Menopause, that period of a woman’s life when her reproductive systems are shutting down, can be traumatic under the best of circumstances. What with the hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, and drying up of normally moist tissues which can make sexual intercourse painful, the hormonal imbalances taking place can unsettle even the calmest personality. As if all these aren’t enough, these hormonal imbalances can also trigger sudden panic attacks which can really throw life out of kilter.
Menopause and Panic Attacks
Because the onset of menopause affects the serotonin levels in your brain, which controls moods and feelings, anxiety is not an uncommon symptom. While these feelings of anxiety are not pleasant, they are a part of the process and can usually be dealt with because they are clearly understood. Symptoms of anxiety include:
- diarrhea and stomach problems
- rapid heartbeat
- nervousness
- dizziness
Menopausal panic attacks, however, are a problem of a total different scale, and can be extremely disruptive. Some of the more common symptoms of such panic attacks are:
- A feeling of losing control
- Extreme fear of dying, or a feeling of dying
- Fear of embarrassing yourself
- Feeling of losing your mind
According to some who have suffered such attacks, they often happen at night. The sufferer wakes up feeling dizzy and disoriented; totally out of control. The shifts in estrogen levels that take place during menopause mean that such feelings are commonly experienced. When they persist, however, or escalate to the level of panic, and are also accompanied by depression, negativism, loss of self esteem, weight loss, and/or disrupted sleep patterns, a doctor should be consulted.
Talking to someone about these feelings, even a medical profession, can be extremely difficult. Because the panic attacks are related to a person’s mental or emotional condition, and the perceived stigma attached to needing psychiatric help, all too often women whose menopausal anxiety has escalated to full blown panic attacks, don’t seek the medical advice that could bring them relief.
How To Deal With Panic Attacks During Menopause
While professional help is needed in the more severe cases, there are also things you can do yourself to deal with the changes taking in place in your body, and lower the level of anxiety associated with the onset of menopause.
Knowing is Half the Battle: Merely recognizing that what is taking place inside your body is physical as well as mental, and knowing the signs and symptoms of panic attack, can help mitigate some of the more severe reactions. Know the symptoms, and admit that you’re experiencing them. Then, try to determine specifically what triggered your anxiety in the first place. Knowing what is happening and why can help move you a long way toward easing the turmoil and stress.
Learn to Take it Easy: Develop the ability to let things go. If you can’t determine what triggered your anxiety, try to forget about it. If you know what it was, and it is within your power to do something; then by all means do it. Follow the old advice: if you can fix it, don’t worry about it, just fix it; if you can’t fix it, just don’t worry about it. Meditation or yoga are excellent ways to relieve stress and lower levels of worry and anxiety. Listening to relaxing music whenever you get the chance also helps lower stress levels. Getting away from work; taking a few days vacation, or just hanging out at home reading some of those books you’ve been meaning to read, can help you bleed away tension and rejuvenate yourself.
Don’t Play the Blame Game: One of the worse things you can do when you feel anxious is to blame other people. This gives away the power to do something about your situation. In most cases, the cause of the anxiety is internal to you, and if you recognize and accept this, you can also develop the power to suppress the feelings of fear. Don’t get hung up over things that you should have or could have done in the past. The past is gone and cannot be changed. Try to develop a future-oriented, self-reliant attitude.
Watch Your Diet: Ensure you have a diet containing all the nutrients your body needs for effective maintenance and health. Consider adding vitamin and mineral supplements; especially iron and calcium; the former to ensure adequate red blood cell levels which help you relax, and also carry nutrients to the other systems of the body; and the latter for a strong, healthy skeletal structure. Go easy on the alcohol and high-caffeine drinks, which can cause significant spikes in stress levels and, themselves, trigger panic attacks. This includes some of the energy drinks which contain high levels of caffeine and sugar.
A Healthy Body Can Help Ensure a Healthy Mind: Panic attacks can be triggered by mental or emotional stimuli, or by physical or medicinal/chemical elements. Maintaining a healthy body; including regular exercise as well as a healthy diet, can greatly reduce your risk of experiencing panic attacks during menopause. Regular exercise helps one maintain a healthy mental and emotional outlook, which is essential for you to be able to recognize and deal with panic attacks.
During menopause your body is going through some radical changes; changes that affect your physical well-being and mental/emotional outlook. Some anxiety is common and to be expected as your body resets itself to the new condition. When the regular anxiety that comes with menopause becomes intense fear and leads to panic attacks, the first line of defense is your own attitude. Don’t, however, hesitate to seek professional medical advice and assistance if you believe you are experiencing panic attacks.
To learn more about how to overcome panic attacks please review the Panic Puzzle Program, available for $70.
