This is a more glam, mainstream article than we usually pass on, but we are sharing it because it echoes three messages that we hear repeatedly in women’s personal accounts. We think they are worth repeating.
1.“I think feeling anxious is part of the human condition; we’ve all experienced it in some way. For me, it became dreadful during the menopause,” she told Prima.
2. “I didn’t understand what was happening to me, why I felt so flat. Life was great; I had this amazing job, a fantastic husband and Rosie [her daughter] was doing well, but I couldn’t stop worrying about everything and anything.”
3. Lorraine admits to still having “down days” like everyone else, but managed by “compartmentalising”. “I’ll approach things in bite-sized chunks and give myself little gaps in between.”
For many women, these feelings arise more intensely in their late 30s/early 40s as hormonal patterns begin to change. We find it reassuring to hear from women who have reached menopause, when their hormonal fluctuations have stabilized, who tells us that “this too shall pass”. Sometimes knowing this is enough to allow us to endure these pre/perimenopausal symptoms. Sometimes the feelings are so disruptive to our lives that we need help from a healthcare provider.
Our message is to both know it’s normal and to get help if you need it.
And one last heads up, if you click through to read the whole article there are pop-up ads and this is a teaser to get you to buy the print edition of Prima which is published in France. We have no relationship with this publication.
More about mood changes during the menopause transition here.
