Menopause and Anxiety, why and how to live with it…

Menopause and Anxiety is a huge symptoms for so many women! I look back now and realize that for me all the signs of Anxiety during the menopause were there, but I convinced myself I was fine, when I blatantly was not! It is always a case of if only we knew then, what we know now. Personally, it could have saved me many years of suffering and I mean really suffering.

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Menopause and Anxiety

I guess we all kind of feel the gradual onset of the Menopause, but for some it is an extremely turbulent time. Where your hormone levels start to drop or like mine virtually bottom out overnight, leaving me, not only in agony with my joints, but playing havoc with my mental health too. We always think we are the only one, but with the endless Menopause groups I now belong to on social media, if there is one thing that is spoken about more than anything (even hot flushes!) its Anxiety and for some Depression.

I talked to lots of my friends over the years and now believe some of them could have been suffering the same and like me maybe not have known it. With the chemicals changing in our brain, this may affect in turn your mood. For me it was a gradual process and as I also had other things going on in my life that were also making me very unhappy, I put it down to that as opposed to anything to do with the Menopause.

With fluctuating Oestrogen and Progesterone levels, this can cause feelings of Anxiety or Depression. Leading some women to develop Panic Disorder during the Menopause too. Some women could be more prone to Anxiety at this time if you suffer with Postpartum Depression and be more likely to suffer with Panic Disorder. These are not one-off Panic Attacks; these are regular and often brought on by worrying about when the next Panic Attack will strike.

The symptoms can vary from one woman to another, some have heart palpitations and others become sweatier. Not easy to diagnose apparently but it can be treated by your GP who should be able to help you. Also, this book has been highly recommended to me by several people with anxiety and have had great success with it.

With constant changes in our hormones, this could be responsible for influencing the neurotransmitters in the brain, possibly being a cause of Depression at this time. If you start to struggle with work, home life, relationships, friendships and cannot see a way out, it is time to have a word with your GP.

Definitely, if you have feelings of suicide, or are feeling increasingly negative about everything, have no one you feel you can confide in or are struggling to make sense of it all, see your GP or a good Therapist. They can often offer a helpful outsider’s point of view with the issues that are most important to you and troubling you. CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) can be helpful to some, this is a talking therapy, that can help you manage your problems by changing the way you think and behave.

Others need more conventional methods, in the form of Anti-depressant tablets, they work by balancing the chemicals in the brain that effect your mood and emotions. They can also help with sleep, concentration, and relaxation, and can be used for short term or long-term use. Again, speak to your GP, they will advise you which method is best for you and will help you through this time.

My friends have told me that St John’s Wort and Gingko Biloba are great for anxiety!

There are lots of ways to cope with emotion at this phase of our lives, a healthy lifestyle being the main one. Exercise is key and helped me greatly, going to the gym 4 or 5 times a week and releasing those endorphins helped to lift my mood and lots of my friends say they do the same. Meditation and Mindfulness (just having time on your own in silence, listening to the things around you and you breathing) has become very popular.

 I highly recommend the apple airpods that I use as there are no wires to get tangled when you are meditating or exercising. Trying a new hobby or setting yourself realistic goals and having a sense of achievement, all aids in a positive and happy mind set. Speak to friends and family, make sure you connect with someone, do not shut yourself off at this time. Take Vitamins and Natural Products and make sure you get lots of fresh air and be with people who lift you up and not drag you down.

Take time for yourself and make sure you have things to look forward too, however small they are. Time out with a friend, a special lunch somewhere, a long walk with some fresh air, all these things aid your mind. Another great day out to take time out and have some time for yourself is a Spa Day which can be really relaxing

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*DISCLAIMER*This page does not provide medical advice; it is intended for informational purposes only and is based upon my opinion and experiences. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Never ignore professional medical advice in seeking treatment because of something you have read on The Executive Menopause Coach website. Always seek professional medical advice.