Thank you so much for sharing your time with us today! And thank you to Christine Jenkins for sharing her perspective, experience and passion with us and for showing us how autistic and neurodivergent women and non-binary people can experience the perfect storm that is perimenopause and menopause.

My takeaways from our conversation:

Autistic and neurodivergent women and non-binary folks experience a more amplified and intense perimenopause and menopause transition. It’s like the wheels start falling off the cart, and there can be a lack of early diagnosis. So not only are you dealing with the challenges of perimenopause, you could be given a diagnosis of autism. And interestingly this can happen during an autism diagnosis of their sons. They notice – hey, this is how I was when I was his age and that gets the ball rolling in order to get their own diagnosis. It is typically young boys who are diagnosed with autism while their sisters are ignored.

Often times the medical system misses diagnosing autism in young girls until a potential meltdown during puberty.

People report a lack of accessible and relevant information about perimenopause and menopause, and there is also an absence of diverse perspectives.

There can be a struggle for well-being when you are dealing with the intersectionality – joblessness, poverty, general aging.

Another relevant factor is getting stuck in the medical system – and dealing with clinicians who are not well-educated and may not listen – or may be perceived to be not listening. There can be a mistrust and avoidance of the medical system. The communication challenges can make it more difficult to ask for and receive help, and there is a lack ongoing support and continuity of care. As Christine said, people can be left in the lurch.

In fact, some people actually choose to go it alone as they feel different and experience stigma and social isolation. They opt not to seek support.

But, we also talked about this time in life being a catalyst for healthy change. It provides people with the opportunity to develop a positive self-identity, to truly learn how to accept oneself and adopt an attitude and strategy of self-care.

And of course, not having one’s monthly period is a pretty big (and I would say one of the best) parts of menopause. Perimenopause is a different story because you are dealing with all of the other ridiculousness PLUS still getting your period. Not fun.

This time also gives people the chance to find services and supports – and for changes like lowering the temperature at work places. Small things can make a huge difference when you are dealing with hot flashes, and not sleeping well and for many people, parenting their children and navigating the challenges and pain of watching your parents getting older.

Christine cautioned autistic and neurodivergent women and non-binary people when it comes to making life-changing decisions during this time of life. She cited brain fog, anxiety and sensory loads as important factors that can negatively influence decision-making and lead to potentially challenging situations in the future.

Resources:

Shared Stories, Shared Experiences: International Research on Autism and Menopause

https://linktr.ee/christineajenkins

Autistic people face additional menopause challenges | BPS