Surviving Autistic Menopause

Autistic people are often told that independence is the goal. But what happens when menopause changes what you can do, what you can tolerate, and how much support you need? In this episode, Sam Galloway (she/her) explores the reality of changing support needs during autistic menopause. Drawing on her own experiences of severe perimenopause, cognitive regression, chronic pain, medical gaslighting, suicidal ideation, and surgical menopause, she examines what happens when lifelong coping strategies stop working. Sam discusses the barriers that prevent autistic adults from seeking support, including masking, internalised ableism, trauma, and societal expectations around independence. She also shares the practical accommodations, medical interventions, community supports, and mindset shifts that helped her survive one of the most difficult periods of her life. This episode is a reminder that support is not failure, accommodation is not cheating, and quality of life matters at every age. Content Warning: This episode includes frank discussion of mental health crisis and suicidal thoughts, alongside experiences of autistic burnout, medical care, chronic pain, and menopause. Please take care while listening and skip any sections that may be difficult for you. Resources mentioned or relevant: 📋 Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) 🌐 Divergent Menopause community and newsletter 📖 MENO-D – A rating scale to detect depression in menopause 🌿 Australasian Menopause Society 📚 Autistic Menopause – A Guide to the Menopausal Transition for Autistic People and those Supporting Them by Dr. Rachel Moseley and Professor Gamble-Turner (2026) 📄 Resources for autistic (/neurodivergent) women and people with ovaries at menopause – Dr. Rachel Moseley and Professor Julie Gamble-Turner, Bournemouth University 📱 Balance – menopause symptom tracking and information from menopause specialist Dr. Louise Newson Continue the conversation: Find Sam at Divergent Menopause for essays, research updates, practical reflections, and stories from the neurodivergent menopause community. Every article is free to read. Paid subscriptions operate as a patron model and help fund the advocacy, research translation, and community work behind Divergent Menopause. 🌐 https://samgallowayaudhd.substack.com/ ☕ Support Sam's work: https://buymeacoffee.com/samgalloway Produced for the Autistic Culture Podcast Network. 🎧 Autistic Menopause is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms. 🌈 Celebrate autistic voices with early access, ad-free listening, and our full archive at AutisticCulturePlus.com 🌐 Visit www.autisticculturepodcastnetwork.com 📲 Follow us on Instagram: @autisticculturepodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.