At 39, I thought I was going crazy

Jul 23, 2026

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Heart racing for no reason. Waking at 3 AM with your mind sprinting. Forgetting the word you have said ten thousand times. Crying at a commercial, then numb an hour later.

At 39, I genuinely thought I was losing my mind. I am a physician. My labs were normal. And I still felt like a stranger in my own body.

Here is what I needed someone to tell me: You are not crazy. You are not imagining it. Your biology is changing, and no one warned you.

Perimenopause is not just hot flashes.

The earliest signs are often the ones that scare you most, because they feel mental, not physical.

The anxiety. The intrusive thoughts. The rage. The fog.

They are real, they are common, and they are explainable.

Naming what is happening is the first step out of the fear.

One small thing I want you to do this week: When a symptom makes you doubt yourself, write it down instead of brushing it off.

You are gathering evidence, not losing your mind.

Hit reply and tell me the symptom that made you question your sanity the most.

I promise I read every single one.

You are not too far gone, and you are not alone in this.

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Each week, you will get an inside look at personal stories and science-backed insights on navigating burnout, perimenopause, metabolism changes, mood shifts, and the mental load that comes with all of it. This newsletter will help you understand what’s happening in your body and nervous system without the overwhelm.

At 39, I thought I was going crazy

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