Three Psychological Effects on Women During Menopause:
Menopause is not only a physical factor but also impacts the mind. The cessation of menses sends some signals and concern to most women, mostly those who are not well informed about the subjecting energy. We need to remember that what goes on in our minds can also affect our bodies, as what goes on inside our bodies can also affect our minds. Therefore, psychological issues are important to consider during menopause.
These stages in a woman’s life can be extremely difficult and disturbing as the body goes through significant changes, bringing an end to the youthful part of womanhood while dealing with the surprise challenges that lie ahead.
Change in Temperament:
For many women, menopause is linked with a sudden change in temperament. They may become irritable and hot-tempered. They may feel as though their husbands have less interest in them than they did before. They feel that they are no longer as attractive as they once were. It is crucial for men to understand their wives as they pass through this stage. Oftentimes, men do not have an awareness and do not understand what their partners are going through. This can create a lot of tension and division of families. Education on this stage of life is very important.
Feelings of Depression, and Anxiety:
Menopausal woman may experience feelings of depression and anxiety accompanied with nervousness. This may be caused by a conscious awareness that they are aging. Some scientists have said that estrogen nurtures both the mind and body; therefore, a decline in estrogen may result in depression, nervousness and even forgetfulness. Whatever the cause is, it is very important to reassure menopausal woman that there is hope for them and this will pass.
Menopause as a Sign of Old Age:
Some women perceive menopause as sign of aging, getting old, being unattractive and not in style. It may also bring some women face to face with the agility of the husband during this time of menopause. Since the duration of men’s sexual strength is longer than that of a woman, some women at menopause develop a fear of losing their husband as well as many other fears may come about, including:
A fear of dying
A fear of the unknown
A fear of being dependent on their children
A fear of loneliness and helplessness
A fear of failure of physical and financial resources
A fear of loss of husband’s attention, care, love, and emotional support
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms you should seek help immediately. You do not have to go through this alone. There are many different treatment options that may help while your body goes through this transition and help you get enjoyment out of life again. These may include:
Estrogen Therapy: estrogen supplements can help revive your mood dramatically based on the theory that decreased levels of estrogen impact the mood negatively. It is said that this therapy may work best when combined with an antidepressant.
Antidepressants: there are numerous antidepressant medications to help boost your moods. The antidepressants called Selected Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) work to help increase the amount of serotonin (the hormone that regulates the mood) in the brain.
Psychotherapy: on its own or combined with medication, psychotherapy can be a very effective tool to help fight some of these feelings. Trained professionals in this area can help you reframe negative thoughts into positive ones. They can also help you find resources to help with these thoughts and/or behaviors.
If you should find yourself feeling sad for prolonged periods of time at this stage in life, you may be experiencing some form of menopausal depression. It can be very beneficial to seek the appropriate treatment as this may have serious physical and emotional side effects.
Some women find this stage of life very easy, while others struggle with many problems well into old age. Many women find comfort in seeking help from their gynecologists to help manage problematic issues for them. The dramatic drop in hormone level seems to be the main issue for these changes and the traditional medical approach has been to treat women with hormone replacement therapy. Some women have chosen to go through the many rough patches of these years while they search for alternatives to traditional medicine.
Some natural alternatives include herbs, diet, exercise, supplements and others. Some have shown to be very beneficial for women. The idea behind any treatment approach is to restore the level of hormonal balance in the body that will ultimately alleviate pre or post menopause symptoms. Many natural treatments have been shown to derive from plants that are able to add phytoestrogen or progesterone through normal body absorption. These are said to have much less potential side effects than the traditional hormone replacement therapy and can provide the delicate hormonal balance that most women need. Simple derivatives from soy products have been found to protect against heart disease while also providing phytoestrogens to improve pre menopause symptoms.
Keeping Healthy During Menopause:
Regular exercise can help improve some of the menopausal symptoms. Physical activity that stresses the bones such as running and walking can help your bones to become stronger, slowing down the loss of bone density. It also helps reduce hot flashes and headaches. The recommended amount of physical activity is at least 30 minutes approximately five days each week.
A healthy diet may protect your body from long-term effects of menopause. Your diet should include daily amounts of calcium, which can come from milk, other dairy products and leafy green vegetables.
Reduce caffeine intake
Vitamin D is important to take regularly and is said to reduce your risk of osteoporosis and various cancers.
Eating too much food with vitamin A may increase your risk for osteoporosis. This is found in many foods including liver and liver products.
Watching your diet is crucial; you are likely to gain weight as you age. Gaining weight puts you at a higher risk of heart disease.
Not all women experience the same symptoms and many women experience similar issues to their mothers and grandmothers. While scientific research can point toward certain stages of the life change, it would be helpful for women to ask their mothers about their onset of premenopausal symptoms. It has been proven that most women experience the stages about the same time as their mothers and grandmothers. Therefore, family history is often the most accurate indicator.
Sometimes woman may have issues to discuss with health care professionals they may find embarrassing. Top tips for discussing “embarrassing problems with a health care professional include:
-Make a list of what you want to discuss
-Discuss the most important or most difficult questions first
-Write down what the doctor tells you in your conversation
-Ask for clarification if you do not understand something
-If you need to, write down your questions and hand them to the doctor
-If you find any information on your own bring it with you to your appointment to help you discuss the topic with your doctor
-Do not wait for the doctor to ask you, give the doctor any information you may feel will be helpful for him/her to know including history of the condition, symptoms, the impact they may be causing you, any medication you may be taking, as well as any lifestyle factors that may be impacted or contributed to the condition.
So, hormones play a crucial role in every woman’s life. They shape our bodies as well as some of the most important events we experience. There may be times when you get very upset with your body's hormones, but just think about it--life without them would be too boring!