Anxiety during the menopause
Anxiety during the menopause
Anxiety is a normal feeling but sometimes it can get out of hand and feel like an alarm going off in our body.
According to research and expert opinions, a significant portion of women in the UK experience anxiety during menopause, with estimates suggesting that around 69% of women report feeling anxious or depressed during the menopause transition based on a survey conducted by the House of Commons women and equalities select committee inquiry into menopause at work.
Causes of anxiety during menopause:
1. Hormonal Fluctuations: Decreasing levels of oestrogen can affect neurotransmitters in the brain, such as serotonin, which play a role in regulating mood and anxiety.
2. Sleep Disturbances: Hot flushes, night sweats, and other symptoms can disrupt sleep, leading to heightened anxiety and irritability.
3. Physical Symptoms: The physical changes that come with menopause, such as weight gain, vaginal dryness, and fatigue, can contribute to feelings of anxiety and self-consciousness.
4. Life Changes: Menopause often coincides with other significant life transitions, such as children leaving home, changes in relationships, aging parents or the end of the childbearing years. These can add emotional stress.
5. Cultural and Social Factors: In some cultures, menopause may be viewed negatively, which can affect how women experience anxiety during this period.
While physical symptoms like hot flushes are often discussed, the psychological aspects like anxiety can sometimes go underreported.
Whilst HRT and other therapies can help, many women are reluctant to take medication. Nutrition and lifestyle changes can also go a long way to alleviate symptoms. Whilst you can never eliminate anxiety totally – anxiety is a normal feeling – hypnosis can help you get those feelings back in control. Yes there will be lots of changes happening at this stage of life, and understandably some of them will make you feel a little anxious. But whilst we cannot control what happens around us, we can learn to control our response to it. We can quieten the overwhelm, and recognise what is in our control – and then be calm enough to take action – and what is not in our control – in Sometimes the change can happen in one session. People have reported feeling lighter and happier; instead of waking up feeling anxious they have reported “feeling excited to wake up.”
