short version for women 40 and above is usually the pre menopausal \ menopause post menopause stages of life. at this stage of life women are usually more focused on whats going on in their physical body changes.. monthly problems, hot flashes, mood swings. because all their energy is being focused towards taking care of the physical aspects of their life other problems dont seem as important or as bad..less triggering means less dissociating...

example someone I know who went through this stage of life would have a mood swing related to menopause if someone said something they did not like. this mood swing would be so high that they would border on violence with who ever they were talking with. they would double up their fists ready for a fight, emotions at its highest.

after menopause having a disagreement with someone they were talking too would not seem as triggering to them because of the high level of rage they previously had to deal with while going through menopause. because they were less triggered, they were able to discuss the problem and work it out rather than dissociating.

heres an experiment.... buy a lemon or lime or some food item you find bitter, sour, repulsive. now ever time take a taste of that food item. eventually that item wont taste so bitter, sour, repulsive to you because you have learned how to handle it.

thats what happens with people as they age, they over their life time they learn how to handle their problems so that those problems are no longer triggering to them. the menopausal years are a great teacher for women on how to handle the hard stuff. less triggering means less dissociating.

men also go through their bracket of life where they have to go through life changing situations as they age that teaches them how to handle the hard stuff. some the male version of menopause. others call it mid life crisis.