Have you ever felt like you don’t recognize yourself anymore? Not just physically, but a sinking feeling that something is deeply wrong and you can’t quite put your finger on it? For many women in perimenopause, this is their new reality. And it’s time we talk about why! The fact is, hormonal shifts during this transition can unexpectedly trigger PTSD-like symptoms—especially if you’ve experienced trauma in the past. Flashbacks, nightmares, and heightened anxiety come on without warning. The trauma may even feel like it’s happening all over again. Many women describe it as a sense of being completely disconnected from themselves—just like I did when I entered perimenopause. Which is why today, I’m addressing the issue head on. I reveal why perimenopause is often called our 'second puberty'—and how it can be just as unsettling as adolescence. Plus, I'll help you make sense of symptoms like mood swings, anxiety, and brain fog, so you can stop blaming yourself and start understanding the real changes happening in your body. If you’ve been feeling lost, untethered, or even sacred… Tune in for the clarity, support, and solutions you need to feel like YOU again. IN THIS EPISODE How hormonal changes during perimenopause can trigger PTSD and trauma-related symptoms Why 8 out of the 10 most common perimenopause symptoms are brain-related My personal experience with hormone fluctuations and the "second puberty" The importance of understanding your baseline to recognize perimenopause symptoms What symptoms like irrational fear, sudden anxiety, and low stress resilience are telling you Why perimenopause has a profound impact on women’s metabolic, neurological, and cardiovascular health How the perimenopause transition sets the stage for long-term health in post-menopause QUOTES "Hormonal shifts during this transition can bring SCARY flashbacks, nightmares, and anxiety back to the surface. You may even feel like the trauma is happening all over again." "Perimenopause is a hormonal reckoning, and everything is up for review. But with the right knowledge and support, we can gain agency over our health and thrive in midlife." "Feeling like you’ve lost yourself during perimenopause isn’t just in your head—it’s a direct result of hormonal fluctuations, particularly the decline of estrogen and progesterone, which affect everything from your mood to your ability to handle stress." "Eight out of the ten most common perimenopause symptoms are brain-related—things like mood swings, brain fog, anxiety, irritability, and mental fatigue. RESOURCES MENTIONED Save your FREE seat for my upcoming Thriving in Perimenopause & Menopause Summit Download a FREE copy of my 14 Hormone-Balancing Recipes Guide RELATED EPISODES 593: Why EVERYONE Needs Progesterone in Perimenopause and Beyond and How We Are Getting Dosing All Wrong with Carol Petersen 589: Effective Strategies and Tools to Calm Irritation, Mood Swings and Stress Deregulation Throughout Perimenopause #572: How to Know You are in Perimenopause Including the 40+ Symptoms Associated with Declining Hormones

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