Reaching the 50s years can be one of the most challenging things a woman does. Why? Put simply, a tsunami of challenges come at her all once. The hormone imbalances caused by the menopause immediately put her at a disadvantage. She is trying to navigate new feelings, hot flushes, lack of sleep, mood swings, joint pain and more. And this is the crucial bit. Then overlay with children leaving home, elderly parents becoming suddenly more dependant, ageism in the workplace, effects of ageing on health and looks, issues the men in their lives might be going through, questions over self worth linked to the inability to reproduce and she can feel overwhelmed.
If that weren’t enough, do all that right now in the middle of a global pandemic. Add the fear of getting the virus, death of loved ones, isolation, job insecurity, money worries. Even the strongest woman might have the odd wobble.
I conducted piece of research with women in their 50s asking them what the biggest challenge they were facing in their 50s. Anxiety was far and away the biggest. But this is no ordinary anxiety. It is one caused by all the issues I just highlighted. Clinical anxiety is something well supported and doctors are all over it. But there is literally nothing that I can find which addresses this unique anxiety. Why have we been so ill supported?
In the menopause groups I am part of, the question of how to address this comes up frequently. What worries me however is the way women are treating it – with meds! I find that frightening. We don’t necessarily need drugs to help us through. I couldn’t stand it any longer so I wrote a booklet ‘From Menopause Anxiety to Kick-Ass Confidence. 8 strategies to help you get there’ which gives details of so many ways we can help ourselves without taking drugs. We are wonderfully complicated us girls and there is not a ‘one size fits all’ solution. One thing I am sure of, drugs are not always the answer.
Did you know that pink noise can help you sleep?
Do you really know how to breathe?!
Did you know that living like a killer whale can help?!
Check out my booklet. I hope it will give you or your friends the tools to overcome this short term anxiety, re-find your inner confidence and be the strong woman you are.