If a woman experiences menopause before the age of 40 years she is considered to have had an early or premature menopause. Along with the physical changes that occur during menopause, women who experience this change early in life may also experience changes in mood and emotional wellbeing. Emotional wellbeing during early menopause can be influenced by many factors including:
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Personality
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Life experiences – trauma and illness for example
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Individual thinking and behaviour patterns
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Earlier experiences of mood problems, like depression and anxiety
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Lifestyle – health, stress, activity, substance use
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Self-esteem, your roles and sense of purpose in life
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Body image
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Relationships, family and support networks
In particular, an early menopause may also impact on emotional wellbeing depending on:
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Other factors occurring in your life at the same time
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The way you were diagnosed – the time it took, if it was distressing, how it came about, how it was communicated to you
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Your individual physical changes and symptoms
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Your ways of coping, your lifestyle, relationships, support etc
Common initial reactions to a diagnosis of early menopause may include shock, disbelief, numbness, sadness, fear, anxiety and determination. Longer term reactions may involve depression, anxiety, stress, perceived loss of control, lower self-esteem, grief, motivation to make changes, acknowledgment of life change, and lifestyle changes. Seeking information and support is important in minimising the possible emotional distress of an early menopause.
Throughout this information you will see quotes from women who have been diagnosed with early menopause to illustrate some of the possible effects:
| The day after my surgery I felt hot. I burn up in bed, my husband can’t come near me, not that he would want to because I am so grumpy all the time. And sex, what’s that?
Monica |
The diagnosis of an early menopause can bring many changes and challenges. We each deal with challenges in our own way and early menopause is no exception. If you have been reading this and can see things that you may be able to change or focus on, it might be a good time to have a go. If you need help for depression, anxiety or low self-esteem it can be very valuable to talk to someone, such as a friend or health professional, even if it is only once. Sharing your thoughts with people who understand, such as a support group, can be helpful also.
Most importantly, it is helpful to take action to deal with mood changes – so try talking, writing in a journal, art therapy such as painting or drawing, or some form of physical activity.
Taking action, and seeking help, can enable you to feel more informed, more in control, and find strategies for coping with the changes of an early menopause.
Further Resources
Early Menopause and Emotional Wellbeing (71.36 KB)
Don’t Panic: Anxiety, Phobias and Tension (Women’s Weekly Series)
By Dr Andrew Page
Loss and Grief: Dealing with Life Crises (Women’s Weekly Series)
By Megan Gressor in association with Dr Geoffry Glassock
Stress: How to Cope with Pressure (Women’s Weekly Series)
By Dr David Lake
Life Lessons
By Elisabeth Kubler-Ross & David Kessler
Change Your Thinking By Dr Sarah Edelman
The Happiness Trap
By Dr Russ Harris
Mindfulness Skills CD: Volume 1 By Dr Russ Harris
Australian Psychological Society
Content updated May 04, 2006