Menopause Anxiety
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.
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 the anxiety and panic attacks are generally psychosomatic and don’t have a physiological basis means that they are easier to treat. People are often told that their illnesses are in their head in the case of anxiety. Although it’s not an illness, the cause is most definately in the head. In fact, it is in a small area of the brain called the amygdala which 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 you 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 of 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 you life. By taking action you can help to eliminate it from your life.