Many women don't talk about menopause because they associate it with getting old. When women hear the word menopause, they think old. And that's why many women don't talk about it. That's what Ellen Dolgen believes.
There are a number of reasons for this, with many of which being rooted in the intersection of sexism and ageism. Reproductive health in general is stigmatised, and menopause is no exception. For years, women have coped with the symptoms of menopause with little to no support.
The menopause is an ageing process that women go through, so it's understandable that many men don't know too much about it. The menopause causes many women to experience a difficult range of symptoms, some of which last for years.
Numerous studies reveal how women living in environments that negatively perceive menopause experience stronger physical and mental symptoms. Whereas non-western countries believe that menopause is a beautiful time of change, western countries generally associate menopause with aging and loss of sexual vitality.
It may cause discomfort or pain during sex and can make having a smear test difficult or painful. Vaginal dryness, itching and burning are very common symptoms of the menopause transition, but women are often embarrassed to talk about them.
For something is so ubiquitous as menopause, why is it so stigmatized? Dr. Stephanie Faubion, Mayo Clinic, Center for Women's Health: Well, I think it has been stigmatized in the past because it's so tied to aging. You know, the mean age of menopause in the United States is 52.
And the consensus was that the majority of women feel better once they're through the menopause. They have a much better life and lots of other aspects tend to be more positive as well.
Changes in your hormones during menopause can impact your mental health as well as your physical health. You may experience feelings of anxiety, stress or even depression. Menopausal symptoms may include: anger and irritability.
Many women report increased forgetfulness and "brain fog" during the menopausal transition. All women eventually undergo menopause, but there is a large age range for when it begins (from late 40s to early 60s), and substantial variation in women's experience of its impact.
Additionally, the many symptoms of menopause have been known to have drastic impacts on the state of relationships. Causing an increase in disputes, a lack of understanding, reduced physical intimacy, poor communication and eventually the breakdown of a relationship.
Menopause is a woman's final menstrual period. It's a normal and healthy part of ageing. A woman has reached menopause if they haven't had a period for 12 months. Menopause usually happens between 45 and 55 years of age, but it can happen earlier or later, up to around 60 years.
Offer support and understanding
Good communication is especially important during the menopause when some women experience mood swings (see 'Emotions: mood swings, anxiety and depression'), loss of sex drive (libido) and other symptoms – all of which may undermine relationships.
After menopause, women could care for their grandchildren, nieces and nephews. They could forage and grow food, producing more than they consumed. This idea is often called the Grandmother Hypothesis, a concept that emerged in the 1990s, wherein older women are favored by evolution because they enhance human survival.
Most women will experience menopausal symptoms. Some women will experience few, or no, symptoms. But for some, they can be quite severe and have a significant impact on everyday life. The first sign of menopause is usually a change in the normal pattern of your periods.
While the menopause isn't a mental health condition, it can affect your mental health. Hormone changes during the menopause can sometimes make mental health conditions worse. If you have a history of depression, you're more likely to be depressed during menopause.
Loss of estrogen during menopause also can result in “brain fog,” making concentration and finding words difficult. Menopause can mean less time spent in deep sleep, too. As a result, quality of sleep becomes less restorative, which can be distressing and disruptive.
Your estrogen takes a nosedive during menopause (defined as when you haven't had a menstrual cycle in 12 months) and the years leading up to it, called perimenopause. This change has a huge impact on your sexual function. It can lower desire and make it harder for you to become aroused.
Most women experience menopause between the ages of 45 and 55 years as a natural part of biological ageing. Menopause is caused by the loss of ovarian follicular function and a decline in circulating blood oestrogen levels. The menopausal transition can be gradual, usually beginning with changes in the menstrual cycle.
Many people in postmenopause experience moodiness, anxiety and depression. This could be caused by stress, sexual tension or other life challenges that occur during this time. Some people feel sad that their reproductive years are over. Mood symptoms can also be caused by decreased hormone levels.
The good news is that brain fog associated with menopause is temporary. Here are tips from Jean Hailes for Women's Health to help combat brain fog. Exercise regularly. Try mindfulness and meditation to help reduce levels of anxiety and stress.
Menopause can make you sick.
Menopause raises a woman's risk of heart disease, stroke and osteoporosis. So if a woman in your life hasn't been getting regular checkups and health screenings, this is a good time for her to start.
Some men (11%) noted that it was upsetting or frustrating to see their partners going through this transition. Most men affected by menopausal symptoms believed the symptoms had a very or somewhat negative impact on them (77%), their relationships (56%), or their partners (70%).
Exercise is key in getting to and staying at a weight that supports your health at any age. During menopause, it can help you lose belly fat. Doing “targeted" abdominal exercises to get rid of belly fat sounds like it would help, but you can't tell your body exactly where to shed pounds.