mode, but they can interfere with deep sleep.
3. Keep a consistent wake time and get sunlight on your face when you wake up. Wake time influences circadian rhythm more than bedtime does for the next night’s sleep timing.

Exercise: Does it really help ADHD?

He calls cardio one of the highest-impact habits for brain health. He notes exercise increases dopamine. It also increases serotonin, which can calm overactive areas, and it improves blood flow to the brain while increasing oxygen. There is also a “sweating out toxins” idea as part of the overall benefit.

He references studies showing that even about 20 minutes every other day can be effective for ADHD, anxiety, and depression in some cases, sometimes comparable to medications in the studies he referenced. The important point is that exercise hits multiple brain pathways at once.

Nutrition: what should change?

Food is not just fuel. Dr. Storage calls it both “medicine and poison.” He describes an ADHD study where optimizing diet led to significant symptom improvement for a large percentage of participants.

His diet framework focuses on:

• Reducing inflammation by eliminating refined sugars
• Potential gluten reduction for some people, particularly common processed foods
• Avoiding processed foods where ingredients are hard to pronounce
• Considering food sensitivities when appropriate
• Adopting a Mediterranean-style diet that often leans paleo: lean proteins, healthy fats, colorful fruits and vegetables, and complex carbs

He offers an especially ADHD-relevant rule: start every meal with protein. Then include healthy fats like avocado, nuts, seeds, coconut, and olive oil. And choose complex carbs that support steadier blood sugar, such as sweet potatoes, quinoa, wild rice, and millet.

He also adds a practical nutrition note: healthy eating can be expensive and hard. So it becomes a question of what we are investing in and how we can make it realistic.

Perimenopause, Menopause, and the “Unmasking” of ADHD

Why does ADHD intensify around perimenopause and menopause?

Dr. Storage explains a hormone connection. During perimenopause, estrogen levels drop. Estrogen promotes dopamine and norepinephrine. If estrogen decreases, dopamine and norepinephrine can decrease too, which can reduce prefrontal cortex fuel.

When the executive center is running low on neurotransmitter supply, brain fog, focus difficulty, and motivation challenges can increase. He also notes it may look like mild depression, with follow-through issues and forgetfulness.

That is why many women first seek ADHD answers later in life. The nervous system has changed, and what was manageable before becomes painfully obvious.

Does ADHD-related forgetfulness mean dementia?

Dr. Storage gives a powerful metaphor about memory “filing.”

In ADHD, the brain may not register the event fully in the first place. It is like a file never makes it into the filing cabinet and instead lands on the desk. You can still find it later with reminders, but the process takes longer.

In dementia, the “file is deleted” because the memory is truly impaired. ADHD forgetfulness is often an executive dysfunction problem, not necessarily an irreversible memory collapse.

This framing can reduce fear for many people who worry their brain is “fading” when it may be an attention and registration issue.

What helps women during perimenopause?

He points to insight plus targeted support. If we understand what is happening, we can act. That may include:

• Checking in with yourself to ensure you are actually present and “registering” the moment
• Hormonal support, discussed with an OB-GYN, including estrogen support when appropriate
• ADHD treatment when it has been missed or unmasked
• Supplements that may help depending on symptoms and neurotransmitter needs

Supplements mentioned include saffron (serotonin support depending on ADHD subtype), along with options like rhodiola, ginseng, and ashwagandha. He also mentioned low-dose progesterone at bedtime as sometimes helpful for sleep and anxiety reduction.

He also discussed emerging conversations about GLP-1 medications modulating dopamine transmission, with some patients describing a quieter mind and reduced cravings for dopamine-seeking behaviors like alcohol. He framed this as emerging research that will likely be further explored over the next few years.

ADHD During Pregnancy and Postpartum: Treatment Without Guessing

How do we treat ADHD when stimulants are not an option?

Dr. Storage emphasizes “leaning into the holistic practices” that are well established for ADHD. That does not mean abandoning all support. It means shifting the toolkit.

He suggests focusing on exercise, nutrition, and sleep optimization. Some people notice ADHD symptoms are less prominent during pregnancy because estrogen rises, depending on the phase of pregnancy, but not everyone.

He also mentions neurofeedback as safe in pregnancy. Neurofeedback teaches the brain how to fire in the way that you want, using feedback loops that measure blood flow in the prefrontal cortex and connect it to a game. The device he named was the Mendi.

He describes research experience with kids using it 10 to 15 minutes a day, five days a week, with many able to come off or reduce ADHD prescriptions by around eight weeks.

What about behavior strategies? Do they actually help?

Yes. Dr. Storage highlights a key behavioral issue: the task activation problem. Starting tasks can be harder than doing them.

Common blockers include overwhelm, perfectionism, and boredom. For example, “getting geared up to do your taxes” can feel far harder than the act of completing them.

He shares a strategy called the five-minute rule:

• Set a timer for five minutes.
• Tell yourself you can tolerate the task for five minutes.
• When the timer goes off, you have permission to stop and walk away with no shame.

He says the timer often ends while the person is already in motion. He uses it himself with emails and refills and describes it as a way to initiate without requiring perfect motivation.

He also suggests gamifying boring and repetitive tasks by adding a small dopamine reward as you complete steps quickly. His example: using a code that expires quickly, turning the process into a “race” that keeps his pace up.

Can we address depression during pregnancy or postpartum, if depression and ADHD are intertwined?

Dr. Storage says it depends on the root cause. He describes two people who look radically different in scans, even if they appear depressed. In one case, medication may work. In another, the pattern may suggest different drivers like “toxic exposure” or oxygen or blood flow issues, where the antidepressant approach might not be the best fit.

This is part of his broader philosophy: symptom relief is important, but root cause matters because not all depression is the same neurologically.

One Habit That Improves Brain Health

If you had to pick one habit, what would it be?

Dr. Storage’s answer is cardio. It is a foundational habit because it supports multiple pieces at once: neurotransmitter regulation, blood flow, oxygenation, nervous system calm, and overall brain health.

If we only pick one, cardio is the simplest choice with the most overlap across brain systems.

FAQs: ADHD, Anxiety, Bipolar Disorder, and Dopamine

Can ADHD be mistaken for anxiety or depression?

Yes. Many girls and women internalize ADHD struggles. They may become perfectionistic or people-pleasing, accumulate negative feedback over time, and develop anxiety or depressive symptoms. Dr. Storage describes a common pattern where ADHD is first recognized when a woman brings in her child for assessment.

Is ADHD always about not being able to focus?

No. People with ADHD can hyperfocus when something is engaging or urgent. The challenge is often regulating attention when tasks are less interesting, plus follow-through and executive function.

How is bipolar disorder different from mood swings in ADHD?

Bipolar mania involves a sustained elevated state with features like decreased sleep need, racing thoughts, and risk-taking, maintained for at least a week, followed by a longer depression crash. ADHD mood changes are typically minute-to-minute, hour-to-hour, and day-to-day.

What should a parent look for in a child who might have ADHD?

Look for difficulty regulating attention (especially painful focus on less interesting tasks), boredom complaints, restlessness, sleep difficulties, distractibility, follow-through issues, and dopamine-seeking behaviors. If the academic or developmental trajectory is getting significantly in the way, a formal assessment is worth considering.

Does exercise help ADHD symptoms?

According to Dr. Storage, exercise, especially cardio, increases dopamine and improves blood flow to the brain. He notes that even about 20 minutes every other day has shown effectiveness in some studies for ADHD, anxiety, and depression.

Can perimenopause worsen ADHD symptoms?

Yes. Dr. Storage explains that estrogen supports dopamine and norepinephrine. When estrogen drops in perimenopause and menopause, dopamine and norepinephrine can drop as well, making executive function more difficult and symptoms more noticeable.

Is there a natural way to increase dopamine?

Dr. Storage recommends starting with sleep, cardio exercise, and nutrition that reduces inflammation and supports neurotransmitter systems. He also mentions certain supplements such as L-tyrosine, omega-3s, vitamin D, and ashwagandha, but emphasizes personalization and working with a healthcare provider.

What if someone is already taking ADHD medication and feels anxious?

Dr. Storage suggests it may mean the medication is not the right fit, the timing needs adjustment (such as longer-acting coverage or a booster), or a supplement or different medication class may be needed. This should be discussed with a clinician.

Final Thoughts: Rethinking ADHD as Brain Health

We do not need to reduce ADHD to a stereotype. We do not need to accept that symptom checklists and quick appointments are the best we can do. And we certainly should not treat women’s suffering as if it is “just anxiety” without asking whether ADHD is in the mix.

When we think in terms of brain supply and demand, dopamine and the prefrontal cortex, emotional regulation, and life stage changes like perimenopause, the pieces start to fit together more cleanly. That is not just theory. It is a practical shift that can improve diagnosis accuracy, treatment matching, and the day-to-day feeling of having a brain that finally makes sense.

If there is one action we can take immediately, it is not a complicated plan. It is cardio plus sleep plus nutrition as a starting point. Then we can pair that with proper assessment, and with the right medical and behavioral supports when they are needed.

This article was created from the video Do You Have Anxiety… Or Could It Be ADHD? ft. Dr. Steven Storage | SHE MD for Dr. Thais Aliabadi’s website.