Menopause
Menopause is part of the natural life cycle for every woman. It is basically the opposite of puberty and is characterised by a decreased production of reproductive hormones like estrogen and progesterone. It’s a delicate stage of life when everything seems to have slowed down and so have your hormones. Menopause causes certain physical changes like irregular periods, change in appetite, energy levels, sleeping patterns, and reduction in fertility level. It also impacts the way we look at life and the way we think and feel about ourselves.
Effects of menopause
Perimenopause is when a woman’s fertility typically starts to decline. A woman may start having irregular periods, then stop having periods at all. Along with physiological changes, some women may also experience changes and fluctuations in mood and emotions. Anecdotal evidence suggests some common feelings like irritability, anger, sadness without any specific causes; and sometimes a sense of hopelessness and moments of easily getting tearful or crying and a feeling of being empty or worthless. This is also a very difficult time for women as far as their social life is concerned. Particularly in these times, when women experience menopause sooner. The children are almost or have grown up, we have more time at hand. Women at this time of their life might also experience shifts in social roles and responsibilities. By the time they have reached their late forties, the time when some women start to experience perimenopause; they may have new responsibilities for ageing parents. They might also have teenagers, which can be one of the most challenging (and stressful) age groups to parent. Add menopause to the mix, and it’s easy to understand why women’s well-being can get impacted.
Note:
We don’t have enough data to link depression and anxiety entirely to menopause. It can be safely said that menopause may not be a reason for mental and emotional health concerns but may become one of the influencing factors for depression.
It is not necessary that everyone who goes through menopause goes through depression.
One can say that because of the major physiological shift, along with the social and psychological shifts, a woman is more vulnerable to experiencing mental health problems during this period.
Three levels of depression during menopause
A depressed mood: One might feel a depressed or sad mood, a brief period of feeling blue that is commonly experienced and can be improved by self-care routines.
Depression as a symptom: In this case, some women may experience depression as a symptom, which could include prolonged feelings of fearfulness, extremely over-emotional. The person in question might have had previous mental health issues like anxiety.
This may be due to a wide variety of medical or psychological problems or too intense reactions to life events (such as divorce, losing a job, death of a loved one).
It is usually short term and can be managed by engaging in relaxation activities, sharing thoughts and feelings and building healthy resources that contribute to emotional regulation. However, any such symptoms require intervention or can progress to clinical depression.
Clinical Depression: This is experienced when there is an actual chemical imbalance in the brain. And coupled with the hormonal changes can lead to severe signs and symptoms of depression.
Different people experience depression differently. Some people may have very severe depression while others may have mild depression. Some people may feel empty while others may feel overwhelmed with emotions. Also, women with a history of clinical depression may be vulnerable to developing clinical depression during menopause.
Whether suffering from a slight case of the blues to something more severe, no one should suffer from mood swings in silence. This is generally characterised by not being to function well, sleeping too much or less, changes in appetite and unnecessary feelings of being low.
Taking care of mental health during menopause
In case of clinical depression, highly recommend spelling to a psychiatrist or psychologist. Women going through a perimenopausal phase need to keep a check on their emotions. Mindfulness is the key to awareness, early detection and prompt response. Mindfulness involves being aware of the present moment. It involves a grounded and peaceful clarity of mind. Mindfulness is the first step to self-compassion because you need to be aware of your own state of mind before you are able to respond with compassion.
Coping with changes in menopause
Give yourself a lot of physical love.
Eat well, eat healthily and pamper yourself at times, too!
Get that dose of vitamins to keep your energy levels up and increase your immunity.
Exercise every day. This could include stretching because stretching increases mindfulness and imparts a feel good factor to your body and overall mindset.
Sleep well and rest well. It is important to wake up feeling rested and ready for the day ahead. An average of 6 to 8 hours of sleep is highly recommended. This should be good sleep where the mind is relaxed, and one wakes up refreshed,
Include relaxation techniques in your everyday life. One of the easiest relaxation techniques that one can do is breathing.
Astha Ahluwalia genuinely recommends starting and end the day with breathing exercises. It is a way to spend mindful time with one’s body and breath. One can dedicate 5 to 7 minutes each in the morning and evening to breathing. This breathing can just be simple, relaxed breathing and does not have to be complicated. When we breathe, slowly inhaling and exhaling can impact the cortisol levels in the brain, which is a stress hormone.
Mindfulness techniques:
This includes meditation.
Also, something that works very well for some people is visualisation.
This includes listening to slow music and visualising positive scenarios that help bring one’s mind back to positive thoughts.
Ms. Ahluwalia also recommends the golden 3 x 3 rule- three minutes of a break, three times a day, for focused breathing.
Other things to keep in mind for mental health
One of the most important things one can do is have a healthy support system. One simply cannot underestimate the importance of having people to share things with and talk to, having people to reach out to, particularly those who listen to us and allow us a safe space to express what we may be feeling.
Sometimes, all you need is a good friend.
Talking to people, telling them how you are feeling is of the essence.
It can be friends, family, or even a therapist if you are not feeling comfortable being completely vulnerable with friends.
The idea is to reach out and share.
Another thing to reduce stress and anxiety is by breaking tasks into small bits, when the body or mind asks for it, you should know when to take a break.
Reducing your mental load, basically, not trying to do everything altogether.
Most importantly, take time out to do things you like. Be it breathing, dancing, painting or your hobbies. It is also seen that many women might notice that they tend to be self-critical, rather than self-compassionate. They don’t know how to begin to silence their inner critic. Fortunately, self-compassion is a learnable skill – and a great investment in well-being. Fostering psychological resilience through strategies like self-compassion can help us better manage life’s inevitable changes.
Keep going and take care of your mental health during menopause
Disclaimer: This information is provided for educational purposes and should not be construed as medical advice. Please consult with your healthcare practitioners before undertaking any changes in your lifestyle.
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