10/03/2026
A few years ago, I wrote a post that began with the words:
“Am I going mad?”
Looking back, I remember how real that question felt at the time.
Going through menopause early, and then experiencing a medically induced menopause during lockdown, intensified everything. The brain fog, short-term memory lapses, losing words mid-sentence, and putting things in the wrong place. Moments that felt unsettling and unfamiliar.
For someone who had always relied on a strong memory, it shook my confidence more than I expected.
What stands out to me now is not just the symptoms, but the fear underneath them. The quiet worry that something more serious might be wrong.
Since then, I have had many conversations with women who describe similar experiences. The doubt, the loss of confidence, the concern about work performance and the feeling of not quite recognising themselves.
We now talk more openly about menopause, which is a relief. Workplaces are slowly becoming more aware that this stage can significantly affect cognitive function and mental wellbeing. And importantly, that support makes a difference.
With hindsight, I can see that much of what felt frightening was hormonal and neurological. That does not make it trivial. It makes it understandable.
If you are currently in that space of questioning yourself, please know that you are not alone. And there are practical, supportive ways to navigate it.
I shared a blog back then outlining symptoms and strategies. It is still relevant and so is the conversation.
If this resonates with you, or with women in your workplace, I am always open to a thoughtful chat.
