Perimenopause loneliness and social withdrawal are driven by real hormonal changes — estrogen disruption alters serotonin, oxytocin and reward circuitry, making people feel like effort rather than comfort. A landmark 2026 study in the journal Menopause (n=903) found that the combination of loneliness and social isolation is associated with an eightfold increase in cognitive decline risk during perimenopause. Cathy at Vibrance Way unpacks the neuroscience, the HPA cortisol cas