the urge to speak the truth that many women experience around menopause is deeply tied to hormonal changes, but also to psychological and developmental shifts that happen in midlife. It’s not just in your head — it’s both biological and transformational.
Here’s how and why:
1. Hormonal Changes Reduce “Softening” Effects
Estrogen and progesterone — especially progesterone
— have a calming, smoothing, even people-pleasing effect on the brain.
- They support empathy, nurturing, and accommodation
- They help keep us more focused on connection, soothing others, and keeping peace
But during perimenopause and menopause:
- Estrogen fluctuates and drops
- Progesterone declines dramatically
This hormonal shift removes that gentle buffering effect — like the “emotional Vaseline” that helped us soften our opinions for others’ comfort.
As a result, many women begin to feel:
- “I’ve had enough.”
- “I can’t lie anymore.”
- “I don’t want to pretend I’m okay with this.”
It’s a kind of neurological unmasking.
2. The Brain Rewires in Midlife
Research shows that during midlife, the brain begins to prune some pathways and strengthen others — especially those related to meaning, values, and identity.
Women often begin asking:
- “What’s actually important to me now?”
- “How much of my life have I spent silencing myself?”
- “What would happen if I said what I really think?
It’s a natural psychological awakening.
3. The Accumulated Wisdom Factor
By 45–55, many women have:
- Raised kids, supported family, worked, compromised
- Been the “peacekeeper” or caretaker for decades
- Watched others ignore boundaries, take advantage, or avoid hard truths
At some point, the combination of lived experience + hormonal shift gives rise to a powerful inner voice saying:
“I don’t want to live quietly anymore.”
This “Truth Urge” Can Sound Like:
- “I don’t need to please everyone anymore.”
- “That’s not working for me.”
- “This dynamic is unfair, and I’m done pretending it’s okay.”
- “I’m tired of being quiet about what matters.”
Sometimes that voice comes out gently.
Sometimes it bursts out in frustration — especially if it’s been suppressed for years.
Final Thought
So yes — the urge to speak truth is absolutely connected to hormonal changes, but also to your evolution as a whole person.
This isn’t just a chemical shift. It’s a rite of passage — the emergence of your clearest, strongest self.
