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Menopause, Teens & Brainfog - what a mix!

Writer: Claire Tucker
Claire Tucker
3 days ago
2 min read


Now I know gaslighting isn’t a subject to be laughed about - but I genuinely don’t know how else to explain it.

If you've not heard of the term 'gaslighting', it's defined by the Merriam-Webster Dictionary as: Psychological manipulation of a person usually over an extended period of time that causes the victim to question the validity of their own thoughts, perception of reality, or memories and typically leads to confusion, loss of confidence and self-esteem, uncertainty of one's emotional or mental stability. Brain fog, cognitive problems and memory loss are just some of the symptoms of my menopause journey. I cant always remember why I’m looking at my phone, why I’m in a room or what words I need mid-conversation.


Claire with her children & husband at Christmastime. They are all in matching pyjamas, lined up in a staggered pose and smiling at the camera.

So when you have 3 teenagers in your household saying ‘You never told me that!’ or ‘You said that you would give us this if we did that!’ - you start to question whether you've forgotten something, or they're just telling porkies to get their own way..


They start to tell me about their day and I black out and can’t even tell you what they said. It gets to a certain time of day and I say to hubby ‘ Has child A gone to bed?’ he replies ‘Yep, you said goodnight to them about 20 minutes ago!”


Did I? Because I can't remember!



Whole conversations just fly out of my head. My head hurts with the buildup of blank moments some days.

I can only imagine that this is how dementia feels. I have clients coming to me & saying the same.



I had an argument with my youngest the other night:


Written dialogue depicting an argument between a mum & daughter, over whether the daughter had given her mum a hug goodnight. The mum says she didn't the daughter says she did.

A continuation of the dialogue above.


This went on for 5 minutes, he refused to hug me because apparently I didn't love him enough to remember (luckily he was laughing as her said it, so no hard feelings..)



Here's another one between the kids & I..

Written dialogue depicting two teenagers trying to convince their mum she put mushrooms in their food - when in fact, she didn't!

I checked the fridge, the kitchen bin, even the wheelie bin.. Turns out on this occasion they were just pulling a prank, but it wouldn't have surprised me to find an empty mushroom packet in the bin 😂


So - what can be done?!

Here are a few things that can help - and no, none of them involve getting rid of the pesky teenagers!


Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) replaces missing hormones like estrogen, so can help clear mental fog and improve focus. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) can help to manage stress, anxiety, and coping strategies for memory lapses.


Lifestyle & Diet adjustments: Excercise boost blood flow & oxygen to your brain. Keep that mind active by doing puzzles, reading a book or learning new skills, instead of doomscrolling for quick hits of dopamine. Good quality sleep & a diet rich in leafy greens also support clearing that brain fog.


I've started taking creatine recently - I've been told it's really good for brain function, so i'm giving it a go. I'll let you know if it works! I'll leave you with few articles to read about creatine, menopause & brain function you can read and decide if you'd like to try it too: Womens Health Magazine


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