John Bowlby’s Attachment Theory Attachment Theory is a well-known and widely accepted concept in human development and psychotherapy. British psychiatrist John Bowlby developed it in the 1950s. The crux of attachment theory is that the early emotional bonds between...
John Bowlby’s Attachment Theory
The Helpful Ideas of Donald Winnicott
The Helpful Ideas of Donald Winnicott Continuing my series on the founders of psychoanalysis I'm exploring Donald Winnicott this month. Donald Winnicott (1896-1971) was a paediatrician who then trained as a psychoanalyst, first to adults and later to...
The Importance of Melanie Klein
The Importance of Melanie Klein Melanie Klein was a groundbreaking and highly creative psychoanalyst. She was born in 1882 in Vienna but spent most of her life in UK, dying in London in 1960. Her life was fascinating, with many losses and tragedies but...
Carl Jung – Is He Relevant Today?
Carl Jung – Is He Relevant Today? Carl Gustav Jung was born into a religious family in Switzerland and studied to be a doctor. During these studies he became fascinated with current philosophy, anthropology and psychological theories and work in...
How Freud Is Still Relevant Today
How Freud Is Still Relevant Today Prompted by last month’s blog on Narcissism, this is the first in a series on some of the founding members in psychoanalysis and some of their ideas, many of which, I believe, are still useful for us today. Widely...
Narcissism
Narcissism The term 'narcissism' is banded around a lot. But what does being a narcissist actually mean? And how do we work out if we are in a relationship with one, or even if we might be one ourselves? Origins of Narcissism The term narcissism comes from...
The Art of Self-soothing 4: Using Our Senses
Using Our Senses This final post in my series is about using our bodily senses to self-soothe. There are lots of ways that we can self-sooth by looking. Sight Natural Vistas As I’ve already mentioned in a previous post, nature and landscapes are very calming. For...
The Art of Self-soothing 3: Creativity
Creativity is a sure way to self-soothe. People have lost themselves in creative pursuits since time began. Getting in touch with our creativity is a way of reaching something within ourselves. By allowing this to develop we can usually make something bigger than...
The Art of Self-Soothing 2: Nature
This month’s way to self soothe is by being in nature. It’s long been known and proven that being outside and preferably in nature can improve our mental health. Take a Short Walk The simplest ways are often the most effective. Such as going for a short walk from your...
The Art of Self Soothing
There is so much going on in the world now. It’s hard watching the news, in fact I am more likely to just quickly check a news ap than I am to watch the news in real time. Many people I speak to are unable to watch the news at all because they struggle to think of the...
What Is It?
The menopause is when a woman’s oestrogen levels have lowered to the extent that she can no longer release eggs from her ovaries and become pregnant. The UK average age of a woman finishing her last period is 51. The perimenopause is the phase leading up to the menopause when the body is declining in oestrogen. It can cause symptoms which some women may find difficult.
Even today in our increasingly unabashed culture the menopause and perimenopause are not often talked about openly. Historically they have been swept under the carpet for women to “just get on with it” and suffer in silence. Increasing awareness of this phase in life can help prepare us for it and give us more understanding of those who are currently going through it.
Symptoms of the Perimenopause
If you are over 35 and suffering from any of these symptoms for over 3 months, then it may be worth seeing a GP to have your hormone levels checked by a simple blood test:
- tiredness
- depression
- insomnia
- hot flushes – at night time and/or daytime
- changes in bleeding or pain in periods
- pain during sex
(here is a fuller checklist of symptoms)
Psychological Effects of the Perimenopause
The menopause marks the end of the fertile period of a woman’s life. This may be a relief for some women, knowing they no longer need to be concerned about periods and contraception. But for others, it may be a deep loss – especially for those women experiencing an early perimenopause.
The healthiest way of getting through the perimenopause is to accept what is happening to your body, to come to terms with the changes that are occurring and also to work towards embracing this new phase of life you are entering. Understandably this may take longer for some women than others.
What Can We Do About It?
There are several ways we can manage the perimenopause:
Practically:
- Stop smoking
- Reduce our intake of alcohol and caffeine
- Eat more raw foods and make sure we have our 5 a day of fruit and vegetables
- Exercise regularly
- Get fresh air whenever possible
- Take up yoga or pilates and meditation
- Research HRT and discuss using it with our GP and/or use natural methods to minimise the symptoms
Emotionally and psychologically:
- Talk about what we are going through with others: our partner, friends, family, online chatrooms and helplines
- Find relevant resources to read and share
- Have realistic expectations of what we are able to get done
- Learn to say no when we are under pressure
- Take time to relax and rest our body and mind
Some women breeze through to the menopause and others suffer daily for years. The more we feel we are able to talk and be listened to about our various experiences then the easier we can make it for ourselves, our loved ones and other women to go through it as well.