In the life of any woman who has reached adulthood, menopause is an absolutely natural phenomenon. Although it is often accompanied by unpleasant physical and mental ailments, it should be remembered that the menopause is neither a disease, nor even a great challenge.
It is worth treating the period of menopause as a gift from fate, when, free from the role of guardians of the home hearth, we can devote more time to ourselves. Women began to reach adulthood relatively recently. In mini epochs, most of them had no biological chance.
In the mid-nineteenth century, the thirty-year-old was already an advanced age. A woman who reached the menopausal age became hyperactive due to hormonal disorders and often became depressed. Doctors then recommended huge doses of sedatives, completely disregarding the fact that the menopause is not a disease and does not last forever. Often to this day, much of what is related to the female gender is still taboo. To understand why, you need to know how female physiology has been viewed for centuries.
In prehistoric times, very little was known about the functioning of the female organism. What aroused fear, but also respect, was menstruation. After all, the woman was bleeding, even though she was neither injured nor dying. In addition, the bleeding was starting on its own and was extremely regular. Both men and women believed that she differed in a mystical way. Since conception was not understood at the time, only one phenomenon was considered more mysterious than menstruation: birth. To mitigate the threat from the force that was believed to drive menstruation, that force was given the rank of a goddess to whom people prayed and were offered gifts. As the man began tilling the land and being with his family more, he considered the bleeding woman unclean. So she was isolated from the rest of the household. Menstruating girls and women, as well as postpartum mothers, spent many days away from their loved ones. The reason for this treatment was superstition and ignorance. It took centuries to change that. Are we really successful?
Worth knowingThat there are changes in the endocrine system during the menopause and that they affect various processes that take place in our body, alsoin the sphere of the psyche, probably every woman knows today. But not all of them realize that those who previously had a tendency to strong emotional reactions - were tearful, explosive, easily depressed - will pass the menopause much more difficult. The aforementioned symptoms may even worsen during this period. If we realize this, at the moment when our well-being deteriorates significantly, we will have no resistance to asking a specialist for help. If your physical complaints are very severe, it is best to consult an experienced physician whom you trust. He can offer purely medical help - hormone replacement therapy, thanks to which the estrogen levels will be balanced. It should also make the woman aware that her mental problems can also be solved, e.g. during individual or group therapeutic sessions. It is the psychologist who can become the person who will give a woman the right time and listen to her patiently.
In an empty slot
Some menopausal women find it difficult to accept the fact that they can no longer conceive and become mothers. They cannot see it from a different point of view - life prepares completely new roles for them. However, their adoption requires a certain revision of the own hierarchy of values.
Most societies see a woman primarily as a daughter, wife and mother. However, the period of menopause can be seen as a good time to change this stereotype. The woman then has a chance to take care of her own needs without feeling guilty and neglecting her family. Unfortunately, realizing these possibilities is not always easy. Especially when you devoted your life to your husband and children and there was no time not only to fulfill your needs and dreams, but even to reflect on them.
A woman whose children become independent, and whose husband is still absent due to professional work (sometimes it happens that he is already dead), feels a great void during the menopause. Psychologists call this phenomenon the empty nest syndrome. If then we do not find an interesting job, close friends, a trusted circle of good friends, we can fall into a state of serious depression. At the first symptoms - sadness, tearfulness, dissatisfaction with life and appearance, inability to organize daily activities - it is worth using the help of a psychologist.
Difficulties can be overcome
Luckily, only a handful of women go through their menopause really rapidly. Most are able to deal with mental problems on their own. You shouldn't eithergo over the physical symptoms of menopause. For example, hot flashes - they can be not only tiring, but also embarrassing. The same is true of drying out of the vaginal mucosa, preventing a satisfactory sexual intercourse. On top of that, menopause often coincides with the time children enter adolescence. It happens more and more often, because more and more women decide to give birth to their first child only after reaching the expected professional position, usually in their thirties. As a result, at the time when hormones are "buzzing" in adolescent offspring, mothers also struggle with the symptoms of hormonal disorders. In such a situation, conflicts are not difficult. But let's not demonize the period of menopause - all the difficulties that arise at that time can be overcome. there is more and more. Remember that we have entered a transition period, which in addition gives a chance to introduce positive changes in life. It is when we are still in full strength, we can start working on ourselves, gaining knowledge and cultivating love and friendship. Contact with friends experiencing similar problems is nothing more than informal support groups where you can talk about your own experiences and ailments, it will certainly help you survive this difficult period.
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