Oestrogen Buffering

What on earth is that? Oestrogen, when it is around, is protecting you from all sorts within your body. That is why you can begin to feel down and tired towards your menstrual bleed, it also kicks in big time when it comes to menopause and perimenopause. It is often particularly noticeable in your brain. The pre frontal cortex which is our thinking/deciding part of the brain has less protection and therefore the limbic brain has more access to the thinking and deciding and can cloud it….brain fog.

The limbic brain is involved in instinct and deep memory. If you have had early Adverse Childhood Experiences ( Look up ACE) the impact of those can leak to the surface with more force when oestrogen in decreased. Your confusion, self esteem and rejection sensitivity can all be heightened.

This is one of the parts of the menopausal process that means some women can experience significant challenges, find difficulty coping and think they are going slightly madH1

HRT can help some women and reintroduce the buffering. Others may not have that option open or the side effects don’t seem worth any gain. That might be because there are things coming to the surface that could do with sorting through. That is where counselling can help. The added confusion this whole phase brings means it is often more difficult to think clearly than before. It’s good to find help with this.

Very happy to hear from you and go through the support your brain and body might need.

sabcounselling@gmail.com