therapy for mood changes during perimenopause and menopause
no. it’s not all in your head. mood changes are real during perimenopause.
Sure, we all think of the hot flashes, the night sweats, and maybe (thankfully) the end of the periods when perimenopause comes into the conversation. What’s discussed less often is the very real mood shifts.
Perimenopause hits during an enormously stressful time in a woman’s life typically between 40-50 years old while balancing demanding careers, launching children, caring for aging parents, and a navigating a increasingly chaotic world. The physical stress of these hormone and identify shifts often adds to mental health stress.
This is where therapy can help. I am used to partnering with my clients to look holistically at what patterns and other dynamics are going on in their life that might contribute, alongside perimenopause, to mood shifts. We work together to get you unstuck and living the life you want.
4 in 10 women going through perimenopause will experience mood symptoms similar to PMS including irritability, low energy, feel tearful and moody, or have a hard time concentrating. Unlike PMS, these symptoms don’t have a pattern and may go on for years. — Dr. Nazanin E. Silver, ACOG
Depression and anxiety are common during perimenopause and menopause
Some symptom of depression include:
not feeling interested in your normal activitiesfeeling sluggish, worthless or numbfeelings of guiltnoticing that you’re crying a lotaches or pains that don’t have a clear causesleep challenges (falling asleep, staying asleep, waking frequently, trouble getting out of bed)
Some symptoms of anxiety include:
restlessnesspanic attacksconstant worry or fearmental & physical exhaustion (or burnout)feeling edgy, snappy, or defensivemuscle tension including jaw/back/neck/migrainesGI complaintsfeeling like you are spacing out often or outside your body at timessleep challenges (falling asleep, staying asleep, waking frequently, trouble getting out of bed)