Dealing With Mood Swings during Menopause

As many women begin to experience menopause, they may also experience PMS like symptoms that often include mood swings. Even if a woman has never noticed serious emotional changes around the time of her period, she may be surprised to discover that she is irritable, tired, depressed, and prone to crying sessions both during and between the few periods she is having. These kinds of mood swings can make a woman feel as if she is having a nervous breakdown, or she may feel like she is crazy. There are no apparent causes or triggers for the emotional problems, so the woman may feel completely confused by the feelings. There appear to be no real reasons for the feelings, and she may feel completely incapacitated by most of them. There is a real reason, though, and it is based on hormones.

Some studies have shown that high doses of progesterone during these menopausal symptoms can help alleviate the difficulties women are dealing with. Studies show that the headaches and other issues women have to deal with during menopause can be quite effectively treated with progesterone. Progesterone, however, has some pretty serious side effects. It can even lead to further depression.

Many doctors recommend a hormone replacement therapy regimen for these problems, but since adding estrogen and synthetic progesterone to your already messy endocrine system can cause further depression and anxiety, this may not be the treatment for you. Some studies have shown that excessive estrogen levels, as demonstrated through hormone replacement therapies that include estrogen, can lead to depression, lack of sex drive, lack of ability to deal with stress, irritability, and headaches. This has been further proven with women in industrialized countries who are regularly exposed to xeno-estrogens through the pollution in the environment. Estrogen therapy, though, works differently for each woman. It is something you and your doctor will have to evaluate, as it is a case-by-case basis for each individual woman.

If possible, it is important to try to find your own way through these and other menopausal symptoms. Learning to deal with your moods in a creative, non-medicative manner can help you better manage your symptoms. Some safe herbal remedies might also be in order during this life change. If you are experiencing anxiety or nervousness, consider something like garden sage, black cohosh, passion flower, or dong quai. If you need something a bit stronger, you might think about using valerian, motherwort, or skullcap. Some women find that St. John's Wort and oatstraw work well at outwitting depression symptoms. Dong quai and St. John's Wort have also been shown to help with sleeping problems. You should consult you healer, though, before using dong-quai, as it can cause increased bleeding with the few periods you may still be experiencing.

Learning to deal with your new moods, with or without the help of prescriptions and herbal remedies, is just part of learning to deal with the new you that menopause will be leaving behind.