Breaking the Chains of False Beliefs About Menopause
- Jen Brueton
- Feb 7
- 4 min read
For many women, perimenopause and menopause arrive quietly — and then suddenly affect everything.
Your sleep changes. Your energy disappears. Your weight shifts despite “doing all the right things.” Your emotions feel less predictable. Your focus isn’t what it used to be.
And somewhere along the way, a powerful set of false beliefs creeps in.
“This is just what happens at my age.”
“I need to accept that my body is failing me.”
“I’ll probably need medication forever.”
“I just have to push through.”
These beliefs quietly chain women to frustration, guilt, and resignation.
But here’s the truth: Menopause is not the end of vitality, clarity, or strength.
The Real Problems Women Face in This Life Stage
Perimenopause and menopause are not just hormonal events — they are whole‑body, whole‑life transitions.
Common struggles include:
Persistent fatigue and low energy
Brain fog, memory lapses, and reduced concentration
Weight gain, especially around the midsection
Poor sleep or early morning waking
Mood swings, anxiety, or feeling emotionally flat
Reduced motivation and confidence
Feeling overwhelmed by work, family, and caregiving demands
For many women, this phase of life unfolds alongside an intense and often unrelenting set of responsibilities. They are running households and carrying the mental load of daily life — managing meals, finances, schedules, and endless decisions — while raising children or emotionally supporting teenagers and young adults who still need guidance, stability, and reassurance. At the same time, many find themselves caring for ageing parents, coordinating medical care, finances, and emotional support, often quietly and without shared responsibility. Layered onto this is the pressure of leading businesses or performing in demanding careers, where clarity, competence, and resilience are expected, even as sleep is disrupted, energy is low, and brain fog creeps in. These women are not “failing” — they are operating under extraordinary cognitive, emotional, and physical demand, often with very little space to pause or be supported themselves.
The Pain Beneath Menopause Symptoms
What hurts most isn’t just the symptoms.
It’s the loss of trust in your own body.
Women begin to feel:
Disconnected from themselves
Less capable than they used to be
Guilty for not coping “better”
Afraid of what the future holds
And too often, the only solution offered is:
“Here’s a pill — manage the symptoms and carry on.”
Medication can be helpful, but it does not teach you how to function well in your daily life.
The Truth About Menopause (What Most Women Aren’t Told)
Let’s break the chains of false belief.
Truth #1: Your body is not broken. Your nervous system, metabolism, and hormones are adapting — not failing.
Truth #2: Symptoms are signals, not life sentences. Fatigue, brain fog, and weight gain are signs that your body needs different support, not more self‑criticism.
Truth #3: You are not meant to “push through” Chronic stress and over‑functioning make symptoms worse.
Truth #4: Sustainable change is possible. With the right strategies, many women reduce symptoms, improve energy, and regain clarity — often without escalating medication.
How Support from an Occupational Therapist Can Help
Occupational therapy is not about treating disease — it’s about looking at a client holistically, and enabling people to function well in real life through meaningful and purposeful activity.
As a neuro‑occupational therapist with specialist training in metabolic health, I work with women to:
Restore energy and mental clarity
Improve sleep and daily rhythms
Reduce overwhelm and emotional reactivity
Build habits that support hormonal and metabolic health
Maintain effectiveness in all life roles
This work sits firmly within my scope as an OT and Metabolic Health Coach: supporting women through meaningful participation in life, despite physical, cognitive, or emotional change.
The Solutions I Offer Women in This Season
I don’t offer quick fixes or rigid rules.
I help women build capacity, confidence, and independence through:
1. Nervous System & Cognitive Support
Strategies for brain fog, memory, and focus
Stress regulation and emotional resilience tools
Practical systems to reduce mental load
2. Metabolic & Lifestyle Foundations
Nutrition and metabolic health guidance that works with hormonal changes
Sustainable routines for movement, recovery, and sleep
Reducing reliance on willpower and perfectionism
3. Role & Life Management
Energy‑based planning for work and family life
Re‑prioritising roles without guilt
Creating boundaries that protect health and productivity
4. Long‑Term Independence
Skills that reduce dependence on medication alone
Habits that support health beyond menopause
Confidence in managing your own wellbeing
This Is Not the End — It’s a Turning Point
Menopause is not a decline.
It’s an invitation to do things differently.
To stop pushing. To stop believing your body is the problem. To stop outsourcing your health entirely.
When women are supported with the right knowledge, structure, and strategies, this life stage can become one of clarity, strength, and renewed self‑trust.
Ready to Break the Chains?
If you’re tired of feeling exhausted, foggy, or overwhelmed — and ready to understand your body and work with it — I’d love to support you.
You are not broken. You are adapting. And you don’t have to do it alone.
Take the First Step to Feeling Better Today
Discover practical strategies to ease your menopause symptoms with my free Menopause Symptom Relief Checklist. This simple guide helps you identify your top challenges and start regaining energy, clarity, and balance — without relying on medication alone.
Comments