Menopause

One in three women in the United Kingdom do not suffer any of the symptoms (hot flushes, insomnia, night sweats, depression etc.) associated with the menopause.

In Japan the vast majority of women go through 'the change' with no ill effects due to the vast amount of soya eaten, which is rich in plant estrogen. In America it is estimated that three million women are hospitalised each year with severe depression, associated with their passage through the menopause.

The menopause can be one of the most dramatic rites of passage, and its effects far surpass those of the transition of a child into puberty. Especially in a society where everywhere we look the media presents us with the ideals of a youth culture, leaving little room for the maturity and sanguine experience that can only come in later years.

CBT and the Menopause

The menopause affects people in three different ways:-

1. Physiologically (physical changes include loss of skin elasticity, weight gain, hot flushes, loss of energy)
2. Psychologically (decrease in self worth, depression, anxiety, etc.)
3. Emotionally (sadness, anger, fear, dread)

The menopause has its hallmark in the end of the biological reproductive stage and the beginning of the sociological stage, where one looks outward from being a householder, with grown children who have left/or are leaving the nest to the culture, and society as a whole to see where ones experiences can make a difference.

At its best it becomes the time to dispense with all concerns of being judged and requiring the approval of others, to a more authentic style of living. The joke of 'flat shoes and elasticated waists' is translated in coming into ones prime of life and dispensing with formalities, living in a way that would have been impossible with the responsibilities of being a homemaker.

CBT improved upon those coping skills that have already been developed by challenging the negative beliefs associated with this life change. Standard CBT techniques are used to identify and challenge negative automatic thoughts associated with 'the change' and substituting more accurate reality tested cognitions in their place.

CBT shows that by changing negative thought patterns and replacing balanced alternatives there is an elevation of mood, increased motivation, and the ability to manage change more effectively. In some clients the menopause activates early life issues that have not been previously resolves examples of these issues are: -

1. poor self worth
2. distorted body image
3. fear of death
4. fear of rejection
5. fear of failure.

After an assessment using diagnostic criteria an individualised programme is collaborately develop to address the problems each client wants to tackle in the counselling. These serve as the aims and objectives for the therapy.

A blueprint is then drawn up with the client of the 'care plan' to reach those goals. For some clients the need is for reattribution of meaning rather than singularly therapeutic goals.

An exploration of self-reinvention which correlates positively with the attributes of the post-menopausal woman are a significant part of the treatment.

Using a professional to guide you through the process by advanced empathy, support, and a repertoire of CBT techniques to improve your own resources can greatly ameliorate the suffering of this transitional change of life.