The Menopause Marketing Psyop

Are We Being Sold a False Narrative to get us to buy more supplements and pharmaceuticals? I believe so, and I have some advice on what to do about it & how to gain some clarity.

Once again, I’m wading into waters that aren’t exactly serene—not because I enjoy stirring the pot, but because truth requires us to sit with discomfort and seek meaning and understanding in unexpected places. And who better to do that with than all of you—those who dive deeper, think harder, and ask the questions others shy away from?

The Unspoken Psyop Around Menopause

Let’s start with a hard truth: we are being sold menopause. Not the experience, mind you, but the idea of it. The idea that nobody cares about our health, that we’re ignored, and so it becomes our duty—no, our mission—to talk about it, to break the silence, and to fix the crisis. And in doing so, we become the unpaid sales people for the products they are peddling. I know I have already lost some of you to a knee jerk response, but maybe you can hear me out for just one more sec. In fact, collectively, we will be in a much better place in the world if all give each other the grace of hearing each other out when we think outside the status quo, don’t you think? Plus, if you read on, I share a little about my own menopause experience.

But here’s the thing. That narrative? It’s a marketing ploy. A psyop, if you will—a psychological operation designed to shape how we see ourselves and our bodies, so that someone else can profit off our very discomfort. And don’t be fooled: those selling us the products aren’t here to guide us to liberation. They’re here to shape our perception of menopause as something wrong that must be fixed, medicated, and controlled.

The Distortion of Our Stories

The truth is, we’re drowning in noise. Information about menopause is everywhere, but it’s often fragmented, contradictory, and overwhelmingly steeped in fear. You can find a dozen different “answers” to the same question, none of them clear, none of them rooted in our actual lived experiences. Why?

Because marketing thrives on confusion and chaos. The louder the fear, the more likely we’ll reach for the pill bottle, the supplement, the quick fix. And let’s not even get into the way the loudest voices on social media amplify fear, silencing any nuanced, positive perspective. Heaven forbid you share that menopause can also bring clarity, wisdom, and freedom—no, that would invalidate someone else’s suffering, wouldn’t it?

A Personal Reflection: My Own Journey Through the Menopausal Wilderness

I’ll admit, my experience wasn’t all sage-burning and crystal-healing. But let me tell you this: it wasn’t the crisis I was led to believe it would be either. Instead of spiraling into brain fog, I found clarity. The noise that comes with biology and the pressures of reproduction lifted. I never wanted biological children, and menopause relieved some of that pressure and gave me the space to breathe and be.

I also found a peculiar kind of peace. Yes, the hot flashes came, but they were fleeting, and with them came a strange humor. I learned to ride the waves of discomfort with levity, seeing them not as signs of decline but as rites of passage—much like a rite into another stage of womanhood. It felt like a royal ordination in a way. The obsession with my body, with fitting into a societal ideal, faded. I stopped worrying about what strangers on Instagram who think I have had one to many veggie burgers. Yes, my body changed—my body looks wiser now and its shape represents my chosen life, instead of the ideals of others.

In some ways, menopause was my invitation to de-objectify myself, to see myself as more than a product of a gaze or a standard of beauty. To finally, after decades of living through the expectations of others, simply be. A crone? Yes, a crone—but not in the way the world defines it. A doer. A woman with her own wisdom, her own voice, a subject of her own story.

Breaking Free From the Marketing Matrix

So, what do we do with this? How do we break free from the psyops that aim to profit from our natural transitions?

1. Embrace the Acceptance of Change: Instead of framing menopause as a crisis or something to fear, let’s embrace it as a natural transition—like a promotion. Menopause is an opportunity to step into a new phase of life, with more wisdom, freedom, and self-acceptance. If we see it this way, we may shield ourselves from the narrative that it’s something that needs to be “fixed.” Acceptance is a powerful antidote to the marketing that thrives on insecurity. It could literally change the way you experience the symptoms.

2. Don’t Buy the Crisis: Menopause is not a medical emergency. It’s a natural process of aging, and while it can be uncomfortable, it’s not a disaster. Let’s stop treating it like one.

3. Question the Source: Who is telling us we need to panic? Follow the money. Is it really about helping women, or is it about selling products that don’t address the real needs?

4. Embrace the Uncomfortable: Discomfort isn’t inherently bad, nor does it equate to danger. Embrace it, lean into it, and accept that it’s part of the journey. That said, everyone’s experience is different. Some women can manage discomfort with ease, while others might find it overwhelming, especially when juggling high-pressure careers. It’s important to recognize that everyone’s thresholds are unique, and just because I’ve found peace in managing discomfort doesn’t mean you should. If a product helps you through your discomfort—whether it’s HRT, supplements, or something else—use it. If you don’t need it, don’t feel pressured to take it. The choice is yours, and it’s okay to take care of yourself in the way that best suits your life and circumstances.

5. Share Your Honest Story: Your experience of menopause is uniquely yours. Be honest, even if your story doesn’t fit the mold. There can be subtle pressure to share “bad” experiences to avoid seeming “above it all” or out of touch, but let’s remember that every woman’s story is valuable. You don’t have to have the hardest or the easiest experience to make your voice count—just speak your truth, and it will resonate. And if it doesn’t resonate, hold your ground, sister.

The Real Revolution

Menopause isn’t a crisis. It’s a transition—a messy, beautiful, and transformative one that we don’t need to be afraid of. The real revolution happens when we stop letting external narratives define us, when we start listening to ourselves and each other, when we choose wisdom over fear, and stories over marketing schemes.

Let’s reclaim menopause as a rite of passage, not a medical emergency. And in doing so, let’s shed the layers of shame, confusion, and commercialization that have been placed upon it for far too long.