Mayim Bialik on Menopause, Anxiety and How Trauma Resurfaces in Midlife
Rosie Acosta talks with Mayim Bialik, PhD—actress, neuroscientist, writer and mental health advocate—about anxiety, the realities of perimenopause and menopause, and why unprocessed trauma can resurface as hormones shift.
Why do so many women feel anxious, overwhelmed and disconnected in midlife?
In this episode, Rosie Acosta sits down with Mayim Bialik, PhD, to explore women’s wellbeing through a blend of science, spirituality and lived experience.
They talk about the rise in anxiety and emotional overwhelm since the pandemic, the realities of perimenopause and menopause, and how trauma can resurface with hormonal changes and stress. Rosie shares her own experience with early menopause and being misdiagnosed.
The conversation also looks at why women are still dismissed and misunderstood in medical settings, the stigma and barriers around hormone therapy, and how contemplative practice, community and curiosity support resilience.
The message throughout: you are not alone, you are not broken, and you deserve compassionate care and connection.
Ideas explored in this conversation
- Neuroscience and spirituality can work together to make mental health feel more accessible.
- Anxiety, burnout and emotional overwhelm have increased since COVID, with real effects on the nervous system.
- Perimenopause and menopause can bring mood changes, identity shifts and a sense of being misunderstood.
- Trauma stored in the body can resurface with hormonal changes and stress.
- Many women are misdiagnosed or dismissed when seeking help for hormonal or emotional symptoms.
- Stigma and barriers around hormone therapy still affect access to care.
- Contemplative practice, community and connection support resilience through major transitions.
- Compassion, self-advocacy and curiosity are vital tools for emotional wellbeing.
How trauma can resurface during perimenopause and menopause
Rosie and Mayim discuss how painful experiences that were never fully processed can resurface during midlife, when hormonal changes and life stress combine. Emotional intensity that seems to come out of nowhere may carry older pain underneath it.
Recognizing that connection can be a relief: it offers a way to meet strong emotions with curiosity rather than shame. It can also be a sign that it is time to seek support. Working with a qualified mental health professional, especially one who is trauma-informed, can help.
Misdiagnosis and feeling unheard in healthcare
The episode names a problem many women know firsthand: hormonal and emotional symptoms are often misattributed or dismissed. Rosie shares her own experience of early menopause and misdiagnosis, and the conversation turns to the stigma and barriers that still surround hormone therapy.
The takeaway is not to distrust care, but to advocate for it—to track what you are experiencing, ask questions and seek another opinion when something doesn’t feel right.
Hope, community and curiosity
Mayim draws on conversations with scientists, mental health experts and people with profound life experiences to reflect on consciousness, hope and healing. She and Rosie discuss how contemplative practice, community and connection can support mental resilience during major life transitions.
If you are experiencing persistent anxiety, low mood or thoughts of harming yourself, please contact a healthcare provider. In the United States, you can call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at any time.
Timestamps
Explore the conversation
Questions explored in this episode
Can trauma resurface during perimenopause or menopause?
In this episode, Rosie Acosta and Mayim Bialik discuss how unprocessed trauma can resurface with hormonal changes and life stress in midlife. If strong emotions or old pain are resurfacing, a qualified, trauma-informed mental health professional can help.
Why do I feel more anxious in midlife?
Anxiety in midlife can have many contributing factors, including hormonal changes, stress, sleep disruption and past experiences. Persistent or severe anxiety should be discussed with a qualified healthcare or mental health professional.
Why are women’s hormonal and emotional symptoms often dismissed?
The episode explores how symptoms can be misattributed or overlooked in medical settings. Tracking what you experience, asking questions and seeking another opinion when something doesn’t feel right can help you get the care you need.
What barriers do women face with hormone therapy?
Rosie and Mayim discuss the stigma and barriers that still surround hormone therapy. Whether hormone therapy is right for you depends on your health history and should be discussed with a qualified healthcare provider.
How can contemplative practices help during menopause?
Contemplative practices, community and connection can support emotional resilience during major transitions. They work best alongside, not instead of, appropriate medical and mental health care.
Who is Mayim Bialik?
Mayim Bialik is an actress, writer and mental health advocate who holds a PhD in neuroscience.
You are not alone, and you are not broken.
Rosie offers mental health coaching grounded in mindfulness, self-compassion and practical tools for anxiety, overwhelm and the emotional side of perimenopause. Coaching complements—never replaces—care from your healthcare and mental health providers, and is available in English and Spanish.
This page summarizes topics discussed in the episode and is intended for educational purposes. It does not provide medical or mental-health advice, diagnosis or treatment. Seek qualified professional care for persistent, severe or concerning symptoms.