How Are Menopause And Anger Linked?

If you have ever experienced or been on the receiving end of menopause or perimenopause rage, you know it is usually no laughing matter. Studies have shown that menopause and anger appear to be strongly linked, but how can menopause affect your moods so intensely?

Menopause symptoms include mood swings, anxiety, and irritability. And yes, these symptoms can often contribute to menopausal rage. It may be hard to separate symptoms of menopause from the natural mood swings that occur simply because an individual is experiencing difficulties with the idea of approaching older age and feels uncertainty about what their future holds.

Menopause can disrupt daily life in various ways—mentally, physically, and emotionally. For most individuals, vaginal dryness, night sweats, and hot flashes are just some of the symptoms caused by menopause that are brought on by the fluctuating—and ultimately lowering—female reproductive hormones estrogen and progesterone during and after menopause. Anger can be a very natural response to coping with symptoms of menopause, many of which can continue for years. 

On top of that, decreasing female testosterone levels can bring on loss of self-confidence, exhaustion, and a declining sex drive. Research suggests that hormone-related mood changes during menopause are often brought on by bad overall health, life stressors, and a history of depression. Addressing these issues may go a lot deeper than simply focusing on menopause symptoms—including anger.

Common menopause symptoms

As an individual transitions into menopause, common symptoms they could experience include:

• insomnia
• mood swings
• vaginal dryness
• weight gain
• depression
• anxiety
• difficulty concentrating
• memory problems
• reduced libido, or sex drive
• dry skin, mouth, and eyes
• increased urination
• sore or tender breasts
• headaches
• racing heart
• urinary tract infections (UTIs)
• reduced muscle mass
• painful or stiff joints
• reduced bone mass
• less full breasts
• hair thinning or loss
• increased hair growth in other body areas, such as the face, neck, chest, and upper back.

How does menopause affect your personality?

Menopause is often referred to as “the change” for a reason.

Menopause or perimenopause rage is often a natural response to these changes, and emotional outbursts, mood swings, frustration, and anger during menopause are all par for the course. These symptoms may make an individual act differently or manage situations differently than they normally would.

These symptoms are also incredibly valid given the massive biological changes that the body and mind are undergoing, so patience is key for all involved. 

How to treat symptoms of menopause

If you’re asking, “How can I alleviate my menopause symptoms,” you’re not alone. There are a wide variety of things that may be able to help you through menopause. A 2016 survey by the British Menopause Society revealed that one in two individuals in Great Britain went through menopause without consulting a healthcare professional, and 42% said their symptoms were worse than expected. The most frequently cited issues were hot flashes, night sweats, and decreased enjoyment of sex. If you’re experiencing difficult symptoms during menopause, support from a medical professional may be very beneficial. Your health care provider can help you decide on the best menopause and perimenopause symptom treatment for you to try. However, keep in mind that none of these are necessarily “quick” fixes.

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT)

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) replaces declining estrogen and progesterone hormones during perimenopause and menopause and can help with hot flashes, night sweats, pain during sex, and vaginal dryness. 

Taking HRT can increase your risk for blood clots, heart attacks, strokes, breast cancer, and gallbladder disease. But many doctors believe that HRT benefits outweigh the risks. HRT is only available by prescription in the US, so you may need to talk to your health provider about whether it could be right for you. Doctors generally prescribe HRT for a few years, and risks decrease when you stop taking it.

Antidepressants

Whether you are experiencing menopause symptoms, perimenopause rage or menopausal rage, the most commonly prescribed medications to help control menopause symptoms and menopause and perimenopause rage are antidepressants, particularly selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).

SSRIs work by blocking the absorption of serotonin, a chemical neurotransmitter, into the brain cells. This allows more serotonin to be present in the synapses, which are the open gaps between nerve cells. Higher serotonin levels in the synapses have been shown to help reduce depression, anxiety, and other mood symptoms, including those associated with menopause and perimenopause rage. Before taking any medication, it’s important to first consult with your doctor to see if it’s the right treatment for you.

More natural remedies for menopause support

Many individuals may feel more comfortable using natural supplements and approaches to alleviate menopausal symptoms instead of pharmaceuticals. Many Eastern medicine remedies claim to offer help for typical menopause maladies and some may even be backed my science. Some of these natural remedies include red clover for anxiety, black cohosh for hot flashes, Saint John’s Wort for mild depression, and many others. Even aromatherapy oils provide menopause relief among some individuals. However, natural remedies often have less rigorous medical research behind them, and some may be unregulated, unlike pharmaceutical products. Before taking any supplements, it’s important to talk to your doctor as they can potentially have negative interactions with pharmaceuticals.

Cognitive behavioral therapy

You may be able to alleviate menopausal anger and other negative thought patterns using cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). CBT essentially works by changing behaviors and perceptions that emerge from your values, attitudes, thoughts, and beliefs. The underlying idea is simple; if the way you think guides the way you view and subsequently react to life events, you can potentially change your thoughts and how you manage them by changing how you frame your issues.

CBT differs from other types of psychotherapies. It is based on setting concrete goals with your therapist that you create after discussing the problems and outcomes you would like to realize. Your therapist may supplement the therapy with readings and exercises you do independently, such as identifying menopause anger triggers and deep breathing exercises. Therapists at Regain can help you explore CBT. Research suggests that online CBT is just as effective as in-person CBT. For some individuals, it may even be more effective.

Other menopause tips

Consider the following menopause tips that may be able to help you reduce emotions of anger.

Practice mindfulness

Mindfulness works by focusing on your current surroundings and the present moment and quelling that anxious feeling that comes with dwelling on past or future events. A study found that menopausal symptoms and stress were lowered when individuals practiced mindfulness. In addition, higher mindfulness scores were associated with lowered depression, irritability, and anxiety scores.

Get proper sleep

Getting adequate sleep can be very beneficial to your menopause treatment. You may want to ensure that the room you sleep in is set at a cool nighttime temperature and it’s free from lights, cell phones, and laptops. It may also help to restrict your bed to sleeping and sexual activity. Try to make bedtime and wake time the same every day, including weekends. It’s recommended to avoid coffee, tea, and caffeinated drinks in the evening to ensure you can fall asleep easily.

Remain active

Regular exercise is a great way to promote both physical and mental health. Remaining active is not only good for your physical health, but it may also help relieve stress and improve your mood and overall well-being. Calming activities like Tai Chi and yoga can help you relax, while more energetic exercises like Zumba and other dance exercises are great ways of working out menopausal angst.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend two and a half hours per week of moderately intense aerobic exercise, such as speed-walking, plus two days a week of muscle strengthening for optimal health benefits.

Eat well and stay hydrated

A well-balanced, healthy diet, incorporating healthy fats, fruits, vegetables, quality protein, dairy products, and foods high in phytoestrogens like soybeans, chickpeas, and peanuts may help relieve menopausal symptoms. It may also be helpful to avoid sugars, which can destabilize mood.

Address vaginal dryness

Bear in mind that vaginal dryness can make sex very painful, leading to not only discomfort, but potential tension between you and your partner. He may be confused about why you avoid having sex and assume the problem rests with him, not you. It’s important to discuss this calmly with your partner and to take steps toward less painful intercourse. Declining estrogen levels can bring on vaginal dryness. Your healthcare provider can prescribe estrogen creams or HRT to help with the dryness. In addition, commercially available vaginal lubricants can also be helpful.

Find support for navigating menopause online

If you are experiencing difficulties managing your emotions during menopause, Regain can help. Regain is an online counseling platform that can match you with a licensed therapist. You can choose to chat discreetly via text or, if you prefer, on a video chat or over the phone. A licensed therapist can provide you with tools and strategies to help you overcome any challenges you may be going through so you can improve your mental health and overall wellbeing as you go through perimenopause and menopause. 

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