Up to half of women find that menopause and anxiety are linked [1]. Hormones work in a delicate balance, and anything disrupting that balance can cause problems in both physical and emotional health.

This is especially noticeable at puberty and menopause, which are both times of severe hormonal upheaval. This month we’re going to look at menopause and mental health, and how therapy can help.

What is female menopause?

First of all, let’s get some definitions out of the way. Female menopause is the process by which a woman’s body marks the end of being fertile and is officially reached when you’ve gone a full year without any periods (menstruation). It usually happens around your late 40s or early 50s although other factors than ageing can bring it on such as injury or illness in the reproductive organs, or medical treatments like chemotherapy or sterilisation.

Perimenopause is the time just before menopause. It can begin as early as your mid-30s and can last anywhere between two and ten years. A decline in ovarian function results in fewer reproductive hormones, like oestrogen and progesterone, being produced. Periods are likely to become irregular and will eventually stop altogether.

Menopause symptoms

Reduced oestrogen doesn’t just affect your reproductive system and physical symptoms can include:

  • hot flushes (sudden warmth in face and chest) and night sweats,
  • dizziness,
  • needing to pee a lot, especially at night,
  • weight gain, lower metabolism, less insulin production, higher cholesterol,
  • pain in joints, back, head, and/or breasts,
  • itching,
  • lower bone density,
  • insomnia or disturbed sleep,
  • vaginal atrophy (shrinking, loosening, thinner or dryer membranes, painful intercourse),
  • loss of interest in sex.

Some of the psychological symptoms of menopause are fairly well known, such as ‘brain fog’ or forgetfulness, anger or irritability, but the link between anxiety and the menopause isn’t discussed as much.

The link between menopause and anxiety

Up to 50% of menopausal and peri-menopausal women experience anxiety and depression [1]. Others experience loss of confidence or self-esteem: In fact, 20% of women say the menopause affects confidence, especially at work [2]. These can be due to one or more of a number of factors:

  • changing oestrogen levels cause mood swings, anxiety, and low mood, because of the way they interact with other body chemicals, such as cortisol (the “stress hormone”),
  • living with the symptoms of menopause can be stressful, which might trigger anxiety or depression,
  • concerns about getting older, moving into a new phase of life, or changing relationships with their partners can cause worrying and anxiety,
  • menopause can cause an increase in worrying about your health, especially if you feel you don’t know your body as you used to.

Menopause and mental well-being

Fortunately, there are ways to tackle the psychological and emotional aspects of menopause and get yourself back on track.

  • All the ways we’ve talked about in this blog will help; to find them,
    (a) search for anxiety in the box at the bottom of this page,
    (b) click on the #anxiety and worry hashtag at the end of this article,
    (c) see the you might also like feature at the bottom of this blog,
  • Eat healthily and exercise regularly.
  • Review your life and commitments: remove or deal with as many sources of stress as possible.
  • Spend time in green spaces, or with animals and plants. Make sure you stay emotionally close to your loved ones and get their support. If you know other people who have gone through the same thing, talking to them can make things worrying.
  • Get enough sleep and contact me for help with this if you are often tired.
  • Talk to your doctor if your physical or emotional symptoms are severe enough to hinder your day-to-day functioning.
  • Contact me to see how I can help if you feel you’re struggling or overwhelmed. Therapy, or a regular pamper session including relaxation and mindfulness, can help get you into a more positive frame of mind.

Remember, above all, that these symptoms won’t last forever. Perimenopause and menopause can take a few years to fully pass, but they will. Once your hormones are at a stable level again, your menopausal anxiety should significantly decrease.

References:

[1] Huang S, Wang Z, Zheng D, Liu L. Anxiety disorder in menopausal women and the intervention efficacy of mindfulness-based stress reduction. Am J Transl Res. 2023 Mar 15;15(3):2016-2024. PMID: 37056841; PMCID: PMC10086901.

[2] My Menopause Centre. (29.11.22). Loss of confidence and self-esteem. [online] Available at: https://www.mymenopausecentre.com/symptoms/loss-of-confidence-and-self-esteem [Accessed 28 Jul. 2023].

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