Menopause and Irritability – All You Need to Know
Many women in the stages of pre-menopause and menopause feel depressed
and irritable. Some researchers believe that the decrease in estrogen
triggers changes in the brain, causing depression. Others think that
supplementary symptoms you are having, such as sleep problems, hot
flashes, night sweats and fatigue are the causes of these feelings.
Alternatively, it could be a blend of hormonal changes and symptoms.
However, these symptoms can also be caused due to reasons unrelated to
menopause, though menopause is the main cause of these symptoms in a
woman. Mood changes and irritability may also be more common in women
who have had difficulty with PMS.
Menopause and Irritability: Symptoms
The other factors that influence mood swings and irritability in
menopausal women are difficulty with memory and attention span. Some
women report difficulties with concentrating or remembering specific
words. These women may stutter and stammer over a certain word, even
though the word is on the tip of their tongue. Certain uneasiness
resides at the back of the mind, causing thoughts to wander and
curtails concentration.
A woman with attention-deficit disorder may first realize this and go
for treatment when she reaches menopause. Declining estrogen levels
have aggravated her ability to concentrate. Insomnia, better known as
sleeplessness, is a common complaint from women in pre-menopause or
menopause. Irritability during menopause may increase due to night
sweats and disrupted sleep patterns. This is a relative condition
because impaired sleep can cause touchiness and depression and in turn,
irritability and depression can impair sleep. Reduced sleep leads to
tiredness and irritability during the day.
Menopause and Irritability: Depression
Feeling depressed during or before menopause and feeling negative about
menopause and getting older, increases the stress, and can result in
more severe menopause symptoms. If you start smoking and are not being
physically active, unhappy in your relationship, or unemployed, or feel
the biological clock ticking away – making you regretful that you
cannot have children anymore- any of these situations could quite
naturally lead to irritability when confronted with menopause. Timely
and proper treatment can stem the problem, which could get very serious
if left untreated.
Menopause and Irritability: How to Get Relief
There are countless ways to alleviate emotional symptoms related to
menopause and irritability. Sometimes, talking to friends and family,
or doing relaxation exercises eases the problem. However, if symptoms
really disrupt your life, talk to your doctor about hormone replacement
therapy or, if you are still menstruating, low-dose birth control pills
are an option as are a newer alternative form of therapy called
bio-identical hormones. Blues that linger and cause fatigue, sleep
problems, trouble concentrating and lack of interest in sex may be a
sign of a more serious type of depression.
Menopause and Irritability: Talk to Your Near and Dear Ones
First, speak to a professional about any emotional problems. Discussing
your problems with anyone, a doctor, therapist, or friend, can often
bring much needed relief. At this critical juncture in a woman\’s life,
supportive family and friends are even more necessary.
In some cases, your doctor might prescribe medication. Hormone
Replacement Therapy – usually given to treat hot flashes and protect
bones against osteoporosis, may work to relieve symptoms, but don\’t
forget to also explore bio-identical alternatives. Once the hot flashes
and night sweats, go away, both sleep and moods are likely to be
significantly improved.
