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Sheryl Kraft

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January 30, 2017

Menopause and Anxiety: The Connection

Published in: Anxiety, Anxiety and Menopause, Mood swings, Panic Attacks, Stress and menopause, Why you feel stressed

Menopause.

Yes, it takes away your period – for good. And considering that the average number you’ve had in your lifetime hovers somewhere around 450, you might be happy to say buh-bye.

But in return, menopause ushers in some other things you might not be so happy about: anxiety, depression, mood swings, panic attacks. That wild roller-coaster of high-pitched emotional craziness. If you suffered PMS back in the day, this is PMS on steroids; a newer – yet hardly improved – version.

Estimates vary on just how many women experience psychiatric problems during menopause. But that number hardly matters when you’re the one who feels like you’re losing your mind.

I’ve written a lot about menopause, and interviewed a lot of leading experts. And no one topic has elicited such passion among the sisterhood of menopause as this one.

Years ago, I wrote about menopause and anxiety for my other blog, Midlife Matters, and to this day women are still commenting. It’s turned into an online support group of sorts, with almost 300 responses sharing their stories.

Yes, misery does love company, I suppose, but with good reason: So many women go through it, and feel so alone. Connecting with other women is extremely reassuring.

So, what IS the connection between menopause and anxiety? Is it coincidence, or is it related to changing hormones?

When I interviewed Jason Eric Schiffman, M.D., for the article published on Midlife Matters, he gave me some answers. He said that there is “absolutely a connection” between hormonal changes and psychiatric symptoms in general. Women in perimenopause are “more likely to experience panic attacks…than other women of the same age who are pre- or postmenopausal.”

You’re not imagining it. Oh, no.

Around the time of menopause, there are other stressors – which by themselves, can add to a woman’s anxiety and sees them looking for alternative remedies like can be found at Area52.com to help them cope. When you consider things like caring for aging parents, dealing with an empty nest, brain drain, and dealing with the symptoms of menopause like sleeplessness, hot flashes, joint pain, and other body changes, it’s a miracle we are staying on the right side of sanity.

The good news? Once menopause passes, many women find their level of anxiety decreases. Margery Gass, MD, former president and executive director emeritus of the North American Menopause Society, is reassuring: The mood swings are temporary. About one year after your period is gone, you’ll settle into a “new plateau” of emotional comfort, she says. To help you navigate this time you may need additional help to ease your anxiety, this can come in a few forms that you may want to discuss with your doctor. For instance, medical marijuana is now seen as a pioneering move in reducing stress and you may not know that live resin and live rosin are both cannabis concentrates that you can utilize to help yourself, it all depends on what works best for you during this body upheaval.

Despite the ongoing debate – does anxiety cause an increase in common menopause symptoms like hot flashes and sleep problems? – or do those symptoms cause anxiety? – the connection between menopause and anxiety is irrefutable.

In the interim, manage your symptoms with some positive things like:

  1. A healthy diet
  2. Plenty of exercise
  3. Stress management
  4. Girlfriend bitching sessions!
  5. Advice/help from your healthcare professional if all else fails. (There are options.)
  6. Maybe try the granddaddy purple canada offers, its worth a go!
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  1. Irene S. Levine says

    February 4, 2017 at 2:50 pm

    Love the idea of those girlfriend sessions!

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About Me

What’s this so-called midlife, anyway?

It’s a time of tremendous change, growth and opportunity. A time to re-evaluate our choices, our experiences and ourselves. A time to take what we’ve accumulated up until now and put it to work.

When I turned 50, many things changed... read more about me.

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speaks realistically about what happens when we approach our 50’s and beyond

I think your website is GREAT!  It's hard to find an online space that speaks realistically about what happens when we approach our 50's and beyond.  Keep writing, and thanks for your support."
Sheryl Kraft
2016-11-29T02:25:43+00:00
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A High School Student and Aspiring Writer from Australia Reaches Out…

I would love to hear a few things on the prospect from a first hand-perspective, and would be thrilled to learn more about it from you. Your advice is well valued and I’m very grateful to have such wise words from someone with such first hand experience.

I will be looking forward to reading more of your wonderful articles in the future!

Best wishes,

Mikayla

 
Sheryl Kraft
2017-01-17T13:37:55+00:00
I would love to hear a few things on the prospect from a first hand-perspective, and would be thrilled to learn more about it from you. Your advice is well valued and I’m very grateful to have such wise words from someone with such first hand experience. I will be looking forward to reading more of your wonderful articles in the future! Best wishes, Mikayla  
https://sherylkraft.com/testimonials/high-school-student-aspiring-writer-australia-reaches/

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Sheryl Kraft
2018-12-07T02:46:56+00:00
On behalf of our entire organization, we'd like to thank you so much for featuring our product in last week’s Parade Magazine. Due to your article, traffic and sales have been great this past week.! We are a small business that prides ourselves on excellent product quality and customer service. We work hard to make quality products and market them effectively but then sometimes you get a gift like your article which really takes us to the next level. We will be eternally grateful to you for choosing us as one of your eye product recommendations.  
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I'm a young medical writer trying to get a foothold in the industry, so the portfolio you have on your website showcasing your accomplishments is something that I'm aiming to achieve.

I don't want to take up too much of your time, but I am hoping you can share some advice, tips, or guidance as I work on this, my lateral career change!

Thanks for taking the time to read this - I know you probably have much more exciting things to be doing, but just know that your work is inspiring me to continue down this writing path.

 
Sheryl Kraft
2020-02-14T14:57:09+00:00
I'm a young medical writer trying to get a foothold in the industry, so the portfolio you have on your website showcasing your accomplishments is something that I'm aiming to achieve. I don't want to take up too much of your time, but I am hoping you can share some advice, tips, or guidance as I work on this, my lateral career change! Thanks for taking the time to read this - I know you probably have much more exciting things to be doing, but just know that your work is inspiring me to continue down this writing path.  
https://sherylkraft.com/testimonials/im-writing-to-express-my-admiration-for-the-work-you-are-doing/
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