You know I just thought of another link here to all this peri and meno misery. I'm one that is not so much into watching mindless TV unless really feeling I need to take my mind off of something and not have to try focusing on anything meaningful. I'm far more into real life situational television including history, dramas, mysteries, murder investigations and so forth.

Since loving forensics and science I am into the shows "Snapped" on the Oxygen network and "Deadly Women" on the Investigation Discovery channel. Both of these shows are focused solely on women that kill, go into the investigation of why/how they committed the crime and how they were caught.

I was just watching an episode of "Deadly Women" last night and it dawned on me that the vast majority of these women are in stages of mid life just as they are on "Snapped". You hear in nearly every episode from close friends and family members recalling the complete shock of the situation, how wonderful, bright, happy, caring, nurturing they knew them to be and all of a sudden out of the blue they commit these horrific violent crimes showing rage and mental instability that no one ever would have suspected them capable of.

The shows focus more on the crime then the 'whys' of the situation but if they do it's always attributed to some 'sudden' mental illness. Doesn't any one of the investigators, psychiatrists, crime analysis see the irony here that it usually stems in the time frame of peri and meno and concern themselves with the life changes and hormonal detriments effecting neuro instability as well? How much more blunt and obvious could this be? What more could it possibly take to get the word out and people stand up and see this issue for the reality it is?

All of us here understand how we have "snapped" feeling out of total control and how people can't recognize the 'old' us going through this stage. You would think there would be better awareness on this and it angers me that even out in the open reaching so much of an audience that no one stands up saying "Hey! Have you ever considered the changes in mid life being a result or atleast possibility in why so many of these women changed for the worst so suddenly?" In fact the commercials for "Deadly Women" include several middle age women looking quite 'normal', beautiful, happy, middle to upper class sarcastically talking about killing people they love. What a stigma that should also be an obvious tell tale sign!

If anyone has ever seen these shows I'd love to hear more insight on their thoughts about it too...

I love these shows... I think my husband's worried.. and even I have often wondered if I have a warped mind...

Carol I love these shows too...any kind of real life forensics, detective, murder investigation fascinates me and yes we can conversely take light of how we can all relate. It's just unfortunate these women were pushed way beyond the edge and I wonder if more professionals looked further into this and they received help and treatment prior or with warning signs that much of this tragedy, not only with their instability, but also obviously the victims and loved ones effected could have been prevented in any way...

Yes, me too. CNIS is my favorite show right now. I think you are right in that some of these women are pushed to the edge however there are several shows I've seen where the women are just pure evil, as though they had no conscience at all. Some have planned and plotted from the very beginning of meeting them. Human nature is odd... I've always loved that quote... There is a little bad in the best of us and a little good in the worst of us... it reminds me that the thread that snaps is within us all.

This transitional period that we go through is still too much of a taboo subject. I beleive many of our divorces and broken families could have been prevented if women were getting the help they need during this time and sometimes all the help they need is validation that what they are going through is normal and that it will pass.

Hopefully our generation will begin talking to our daughters and granddaughters and it will be more acceptable when they get here.