Many women refer to menopause as a roller coaster because of the way their emotions can swing up and down. Two of the emotions associated with menopause are being irritable and having depression.
The lower levels of hormones are what can cause these emotions to surge in ways that might surprise you. Some women have described the escalating irritability or depression as having PMS – times ten.
Irritability associated with menopause can make you more easily annoyed than normal. You can feel impatience and anger in situations where you didn’t normally feel it.
This heightened emotional state can cause you to snap answers at people where you would once speak calmly and politely. It can make you feel like you want to react in ways that are more physical – such as when you get angry at someone on the phone, you would want to throw the phone across the room.
When your hormone levels were normal, that’s not behavior that you would engage in. Being irritable because of menopause can also make you feel less sympathetic toward the needs of others – even those closest to you.
It can make you say things that are less kind that you normally would. You might fly off the handle at the least little provocation and become so angry that you feel enraged over small things – such as being held up in traffic or having to wait in line at the grocery store.
Experiencing depression during menopause will show up in a variety of ways as well. You might start to struggle at home or at work in activities that you used to excel at.
You might find that you’re pulling away from other people – including loved ones – because you just want to be alone. Another sign of depression during menopause is feeling like nothing is going right.
You might have crying spells and not understand why. Fortunately, while menopause might lead you to experience these emotions, there is a way that you can fix how you feel through lifestyle changes or medication.
If you choose to use lifestyle changes to help, you can get involved with practices that help you calm your emotions and get rid of the stress that can go hand in hand with menopause.
What some women choose to do is take up yoga or they learn to practice mindfulness. You can also find a way to get involved in activities that help to keep you focused on something – such as taking up a hobby like painting, or writing in a journal.
Eating healthy and making sure that you regularly exercise can also help to alleviate both irritability and depression. Exercise releases the body’s feel good hormone so that you get a natural boost that helps calm you and lift your mood.
Sometimes, hormone replacement therapy is needed to deal with the emotions brought on by menopause. Be sure to ask your doctor about this practice, because it may not be a good fit for everyone.