Midlife Motivation

Is the menopause causing you major emotional upheaval? Please see products available below and links to organsations offering further help.

Many women suffer an emotional roller coaster ride during menopause.  Mood swings, tension, anxiety, low self-steem, forgetfulness, inability to make decisions, iritability, tearfulness lack of concentration and depression can all be part of your menopausal experience.

Experts say these changes occur due to areas of the brain being affected by low levels of oestrogen which naturally happens during menopause. 

To help restore emotional wellbeing it is worthwhile examining a variety of avenues including self-help, medical treatment and complimentary therapy.

In this article you will find sections on ►Self Help  ►Medical Treatment  and ►Complementary Therapy along with a list of other useful Related Links at the foot of this page.

Self-help

• Look for self-help groups in your area or Yoga classes for relaxation
• See below a selection of self-help books currently available from Amazon
• Exercise can lift your mood by the release of natural endorphins - work on an average of 20 to 30 minutes per day

Medical Treatment

On a personal note, my worst days are what I call my black days when I feel like I am in a thick fog. I have tried Evening Primrose Oil, Starflower Oil, Black Cohosh, HRT (in many forms) and though they help my other symptoms, they cannot shift the fog.

My strategy for dealing with this is to not beat myself up for feeling like this. Only do what is necessary on these days, and try to relax with some meditation and relaxation exercises if possible but put off decision making, as one thing is for certain, these feelings will pass and everything will become clear again in a day or so.

Susan Loveday

The main treatment for emotional symptoms is HRT. Contact your local GP or practice nurse to discuss HRT and other possibilities.

For Your Info:

To find out about what the NHS have to say on HRT giving Expert Views, Risks and Medical Guides (giving lists of named HRT's available), go to the Related Link to NHS below.  The link will take you to the home page then just type HRT into their Search box.

Complementary Therapy

Visit your local herbalist for advice on your particular symptoms.  Valerian root and passion flower can help have a calming effect on anxiety and may also help with insomnia.  Siberian ginseng is said to help alleviate depression.  It is well worth listing your symptoms to take to your herbalist to give them the whole picture.

To check out their Glossary of Complimentary Medicine see Related link below.

Tags: complimentary therapy, exercise, HRT, menopause, Yoga