Episode
Dr. Aimie Apigian, MD, MS, MPH: Perimenopause, Trauma, and Stress Tolerance Loss
- Published
- Feb 3, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 3377
- Processing state
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Summary
Perimenopause is when many women feel like their body suddenly stopped playing on easy mode. Fluctuating estrogen reduces the brain's stress-buffering capacity, so fatigue, anxiety, irritability, and overwhelm all hit harder at the exact same time. We dive deeper into this topic in the latest Hello Hormones Podcast episode with Dr. Aimie Apigian. We also chat about why perimenopause is often when trauma finally shows up, why high-functioning women tend to fall apart in midlife, and the number one mistake women make when trying to heal trauma. Dr. Aimie Apigian, MD, MS, MPH, is a double board-certified physician in functional medicine and addiction medicine with training in neuroscience and trauma therapy. She is the creator of the Biology of Trauma® framework and leads the Biology of Trauma® certificate training program for healthcare professionals. Head to drcarriejones.com/stressfreebie to get access to The 101 on Stress, Cortisol & Your Nervous System. It's free, it's helpful, and it's exactly what you need to start the year feeling more like yourself. What's Discussed: (01:00) Why unresolved trauma often surfaces during perimenopause (03:30) How hormone shifts lower stress tolerance and amplify nervous system responses (06:22) Why high-functioning women rely on coping until it suddenly stops working (09:15) The difference between a stress response and a trauma response in the body (17:03) What "capacity" really means and why it feels depleted in midlife (27:09) Why mindset work alone doesn't heal trauma stored in the body (31:02) The biggest mistake women make when trying to heal trauma (49:17) Why irritability and rage in perimenopause can be signs of coming out of freeze ✍️ FREE GUIDES: Hormones 101 Cheat Sheet: https://drcarriejones.kit.com/hormones101 The Perim…