Menopause and Mental Health in Seattle
The Intersection of Menopause and Mental Wellness: Support in Seattle
Chelsea Kramer LMFT #60543643 | Licensed in Washington | 15 years in practice | Member of The Menopause Society
Photo from Pexels by Maressa Andrioli
You’re used to being the calm one in the family. You deal with challenges as they arise and help guide loved ones in the right direction. Even when your kids were teens and unbearable, you figured it out. They’re getting older and more independent, but now you’re dealing with aging parents. You’re at a great stage in your career, but the stress can take a toll. At times it’s hard to concentrate. You’re questioning your relationship and if it’s truly making you happy. You feel lonely a lot. Lately you’ve also noticed some changes in your body, night sweats, hot flashes, and trouble sleeping.
You know it isn’t rational, but you’re noticed you’ve been more irritable and lose your temper more easily than ever before. You know your reactions are exaggerated, whether it’s getting angry or sometimes crying for no apparent reason. You feel out of control and times and it’s really isolating. You wonder if these experiences are normal. Are they temporary?
The things your doctor is telling you are a little scary but you wonder how scary it would be for the women that don’t even get this information. The medical risks of aging are terrifying, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and cancer. You worry about your health sometimes. You think back to when you were pregnant and realize you had some mood challenges during that time.
If you’re a person experiencing changes around your menopause transition and want to bolster your physiological flexibility, increase resiliency and feel better about life, schedule a free consultation today.
Questions About Menopause and Mental Health in Seattle
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Irritability
Anxiety
Sadness
Stress
Depression
Mental fog
Body Image Issues
Sex Issues
Relationship Changes
Health Concerns—osteoporosis, sleep disturbance, heart disease, hot flashes, vulva and vagina changes.
Societal Messaging
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· Identify stressors
· Commit to valued action
· Develop mindfulness practices
· Build self-soothing strategies
· Process trauma
· Dismantle toxic messages around your body and aging.
· Build healthier, more meaningful relationships.
· Accept changes beyond your control
· Bolster emotional tolerance
· Increase psychological flexibility
· Build self-advocacy skills
· Therapy can validate and hold witness to your experiences
· Decrease intensity of some physical symptoms
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· Childhood trauma or negative experiences
· Negative attitudes towards aging.
· Lack of quality sleep.
· Lack of social support.
· Smoking
· History of depression (especially hormone related)
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Many women report feeling different than in other parts of their lives. This can appear in a variety of ways. Some people may experience being more irritable, irrational, confused or depressed. The difference is primarily due to hormonal changes in the body. Hormones play a significant role in daily human life, although we are not just our hormones. Research shows the more favorable attitudes people have around the menopause transition, the easier it is to get through.
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The phrase ‘I’m in menopause’ is commonly used when people are experiencing symptoms, but menopause can’t be formally confirmed until twelve months after the final period. Premenopause is considered the time before the final period, perimenopause is the year after the final period, and post menopause is after that one year. That’s why it’s helpful to think of it as a transition rather than ‘in’ or ‘out.’
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Vaginal dryness, decreased libido, joint pain, pain with sex, brain fog, sleep disturbance, hot flashes and night sweats, abnormal menstrual bleeding.
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Many clients are reflecting on shifts in their lives. Many people change jobs, careers, and relationships. Women’s financial standing can change with divorce or job change. Often times, children are growing up and that relationship is changing as the kids become young adults. This is a common time to re-evaluate life choices, values, and actions.
A Holistic Approach to Menopause and Mental Health
Image from Pexels by rfstudio
You are more than a sack of hormones. Society loves to tell us that women aren’t worth much once they can’t push out babies. Having a safe space to discuss, process, and shift unhelpful patterns during this normal life transition can help you manage physical symptoms.
The menopause transition not only brings physical changes, but it’s often a time of life change including kids leaving the house, job transition or stress, relationship changes, aging parents, and changes in health status. During the menopause transition, there is an increased risk of depression, especially if you enter it before forty-five or primary ovarian insufficiency. If you already experienced anxiety or depression, or did during the perinatal period, you may be at increased risk. Estrogen plays a role in regulating neurotransmitters associated with mood such as serotonin and norepinephrine.
I’m not a medical doctor but can work closely with your care team to make sure we are supporting you holistically during this normal phase of life and transition.
Just because something is ‘normal’ doesn’t mean it isn’t hard. The menopause transition is a normal period of life, and you don’t have to sit through it quietly. If any of the issues listed above are bothering you, or a change you’re dealing with isn’t listed and you wonder if I can help, reach out and schedule a free consultation today. It’s okay to ask for help.
Want to learn more about Chelsea? My work focuses on individuals and families dealing with anxiety, grief, and medical trauma, with a special focus on infertility, pregnancy loss, menopause, and health issues.
Disclaimer: Mental health support during menopause is NOT a substitute for medical evaluation or medical care.