3 Mental & Emotional Health Practices For Those In Menopause

Women in menopause are facing several mental hurdles, internal and external. Of course there’s the external weight of society’s perception of what a menopausal woman should look and act like (i.e., frumpy, frazzled, and fatigued—and being told her symptoms are just a part of getting older). And as if that wasn’t enough, she’s also carrying the internal weight of the physical, mental, and emotional changes from shifting hormones. For many, this is compounded by the stress and strain of juggling care for aging parents, kids, or loved ones; feeling confident in her career; and navigating how to live through a pandemic.

From so many women, I hear versions of “I just don’t feel like myself anymore.” And, truly, losing your sense of identity is enough to affect your mental health.

It makes sense because of the fluctuating patterns and levels of estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone (not to mention other hormones like thyroid, insulin, and cortisol) during this time that have an impact on our body systems—far beyond our reproductive system. 

So, yes, you may not feel like yourself right now because you’re experiencing major shifts in how your mind and body work. These changes are major and can feel overwhelming, but you can support your body through this transition to lessen the effects. Especially those effects that can feel hard, lonely, and depressing.

This is where Kristen Neff’s work about cultivating self-compassion can help shed the weight, layer by layer. In fact, this study found that self-compassion was a powerful predictor of all mental well-being outcomes for the menopausal women participating. Sure, the three-step approach is simple, but application is not always easy and takes practice, patience, and persistence…(so just know you aren’t doing it wrong if it doesn’t feel amazing the first time you try it). While this is an oversimplification of Neff’s work, here are the highlights: