The first thing to get clear in this article is that menopause anxiety and related panic attacks are not caused by the hormone imbalance that brings perimenopause and menopause. They are usually brought on by the consequences of the hormone imbalance in your body during menopause.
For example…if you are at an important meeting and have a hot flash before the next meeting you attend, you will no doubt start to feel anxious about having another hot flash. To simplify further, you might be feeling anxiety about the symptoms of menopause and how it will affect your life.
Key Points of Menopause Anxiety
- Menopause anxiety is generally the feeling of nervousness or anxiety over how the symptoms might affect your life rather than menopause itself giving you anxiety.
- While anxiety can cause physical symptoms such as sweating, nausea, and sleeplessness, the most accepted understanding of anxiety is psychosomatic and can be treated with the right plan with your doctor.
- Anxiety can affect everyone differently and no one is anxiety-proof. Anxiety has its basis in survival tactics in early humans so you are not alone or will be considered abnormal if you are experienced menopause anxiety.
- The imbalance in your natural hormones can lead you to be more susceptible to anxiety.
This anxiety isn’t caused by the reduced amount of estrogen but by the hot flash. It is the same with menopause-related sleep disorders, if you don’t get a good night’s sleep you will naturally feel tired and fatigued. This may result in you feeling stressed and worrying about the chances of getting to sleep again that night.
The fact that anxiety and panic attacks are generally psychosomatic and don’t have a physiological basis means that they are sometimes easier to treat. People are often told that their illnesses are in their heads in the case of anxiety. Although it’s not an illness, the cause is most definitely in the head. In fact, it is in a small area of the brain called the amygdala that controls emotional responses.
There are 2 ways of treating your anxiety. First, you can tackle the root cause. If your anxiety is being caused by hot flashes, speak to your doctor about ways of reducing and controlling your hot flashes. Look into treatments for hot flashes or other menopausal symptoms. Once you have them under control you will find that your anxiety will reduce or disappear.
The second method of treatment would be to use relaxation techniques to reduce the anxiety. Meditation and relaxation methods are easy to master if you are open to trying them. Once mastered, even a few deep breaths can help you control any anxiety.
Regular yoga classes and visiting a gym for a light workout can also help to reduce your stress levels. Try talking to women in a similar situation to yourself. It is estimated that every day, menopause begins for 4000 women. There is no lack of help and experience for you to call on. Just talking to a sympathetic listener can go a long way to reducing your anxiety.
There is really no need for menopause anxiety to affect your life. By taking action you can help to eliminate it from your life. Of course, anxiety attacks can affect everyone differently and shouldn't be trivialized. For more information about menopause look at the amazing resources below.
Menopause Information Center
Do not take the content of this article as professional medical advice. It's important to exercise due diligence when obtaining relevant information in matters pertaining to your health. Always consult with your healthcare provider before making any medical decisions.