Learn more about Menopause, and Dr. Haver's book and other treatments at https://thepauselife.com/
Menopause can really impact mental health, but there are effective treatments, you don’t just have to grit your way through it, so let’s talk about it, and I’m excited to have menopause expert Dr. Mary-Claire Haver here to share the medical aspect of it.
Menopause is not just hot flashes, it’s not just the end of your period. It is a process that leads to changes throughout your entire body. Perimenopause begins 7-10 years before your period stops so you can start to see changes in your entire body, your sleep and your mental health as early as your mid-30’s. We start having a decline in estrogen and progesterone. Estrogen has been shown to have a modulating effect on mood-regulating neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine. And that’s going to make us more vulnerable to stress.

So it’s common to see, especially in perimenopause, symptoms like:
Depression
Anxiety- a lot of women experience more worry, restlessness, and physical symptoms like heart palpitations. Which can also lead to more symptoms of
Panic Disorder and
Irritability: Hormonal changes can make women more prone to mood swings and frustration, affecting their interactions with others.
It’s also very common for women to experience difficulty sleeping, insomnia, night sweats or early morning wakening- which can contribute to more irritability and
that takes us to …Brain fog. Some women experience memory lapses and difficulty concentrating during menopause, which can be really frustrating.

And this is all in addition to the common things people think about when it comes to menopause, hot flashes, night sweats, and metabolism changes which can make your body change quickly, in energy levels or weight gain.

And all of this, from lack of sleep to physical symptoms can impact your self-esteem and relationships, and clearly your mental health.



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Therapy in a Nutshell and the information provided by Emma McAdam are solely intended for informational and entertainment purposes and are not a substitute for advice, diagnosis, or treatment regarding medical or mental health conditions. Although Emma McAdam is a licensed marriage and family therapist, the views expressed on this site or any related content should not be taken for medical or psychiatric advice. Always consult your physician before making any decisions related to your physical or mental health.
In therapy I use a combination of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Systems Theory, positive psychology, and a bio-psycho-social approach to treating mental illness and other challenges we all face in life. The ideas from my videos are frequently adapted from multiple sources. Many of them come from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, especially the work of Steven Hayes, Jason Luoma, and Russ Harris. The sections on stress and the mind-body connection derive from the work of Stephen Porges (the Polyvagal theory), Peter Levine (Somatic Experiencing) Francine Shapiro (EMDR), and Bessel Van Der Kolk. I also rely heavily on the work of the Arbinger institute for my overall understanding of our ability to choose our life's direction.
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