‘Perimenopause rage’ turned me into a ‘mad mom’, it’s no joke, my kids dodged me and I ended up divorced

Article excerpt

Susan Proctor's children avoided her and her marriage collapsed as she struggled with perimenopause rage, a documented but often-dismissed symptom of the hormonal transition toward menopause. The intensity of her mood swings left her feeling isolated and "all prickles and thorns," she tells The Post. After her family fractured, Proctor eventually found relief through treatment, discovering that what felt like a personal failing was a biological condition affecting countless women. Her story highlights how perimenopause symptoms, dismissed or minimized in both medical and social contexts, can upend relationships if left unaddressed.