Anxiety and the Menopause

Meg Matthews discusses the underlying symptoms of the menopause and some simple tips to overcome them. 

When I first started researching the menopause, I learnt that there are at least 34 symptoms. Every woman has a different combination of symptoms in varying degrees. I had the majority of the 34 symptoms and for me, the most overwhelming ones were anxiety, night sweats, fatigue and joint pain but for some of you, it maybe others. Every woman’s journey is different.

Anxiety was the first major symptom I experienced.

I woke up one morning with an odd sensation in my gut like I had a million butterflies flying around in my stomach. As the days and weeks went by, the feeling became more and more intense until it had completely overwhelmed me. It got to the point where I couldn’t eat, work or even leave the house. Even basic things like picking up the phone or cooking dinner seemed to elude me. Honestly, I was completely terrified by how I felt. Now that I was 50 and with the benefit of experience on my side, why was I struggling so much?

The only thing that seemed to ease my internal angst was submerging myself in a film. The moment I put a film on that horrible feeling would just start to fade. But the second the film finished I was back to square one; my mind pulsing and insides churning. I had lost my appetite and my muscles became torn and stiff from the constant feeling of stress and tension. I remember thinking just how strange it all was. Everything became like mountains in my mind. I tried everything I could think of to rid me of this feeling, from breathing exercises to meditation. But no matter what I tried, my mind stayed a chaotic mess and I was just lost, swirling away in a whirlpool of anxiety. Perhaps one of the worst things about anxiety is the sense of isolation you feel. You almost feel that no matter how loud you scream they can never hear you and it’s that sense of being alone that is terribly frightening. Anxiety creates a vicious cycle. You worry, which makes you worry more, which makes you feel anxious, which you worry about and the worry makes you worry.

I had never associated any of those symptoms with the menopause.

One day, I was reading about anxiety online and discovered that anxiety was linked to the menopause. I went to my GP and told him about my symptoms. He prescribed me a course of anti-depressants and sent me on my way. But somehow, I didn’t think that was the right solution for me. So, I went back to my GP and told him that I’d also been experiencing sore joints, headaches, tender breasts and feelings of nausea too. My GP then said that there was a strong possibility that I was going through the menopause. I then started researching in more depth and I realised that my unexplained anxiety was down to the falling levels of oestrogen in my body. I couldn’t quite believe that something as ‘simple’ as falling oestrogen levels could have such a negative effect on my mental wellbeing. After I started HRT treatment and my oestrogen levels increased, I found myself starting to calm soon. Anxiety had taken me from being a confident, outgoing person and turned me into a shadow of myself. It was the most empowering feeling as I started to feel like Meg again.

My Top Tips

Try and cut out caffeine

Your hormones are already in flux and too much cortisol (a stress hormone) can have a negative effect on the amount of oestrogen and progesterone in your body. This can cause the imbalance of hormones to worsen.

Cut out alcohol

I’ve spoken to a lot of women and many of them have told me that alcohol doesn’t help at all. When you are anxious, it can be really tempting to reach for a bottle of wine to take the edge off the feeling. But things tend to only get worse if alcohol becomes your crutch.

Go for a walk

Even if you don’t feel like it, even if the thought of seeing anyone along the way gives you anxiety. Go for a ten or fifteen-minute walk. Even a small amount of exercise increases serotonin levels in the brain and can improve your mood.

Try and get some sleep

A lack of sleep and the menopause go hand in hand. Anxiety, night sweats and generally feeling out of sorts can really take its toll on your sleep pattern. It might sound too simple, but by having a hot chocolate or Ovaltine made with oat milk can help you. A hot bath with a cup of Epsom salts before bed can also help you relax.

Find the treatment that works for you

You have to decide what will be best for you based on your body, family history and lifestyle. HRT may be the right thing for you but equally it may not be. Research different treatments and when you visit your GP, be honest and open about your symptoms and make sure you get the help and treatment that is right for you.

DON’T SUFFER IN SILENCE

Talk to someone you trust about how you’re feeling, no matter how hard it may be. Just talk. There is great truth in the saying that a burden shared is a burden halved. If your anxiety is taking over your life, go and see your GP or speak to a medical professional.

About The Author

Meg Mathews is the founder of MegsMenopause. An icon of the nineties Brit Pop scene and a former music industry PR, events planner and designer, Meg has become an entrepreneur and an international advocate for the menopause. Meg has since then become a spokeswoman to raise awareness to the chronic lack of support of women going through the menopause in the workplace and in all areas of their lives.

Instagram - @megmathewsofficial_ | Website - megsmenopause.com