Like many women (or humans born with a uterus) in their mid to late forties and fifties, I have fully crossed the threshold from perimenopause to menopause. With this crossing, I have continued to learn just how little research and information the medical community, including therapists, are given about people with uterus' in this time of their lives. Now I am on a mission, for myself and for my clients, to understand more about what little research has to say about peri/menopause. As many of my clients enter this stage of our lives, I want to know enough to point them in the right direction for medical support and be able to normalize the experience as it impacts their mental health, not to mention our whole lives.
Did you know that peri/menopause symptoms include:
Brain fog
Increased anxiety
Increased depression
Can be early onset related to trauma, particularly sexual trauma
Can be early onset related to stress
Due to changes in the brain from reduced estrogen, coping skills that worked before may now be obsolete
Overstimulation
Sensitivity to noise or crowds
Phobias that were not previously present
Inability to mask as well if neuro-divergence is already present
Less effectiveness of SSRIs prescribed for anxiety and depression
Fatigue
Joint pain
Phantom smells
Weight gain
Decreased libido
Lack of estrogen leading to less bone density, heart problems, and high cholesterol.
These are just a few that research has uncovered that are not as well known as hot flashes and irritability. CBT and talk therapy are ways that we can get support during peri/menopause, along with other medical support like HRT, acupuncture, and supplements. Lets walk this journey together and get the support to live the lives we desire.
Read the latest study on mental health and menopause here: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/inm.13271
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