Anxiety & Menopause

For my mother, 2012 was the end of the world as she knew it. That was the year she hit menopause, and it caught her off guard. While she expected physical changes like hot flashes and disturbed sleep, she was unaware of the mental toll of menopause. There was barely any mental health awareness at the time, and speaking about menopause was taboo. As a naive 22-year-old, I turned to the one place I knew had answers: the Internet. Mama had always been my rock, and it was time for me to be hers. More than anything else, I was worried about her anxiety. If I found ways to reduce the challenges of menopause, she would feel calmer. Little did I know that this was not something I, or anyone else, could control. 

Why does menopause cause anxiety? 

Soon, I learned that my mother was not anxious because she was unprepared for the change. Her anxiety was a result of hormonal changes and poor sleep quality. As a woman nears menopause, her estrogen levels fall. They stay low during menopause, and that’s where the problem lies. Research says that reduced estrogen levels cause anxiety, particularly for women with preexisting anxiety or premenstrual disorders. 

While my mother did not get an anxiety disorder, she began exhibiting some symptoms like overthinking and irritability. They made it harder for her to fall asleep and made her quite snappy.

What can you do to cope? 

Firstly, accept that you are likely to experience anxiety during menopause. With acceptance, you will be in the headspace to discover healthy ways to cope. Here are some tips that might help:

1) Rely on your pets

Pets not only make for good company, but they also provide health benefits for people of all ages. It is no surprise that they are therapeutic for women experiencing menopause. So whether you have a cat or a dog, make sure to spend quality time with them. Pets provide numerous mental and physical health benefits, so if you are not a pet owner, now is the perfect time to adopt. Unfortunately, my mama is not an animal person, so I knew this tip was not for her. If she were a cat lover like me, we would have probably adopted the stray tabby cat that lurked nearby. 

2) Modify your diet

Diet plays a crucial role in reducing various menopause symptoms. To reduce anxiety, include foods rich in phytoestrogens. Also known as dietary estrogen, phytoestrogens are plant compounds whose chemical structure is highly similar to estrogen. Therefore, when we consume phytoestrogens, our estrogen receptors treat them like estrogen. With increased estrogen in the body, stress and anxiety levels dip. As a result, “phytoestrogens offer a natural alternative to the synthetic estrogen used in hormone replacement therapies.” You do not need to go out of the way to find them. Phytoestrogen-rich foods such as soybeans, chickpeas, and strawberries are tasty and widely available. Consuming them also alleviates other menopause symptoms like hot flashes, weight gain, and insomnia. But not all phytoestrogens are good for you, and overconsumption may cause health problems. Consult an expert before you make any dietary changes. As my father is a doctor, he quickly charted an effective diet plan.

3) Be physically active

It is common knowledge that when it comes to health, exercise is as important as diet. Sadly, raising three kids while my dad focused on setting up his practice gave my mother little time for exercise. Household chores and parenting kept her physically active – until we grew up and began to fend for ourselves. Except for me, my sisters had left the nest, so it was up to me to incorporate exercise into her daily routine. Middle age is hard enough to deal with without being lectured by your adult spawn. Plus, as I had a sedentary lifestyle, I was in no position to be preachy. I kept it simple and asked my mom to be my walking partner. She agreed when I told her I was depressed and lacked the motivation to go alone. Our walks soon became a ritual that eased my depression and soothed her nerves. While writing this piece, I learned that much like a Calcium supplement, walking helps maintain bone health. The combination of the diet plan and regular walks made my mom fitter and happier in a month. 

4) Try hormone replacement therapy

HRT or hormone replacement therapy should be considered a last resort as it causes health problems that may outweigh its benefits. Also, there are many forms of HRT, and only professionals can help you make the safest choice. Due to these reasons, you need to consult your gynecologist and primary care physician before you opt for hormone replacement therapy. Thankfully, my mom did not need to undergo HRT.

Does anxiety go away after menopause? 

It reduces, but the level differs from person to person. My mother is back to her former patient nature and slightly anxious self. If you find yourself struggling to cope with anxiety, make sure you seek professional help.