My Scattered Menopausal Mind

I’m no expert on the neurodivergent mind, but I am learning to understand my own scattered menopausal mind. So this blog is a personal share, in the hope it helps others learn how to accept and work with their own menopausally wonky brains.

Family history

My dad and sister are classically dyslexic, with jumping letters and the ability to read better upside down and back to front than in a regular way. Mum and I have a thing where numbers in columns jump around and we have no clue how to read a map or find a car in a multi storey car park.

Apparently my paternal grandmother was called ‘fidgety Phil’ ‘coz she couldn’t sit still. But on the whole, I never considered myself to have a problem, until one day, I realised that my brain function was severely diminished, and I wasn’t coping.

The dreaded brain fog

I went through the classic menopausal brain fog stage from about 48-50. It felt like my head was full of cotton wool causing ‘grown-up’ thinking to become seemingly impossible. I tried Lion’s Mane mushroom supplements on a friend’s recommendation and found the fog lifted after a couple of months. But I was left unable to ‘think in a straight line’.

My ability to process information in a logical way had ceased to function, I had a very scattered menopausal mind. If a normal thought process went A->B->C, mine now would go A and then scatter to the 4 directions. For example, I’d stop at a T-junction, look right, left, right, left and think ‘so what does that mean?’ I simply wasn’t processing what I saw.

Although my kids rolled their eyes at me, it opened up a very useful conversation about how they process the world. All 3 are dyslexic and we are far more aware of all things neurodivergent thanks to the internet. They pointed out that I used to have lots of coping mechanisms which I had either stopped using or no longer seemed to work, hence life becoming so difficult.

Menopause and ADHD

Apparently, this is a fairly classic stage of menopause when women in their late 40s and 50s are diagnosed with ADHD or ADD. The basic biological explanation is that falling oestrogen levels leads to lower levels of dopamine and serotonin, producing the symptoms of ADHD – difficulty in concentrating (my scattered thoughts), memory dysfunction (forgetting the safe place to leave my keys), cognitive problems (the T-junction issue) and less mental clarity.

An interesting meeting with a man (in his mid-30s), newly diagnosed with ADHD, led me to the work of Michael Joseph Ferguson and his book ‘The Drummer and the Great Mountain’. Highly recommended as an excellent source of information on coping mechanisms for owners of ADHD-type brains.

My scattered menopausal mind

My brain is still a bit scattered but I am learning to be kind to myself, accept limitations and use my newly learned coping mechanisms.

If I want to write it has to be in the morning. Brain dumps and mind maps have transformed A->scattered into A->B->C, as long as it’s before 12pm! I put post-it-notes around the house to help me with simple tasks (this is where I leave my keys) which reduces stress thus keeping my brain functioning optimally. A 40-minute walk first thing in the morning, boosts my mood, clears my head and gives me a great start to the day.

Supplements

My first meal of the day is lunch, which is really helping blood sugar control (reducing afternoon snacking) and clarity of thought. And lastly, I am experimenting with supplements to boost the missing neurotransmitters (serotonin and dopamine) and the general functioning of my brain. I’ve trialled L-Tyrosine (as recommended by Michael Ferguson) and have found that splitting two low doses 500mg upon waking and the 2nd dose 40minutes before lunch, keeps me functioning well through the day. However, one morning dose caused a mid-afternoon mood slump.

So, my current trial is of Noobru Advantage which has an impressive array of ingredients to improve cognitive function. I feel there is a timing to taking this supplement, at around 40 minutes I feel a bit buzzy so a walk or dance has been introduced. But on the whole, I’m impressed with the benefits, especially my increased ability to get things done.

Medicinal Mushroom Supplements

I have very recently re-introduced Lion’s Mane mushroom supplement and added Chaga mushroom as well. Research has suggested that Lion’s Mane may stimulate the growth of new brain cells, improve depression and anxiety, and support gut, heart, and immune health. It does come with a warning about blood clotting issues, please consult your medical practitioner if you have any form of blood condition or are due to have surgery. Chaga may help protect the brain from neurodegeneration, boost cognitive function scale, improve memory, mood, focus and concentration, and support diseases such as Alzheimer’s and dementia. Again, it comes with warnings – blood clotting issues, blood glucose control issues and potential interaction with medications. Please consult your medical practitioner if you have any type of bleeding or clotting issues, type 1 or 2 diabetes or are taking any other medication.

Conclusion

Menopause creates big changes, some really hard to cope with. Personally, I have found it easier to educate myself on what is happening (and why) which helps me accept the changes and find new ways to support myself. Yes it has felt really difficult and at one point, I honestly thought I was losing my mind. But when I look back through my journal, I can see that things are improving, sometimes imperceptibly, but nevertheless they are.

You can book a free 20-minute chat to find out how I can help you fathom your way out of your current tricky menopause state. Book here.