Is This Normal or Am I Losing It?

A heart-to-heart for every woman questioning her mind, mood, or body during perimenopause

💭 Introduction:

It starts with little things.
You walk into a room and forget why.
You snap at someone you love — and then cry five minutes later.
You cancel plans because your energy is in the basement… and you’re not even sure why.

And somewhere in the swirl of symptoms and self-doubt, a quiet question creeps in:
“Is this normal… or am I losing it?”

If that’s where you are right now, let me say this clearly:

✨ You’re not losing it. You’re in perimenopause. And what you’re experiencing is real.

🤯 Why You Feel So Unstable — and Why It’s Not Your Fault

Perimenopause isn’t just about periods changing or hot flashes.
It’s a full-body, full-systems hormonal recalibration. And that affects:

• Your brain chemistry

• Your sleep patterns

• Your emotional regulation

• Your blood sugar, cortisol, and more

When estrogen and progesterone begin to fluctuate, it can feel like someone turned down the volume on your inner calm… and turned everything else up.

📉 Common Experiences That Make Women Feel “Broken”

Let’s name what no one talks about:

1. Mood Swings That Feel Bigger Than You

Suddenly you’re yelling, crying, or shutting down. And the logical part of your brain is going, “What just happened?”

Estrogen affects serotonin and GABA — two key neurotransmitters that regulate emotion. When it dips, emotional regulation goes out the window.

2. Anxiety Out of Nowhere

You used to be calm in traffic. Now your heart races at red lights.
You used to enjoy group gatherings. Now the thought makes you panicky.

You’re not developing a personality disorder — your brain is responding to hormonal fluctuation and stress load.

3. Brain Fog or “Losing Words”

Can’t remember names? Losing your train of thought mid-sentence?
It’s not early dementia. It’s neurological estrogen withdrawal.
This is a normal part of the brain adapting to changing hormone levels — especially when paired with poor sleep and stress.

4. Loss of Motivation or Identity

You may feel unmotivated, disconnected, or like you're floating outside your own life.
This emotional “blah” is often misunderstood — but it's a key part of the transition. Your nervous system is in flux. Your roles may be shifting. Your energy is being redirected inward.

This is not failure. This is feedback.

5. Physical Symptoms That Don't Add Up

• Racing heart at rest

• Insomnia for no reason

• Weird body aches or tingling

• Changes in how food affects you

These may not show up on lab tests — but they’re very real signs that your hormones and nervous system are no longer operating on the same settings.

🔄 Reframing the Question: “Is This Normal?”

Instead of asking, “Am I losing it?”
Try asking:

• What is my body trying to tell me?

• What rhythms are shifting?

• Where am I being called to slow down or soften?

Perimenopause isn’t just a hormonal dip.
It’s a deep biological reorientation.

📘 What You Can Do Right Now

You don’t have to have it all figured out.
You just need a place to start.

Here’s where I recommend beginning:

1. Download the Symptom Decoder

👉 Get it here 
A quick-reference guide that helps you connect symptoms to hormone patterns — and shows what’s actually happening inside your body.

2. Start Tracking Your Patterns

Use an app or journal to notice:

• Cycle length and flow

• Mood patterns

• Energy dips

• Triggers and improvements

Patterns = power. The more you track, the more you’ll trust yourself.

3. Talk to Someone Who Gets It

Whether it’s a naturopath, therapist, or hormone-savvy provider — you deserve to feel seen, not dismissed.

4. Know This: You Are Still You

This version of you — tired, scattered, emotional — is not a lesser version.
She’s becoming something new.

You are not broken.
You are not crazy.
You are not alone.

You are in a transition. And transitions are messy, beautiful, and deeply human.

💌 Want Help Making Sense of the Chaos?

The Perimenopause Symptom Decoder is a simple, calming place to start.

👉 Download your free cheat sheet here  and get the clarity your body’s been asking for.

🔗 Related Blogs You Might Love:

• Perimenopausal Symptoms You Didn’t Know Were Hormonal → 

• Why You’re Not Broken — You’re In Perimenopause → 

• When to See a Provider About Perimenopause Symptoms → 

💌 Your Next Steps

🎯 Not sure where you are in the transition?
👉 Take the quiz: Is It Perimenopause — or Something Else?
You’ll discover which stage you’re in — like Whispers & Warnings — and get a free stage-specific guide to start balancing your hormones naturally.

🌿 Ready for deeper support?
👉 Join the waitlist for the Hormone Harmony Hub — your space for clarity, confidence, and calm through every stage.

👩‍⚕️ About the Author

Simone Burke, N.D. is a Naturopathic Doctor and Hormone Health Educator who helps women navigate the physical and emotional changes of perimenopause with clarity and compassion. Through her signature membership, the Hormone Harmony Hub, she supports women in balancing hormones naturally and reclaiming their vitality.