Do you sometimes think about the effects of menopause on your relationships? How do rapid mood swings, irritability, and other emotional symptoms affect your loved ones? What effect does lack of motivation and fatigue have on your family obligations?
Maybe you have a husband or partner and children who haven’t left home yet. You have always been there for them.
Now, you feel too tired, depressed, or irritated to do what you normally do to support your family’s well-being. Your loved ones feel confused. They don’t understand what is happening.
You also feel miserable, because you feel powerless to control these emotions. However, it is obvious that your nearest and dearest are suffering with you.
For couples, the effects of menopause can have far-reaching consequences.
The emotional and physical changes that occur in your body can have a significant effect on your intimate relationship.
Physical symptoms of menopause, such as hair loss, dry skin, or the development of acne; and weight gain, cause many women to feel self-conscious about their appearance, even if they weren’t before.
Women who already suffer from self-esteem issues are greatly affected and this is reflected in the way they approach intimacy issues. Symptoms of menopause, such as vaginal dryness and loss of libido, can significantly affect an intimate relationship.
If these changes are not understood and dealt with, communication breaks down; and silence and confusion take over, leaving the relationship at risk of infidelity, separation or divorce.
And, as if that weren’t bad enough, menopause occurs at a time in a woman’s life when family structures are changing.
Children are becoming young adults, while parents are getting older. Most likely, she will be grieving the death of one of her parents during this phase.
It is also a time when you may have to face the prospect of retirement. All of these worries can contribute to stress and additional strain in your relationships.
How to protect your relationships during menopause
There is a way to protect your relationships from the effects of menopause.
Small adjustments to your overall outlook and daily routine should help you get through life change with your relationships intact.
Here are some suggestions to help you make these adjustments:
- Stay connected with your family and friends. When you feel tired, irritable, or depressed, there is a great temptation to withdraw from those closest to you. Whose! Go the extra mile to make sure you spend time together, even when you don’t feel like it.
- When the life change is over, as it will be, and as you move into your later years, friends and family will become more important. That’s when you’ll be glad to have them by your side.
- Maintain a healthy lifestyle. Menopause brings with it an increased risk of debilitating and life-threatening diseases, such as osteoporosis and heart disease. Poor health can only further strain your relationships. A nutritious and balanced diet, combined with exercise, will reduce the risk of disease and the burden that comes with it.
- And, in addition to staying fit and healthy, exercising or other physical activity can be a great way to keep in touch with loved ones or build new relationships.
- Avoid alcohol or tranquilizers.. Both alcohol and tranquilizers are depressants. If you’re going through worrying mood swings or bouts of depression, alcohol and/or tranquilizers can simply make things worse or create other undesirable effects.
- Engage in a productive activity. Getting involved in church or charity work, sports activities, or hobbies provides a sense of self-worth and accomplishment. This will make you feel better about yourself and improve the way you interact with others, including family and friends.
- Find your inner strength. Learn and practice relaxing techniques like yoga and meditation. Read a book. Find spiritual strength in prayer. Relaxing activities will help you maintain emotional balance and manage mood swings.
- Write it. Keeping a journal or planner will allow you to write down your thoughts, problems, plans, or anything else that comes to mind. This will help you gain perspective on your situation and help reduce your emotional stress.
Finally, keep in mind that what is going on is a phase. It will take a few years, but it will pass.
