The Emotional Side Of Menopause
Going through menopause is like falling in love. Others don’t understand the full impact until they experience it.
Anyone who has not done it wonders why these people get so worked up about it.
How could anything be so exasperating and emotionally intense, enough to cause a person to be unable to sleep, have sweaty palms, become forgetful and distracted and impatient?
Get a grip, these life-experience neophytes might think. Lovers nod and smile dreamily, as if to say, "I know, I know, I never understood it either.
But now I know what all the fuss was about. Words can't explain what it feels like. It is amazing."
Menopausers also nod and smile, but through gritted teeth, eyes blazing, as if to say, "How do you feel about sleeping in the garage, chump?"
To some, emotional menopause symptoms are no big deal. But to some women, they are the final proof that God must be a man.
Women view menopause in many ways throughout history. A few hundred years ago, it gave women relief and joy, because it signaled the end of their baby-producing mission.
Years later, it was a malady that needed treatment because of the horrendous suffering it caused and emotional menopause symptoms.
More recently, women consider menopause an unpleasant nuisance that they can, or even should, control pharmaceutically.
Regardless of society's view, emotional menopause symptoms have not changed. Estrogen production starts slowing down an average of four years before full-blown menopause settles in.
The Perimenopause Stage
This stage we call "perimenopause," special in its own right because this is when women begin the phenomenon lovingly and warmly referred to as the "hot flash" ("power surge" to nonconformists).
Just as there are hot flashes in the physical symptoms of menopause, you can also experience emotional menopause symptoms such as emotional hot flashes.
Their periods may gradually become irregular, they may occasionally have uncharacteristic trouble sleeping; and their breasts may be more tender than usual.
Part Two of this guide to menopause covers in detail, the physical symptoms of menopause. They will have occasional mood swings that may catch them by surprise and leave them wondering if they have finally lost it.
Legions of women can testify: Perimenopause exists for no other reason than to taunt women with a sneak preview of the real fate toward which they are heading at the speed of rock formation.
Gradually its victims will find new outlets for sarcasm and kvetching (and, by golly, sometimes it feels darn good).
Declining estrogen levels enable them to be more resourceful when it comes to discovering the faults of those around them, at home and at work, and to have fewer reticence about pointing out said faults to the offenders.
