Exclusive | Perimenopause rage turned me into a mad mom its no joke, my kids dodged me and I ended up divorced

Susan Proctor had always considered herself a kind, good-natured woman.But somewhere in her mid-30s, she became someone she hardly recognized.“Mad mom.

That’s literally how I would describe myself back then,” Proctor told The Post.Suddenly, everyday stresses were like emotional landmines — with even the smallest annoyances capable of triggering bursts of rage aimed at those she loved most, followed by waves of regret.“I would wake up angry for no reason at all,” she said.

“My kids would be like, ‘OK, mom’s angry, let’s all run.Let’s dodge her bullets.

We’re going to hide right now.'”Proctor, now 62, knew about menopause, but not perimenopause — the hormonal transition that can begin years before a woman’s final period, triggering a cascade of physical and emotional symptoms.“I was from an era where my parents didn’t even prepare me for sex ed, let alone this,” Proctor said.” I didn’t even know what I wasn’t happy about.

I just wasn’t happy.It was very strange to feel that way.”She’s far from alone.

Research suggests about 40% of women experience mood-related symptoms during the menopause transition, with many reporting what experts now call “perimenopause rage.”“It is not just ‘being moody,’ and it is not a personality flaw.It is a very real symptom tied to the hormonal upheaval of perimenopause,” explained Michelle Sands, a licensed naturopathic physician and holistic menopause specialist.The emotional toll often comes before anything else.“For many, the first signs are emotional and neurological,” Sands said.

“Estrogen and progesterone directly affect neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine and GABA, so when hormone fluctuations begin, women can suddenly feel emotionally unlike themselves.”It’s an experience Proctor knows all too well.“I felt crazy in the head because I didn’t feel normal and I didn’t understand what was going on,” she said.

“I hadn’t been like that a few ...