Hug your Mum a Little Tighter: Let’s Talk Menopause
By Sexpress Editor Sofia Tinne
Menopause is one of the most important life milestones for most women. Life is a journey filled with transformational experiences. The process that ends the reproductive years is natural, and it frequently results in a complex jumble of both physical and emotional changes. While discussing hot flashes, hormonal changes, and night sweats is familiar, there is one aspect of menopause that sometimes goes unmentioned: its tremendous impact on mental health.
The word menopause is often seen as one of the most ‘taboo’ words in today's society, but why is that so? Just like periods, menopause is something half the population goes through, so why do people feel uncomfortable when it is mentioned, as if it’s a dirty word that must be kept a secret? This can be attributed to many different factors, such as historical, societal and cultural influences. Menopause historically has a poor reputation; it’s constantly misunderstood and misrepresented. The lack of information and comprehension caused fear and apprehension, which add to the topic's taboo status. Medical knowledge was much less developed in ancient eras than it is now. Even today, there are still many unresolved issues with women's health, such as hormonal fluctuations and reproductive processes. Despite being a normal biological process, menopause is frequently cloaked in mystery.
Another pretty big factor as to why menopause may not be talked of much is the fear of ageing. Menopause serves as a reminder of ageing. Whether welcomed or not, menopause is a milestone for people assigned female at birth. As it represents the end of reproduction, it’s a reminder of age. This can make many uncomfortable, even filling them with fear. It might be challenging to talk about menopause when there is that dread.
Until recently, I never knew exactly how badly menopause affected people. Many people see it as another puberty, just another transitional phase. But how can it be “another puberty” when your body is producing less and less levels of oestrogen and progesterone, so much so that many women need to start hormone replacement therapy (HRT)?
Why does HRT have such a bad reputation?
Hormone replacement therapy has received mixed reviews due to several factors; in the past, HRT was seen (and still is) as having potential risks such as blood clots, breast cancer and heart disease. This could not be more false. Many years ago, the only HRT available was synthetic, meaning that the hormones are simply similar to ours, much like the ones used in birth control. Today, we have body identical hormones that are the exact same as the ones our bodies produce. Studies have shown on the British Heart Foundation website that HRT can actually reduce the risk of heart problems, heart disease and strokes as it improves cholesterol levels, especially when started at an earlier age. HRT is very effective in relieving menopausal and postmenopausal symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweat, vaginal dryness, and mood swings, which can considerably improve quality of life. Sleep, energy, and mood are the main targets hit by menopause, which HRT can absolutely help with.
Menopause can be seen as the “end of a woman's social and sexual life”. I'm sorry, what? Why have we made that so - why is that the conclusion society has come to? I understand that menopause causes lower hormone levels, which then leads to vaginal tissue being drier and thinner than usual. But why should we stop there? Should we just give up? It is absolutely ridiculous and completely rooted in our patriarchal society that that belief is so widespread. Many women are allowed to and should have sex beyond their 50s, and they should be proud of it rather than making this whole topic “taboo”. As I mentioned previously, HRT can help with vaginal dryness, and it improves one’s mood. I understand HRT may not be suitable for every single woman out there, but you don’t have to bid farewell to your social and sexual life, simply because you’ve aged and your body is changing.
The risk of developing a blood clot is two to four times higher than average for a regular woman taking HRT, however, studies have shown that for a menopausal woman taking HRT, the chance is much lower. Lower than all the birth control that many young women are on that have very high risks of blood clots, liver tumours, heart attacks, strokes and many more… as seen on the flag-sized side effect manual that comes with your birth control packages. If birth control is easily accessible and pretty much encouraged to take for sexually active individuals despite one of the listed risks being death, then why is HRT, something quite safe with reduced risks of blood clots and actual improved heart health, vaginal health and even mental health, not encouraged for women to take?
The highest rate of suicide in women is mid to late 50s. I doubt this is a coincidence. The depletion of hormones caused by menopause leads many women to become depressed. This depression is not the same as clinical depression, and can be helped by using HRT to replenish hormones. The obvious solution seems for a doctor to prescribe the person with HRT. Right? Well, apparently not. Many doctors will prescribe antidepressants. Even when menopausal women have trouble sleeping, they are prescribed sleeping pills rather than the hormones they need.
Women’s Health Concern speaks with consultant gynaecologist of Kings College Hospital, Dr Mike Savvas. He says, “Very often, depression and anxiety in women of all ages can have a hormonal basis […] This type of depression often fluctuates according to the menstrual cycle. It includes both premenstrual syndrome, postnatal depression and depression leading up to menopause and it tends to get worse in the 30s and 40s. But it often goes unrecognised, or is treated with antidepressants.”
Why is it important to talk about it?
We need education and information available to be easily accessible. There are women suffering and not speaking about it, because menopause means getting old and getting old implies not being young or ‘beautiful’ anymore, so women hide. Every single person knows someone who has gone through or is going through menopause. Every, single, one. Why on earth is it not spoken about? Misinformation, misrepresentation, and complete ignorance of the topic can lead women to thinking that they’re crazy. That they’re alone in their journey. Speak to the mothers, aunts, friends in your life who may be experiencing menopause. Show them your support and understanding, show them you care, because women going through this natural transition in their life, and not getting the help they need, will kill them.
I think it is time to change the narrative. Stop making women feel bad for owning their sexuality and freedom. Stop normalising women in their 50s to be “boring” and “prude”. They are going through far more than you could ever imagine. Life is not over in your fifties. It’s just a new chapter. You know what, while we’re on the topic, let’s stop belittling women in general for normal transitional phases in our lives, like puberty, menstrual cycle (which does not just mean the shedding of the lining of the uterus, but every single day of the 28 day cycle), ovulation, pregnancy, and last but not least, menopause.
