Psychological symptoms that many of us experience in our perimenopausal and menopausal years can be some of the most debilitating. These can be hard for us to admit. Sometimes, we are not even aware that we are suffering from psychological symptoms. We often attribute what we are experiencing to the general stresses and strains of life, and getting older, without realising that fluctuating hormone levels may have something to do with it.
Mental health issues, whether due to menopause or not, remain a taboo topic. It’s strange that many of us feel more comfortable talking about our physical symptoms, whereas we tend to keep anything to do with our mental health to ourselves. This can end-up making everything ten times harder to cope with.
How to better manage psychological symptoms
First and foremost, we must take a look at our lifestyle.
What we eat, drink and how well exercised we are can make significant differences to how effectively we are able cope with these symptoms.
Be sure to incorporate energising foods into your diet! Reduce those carbs, only eat the healthy fats and keep hydrated throughout the day.
Making some form of exercise part of our daily routine is vital, even if it’s just a short walk. Incorporate a variety of exercise throughout the week! Try to have one session of stretching and movement, perhaps through a pilates or yoga class. Make it fun, not a chore. Set yourself realistic goals which are sustainable. Nobody is asking for you to run a marathon. Most of us will be easily able to add just 10-minutes of high intensity exercise, often this can be enough. As with anything, find out what suits you and your lifestyle, and something you know will be sustainable. Don’t set yourself up for failure. Just make sure you do something which releases those wonderful endorphins in the brain!
Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT)
CBT is as effective for some women, if not more so, than any form of medication to treat psychological symptoms of menopause. One of the main advantages of CBT is that you are learning life-skills which help you to manage your symptoms. The more you practise them, the more effective they will become, and the easier you will find them to use.
Mindfulness
Like CBT, focusses on the present and the positive. It’s a useful life skill to learn, and helpful when coping with the psychological symptoms being thrown at you.
Counselling
Any form of talking therapy can be beneficial, whether that’s sharing your problems with a trusted friend or going to see a therapist. It remains one of the most effective treatments.
Alternative Remedies
There are many alternative remedies that you can try, including herbs, but remember they can have side-effects and can interact with other medication you might be taking. It’s better to get advice from a trained medical herbalist rather than self-medicating.
Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
Replacing oestrogen will have a beneficial effect. It will also help treat other symptoms you might be suffering from. But remember HRT is not a magic bullet and without changes to diet and lifestyle it may only have a small impact on symptom management.
Antidepressants
These definitely have their place in the medical world. However, the NICE guidelines (UK) for menopause clearly state that they should not be the first line of treatment. All the other options above should be considered first.
Rest & Relaxation
R & R is essential for treating any symptom but particularly if they are psychological. Making sure that you get even just 10-mins to yourself every day can make a big difference. Ideally try to give yourself a little longer! The more rested and relaxed you are, the more exercised and well nourished you are, the better you will cope with any symptom.
‘As with any information created by Menopause Experts Group the information in this post is accurate at time of posting and is for information purposes only. It is not intended to replace or substitute the judgement of any medical professional you may come in contact with. You should always seek advice from your health care professional regarding a medical condition’
