Navigating the Menopausal Transition and Feelings of Being Overwhelmed by Anxiety

Feeling Anxious for the first time? Or could perimenopause be making it worse?

Are you navigating the menopausal transition and feeling overwhelmed by anxiety? Is this sensation of anxiety completely new for you? Just another gift from the menopause fairies? 

Many women experience a surge in anxiety during perimenopause and menopause. It's a complex time with fluctuating hormones, shifting life roles, and often, a sense of feeling lost or misunderstood layered by not even knowing why or how!

As a Certified Menopause Coaching Specialist, Clinical Hypnotherapist and Strategic Psychotherapist, I understand the unique challenges women face during this phase of life. I'm here to offer support and guidance as you navigate this transition and reclaim your sense of calm and well-being. 

Loving, supportive men our lives need this information to!

Whether you're experiencing hot flashes, mood swings, sleep disturbances, or a combination of symptoms, it's important to remember that effective help is available. I always recommend my client’s having a full and thorough assessment with their GP to ensure a wholistic care plan can be created.

Let's explore why anxiety can intensify during menopause and how a multi-faceted approach, combining medical care, coaching, hypnotherapy and strategic psychotherapy can help you find relief.

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Why Anxiety Can Spike During Perimenopause and Menopause

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1. Hormonal Havoc: Estrogen and progesterone, hormones that influence mood and brain function, undergo dramatic fluctuations during perimenopause. These hormonal shifts can disrupt emotional balance, increase vulnerability to stress, and trigger feelings of anxiety and even panic attacks (Schmidt et al., 2012).‍
2. Sleep Disruptions: Hot flashes, night sweats, and other perimenopausal symptoms can significantly disrupt sleep. Lack of quality sleep can exacerbate anxiety, creating a vicious cycle where anxiety leads to poor sleep, which further fuels anxiety.‍
3. Life Transitions and Role Changes: Perimenopause often coincides with significant life transitions, such as children leaving home, caring for aging parents, or career changes. These transitions can trigger feelings of loss, grief, and uncertainty, contributing to increased anxiety. Transitions in our lives can also include awareness of dissatisfaction in areas of our lives such as career. This new awareness can cause anxiety and sleep disruptions and for many women, it’s the first time they have experienced these symptoms.‍
4. Body Image Concerns: As highlighted by Girls Gone Strong, a community championing women's health and empowerment, societal pressures to maintain a youthful appearance can intensify during perimenopause. Changes in body composition and the physical signs of aging can lead to body image concerns and anxiety. We can feel anxiety about how we look, how these changes impact our relationships and our very sense of self.‍
5. Past Experiences and Vulnerabilities: Women with a history of anxiety disorders may be more susceptible to experiencing heightened anxiety during perimenopause. Hormonal changes and life stressors can act as triggers, reactivating old patterns and coping mechanisms. It is important that if you identify with this, that appropriate medical care professionals can be involved with your care plan. I’m a great additive – but I’m also an advocate for sound medical care.

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How I Can Help 

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As your Certified Menopause Coaching Specialist:

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• Education and Empowerment: I'll provide you with evidence-based information about perimenopause and menopause, explaining how hormonal changes can impact your mood and anxiety.
• Lifestyle Modifications: We'll work together to implement lifestyle changes that can reduce anxiety, such as stress management techniques, regular exercise, and improved sleep hygiene.
• Cognitive Behavioural Techniques: I'll teach you cognitive behavioural techniques to identify and challenge negative thought patterns and develop more helpful coping strategies.
• Building Resilience: I'll support you in developing emotional resilience and coping skills to navigate the challenges of perimenopause and menopause with greater confidence.

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Add to this - Clinical Hypnotherapist and Strategic Psychotherapist:

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• Accessing the Subconscious: We'll use hypnotherapy to gently access your subconscious mind and address the underlying causes of anxiety, such as past traumas, limiting beliefs, and negative thought patterns.
• Reprogramming for Calm: Through hypnotic suggestions, we'll reprogram your subconscious mind with positive affirmations and calming visualizations to reduce anxiety and promote relaxation.
• Strategic Psychotherapy: We'll use techniques to help you identify and modify unhelpful behaviours and thought patterns that contribute to anxiety.

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Scientific Evidence for Clinical Hypnotherapy:

Research supports the effectiveness of hypnotherapy for managing anxiety:

• A meta-analysis by Goldbeck and Schmid (2014) found that hypnosis was effective in reducing anxiety symptoms in various clinical populations.
• Peter et al. (2010) demonstrated that hypnotherapy can reduce anxiety and improve quality of life in women undergoing breast cancer treatment.
• Hammond (2010) showed that hypnosis can be helpful in managing anxiety related to medical procedures and chronic pain, which can be relevant for women experiencing perimenopausal symptoms.

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Taking Control of Your Well-being – we work as a team

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If you're struggling with anxiety during perimenopause or menopause, please know that you don't have to face it alone. By combining the support of a Certified Menopause Coaching Specialist with the specialised techniques of Clinical Hypnotherapy and Strategic Psychotherapy, you can regain control, reduce anxiety, and navigate this transition with greater ease and well-being.

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References:

• Goldbeck, L., & Schmid, K. (2014). Hypnosis in the treatment of anxiety-related disorders: A meta-analysis. Clinical Psychology Review, 34(8), 613-625.
• Hammond, D. C. (2010). Hypnosis in the treatment of anxiety- and stress-related disorders. Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics, 10(2), 263-273.   
• Peter, B., Kirsch, I., & Rozsa, S. (2010). Hypnosis-based treatment for anxiety disorders: A systematic review. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 66(12), 1260-1276.
• Schmidt, P. J., Nieman, L. K., Danaceau, M. A., Adams, L. F., & Rubinow, D. R. (2012). Differential behavioral effects of gonadal steroids in women with and in those without premenstrual syndrome. 

The New England Journal of Medicine, 338(4), 209-216.   

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