With midlife comes many transitions.
A house devoid of children. Aging parents who may need your assistance. Personal and romantic relationships taking on a new form. The onset of new personal health issues or emerging conditions that could be affecting your loved ones. Major considerations and changes around your career, including potential retirement, impending financial burdens, and more.
For many women, there is no shortage of changes during midlife. Add menopause to the mix, and this period of life can feel challenging, sometimes even downright impossible.
But there’s one variable, according to experts, that can make a huge difference in improving your menopause experience. And that’s solid support from family, friends and loved ones. Whether that’s support from your actual family or a selection of close friends you can always rely on, support can make all the difference during this transitional time.
Let’s explore what that means and why having a strong menopause support system could be a game-changer for you.
What Does Support Mean During Menopause?
More than 1 million women navigate through menopause each year in the United States.1
Many of them will experience significant shifts in mood, feelings of sadness and/or irritability, increased anxiety or even cognitive changes, such as ‘brain fog.’ This is all potentially on top of the more well-known physical menopause symptoms of hot flashes, night sweats, weight gain, vaginal dryness and sleep disturbances.2 Fortunately, having the ability to lean on a trusted friend, partner, or family member, can make dealing with these symptoms seem a little smoother.
Several studies indicate that a having a strong family support system can help to lessen the severity of certain menopause symptoms.3 This includes support from many different sources including romantic partners, as well as female family members, such as mothers and sisters, who are often identified as crucial sources of support and information throughout the menopause transition.4
When it comes to romantic partners—specifically males, small studies have shown that one in four men admit to knowing “little to nothing” about what menopause is, and note they’ve gathered most of their knowledge about the transition directly from their wife’s experience.5 This is why, honesty and communication are often very effective gateways to finding the support you need as you navigate this life stage, especially with your partners.
Studies show women tend to experience and view menopause more positively when they feel supported by their husbands, underscoring the importance of having the support of a strong partner during this transition.6
How to Talk About Menopause
How can women manage to find ample menopause support in a world where partners or loved ones often have little knowledge about the menopause experience? Here we break down a potential process.
Step 1: Consider Talking Openly About Your Experience
First, it may be most helpful to take the initiative and open the door to conversation, specifically as you start to notice menopause symptoms arise.
In order to feel less isolated as you navigate perimenopause and menopause, you may want to try either informing your partner or loved ones about what you’re experiencing, what you feel going through the menopause transition means for you, or, to help them better support you, it may be a good idea to point them toward credible and trustworthy resources that exist on the subject, so that they can gain better first-hand knowledge on what you may be going through, providing them with more tangible ways to provide support.7
Step 2: Ask for the Support You Need
Next, think about what it is you need to feel the most support as you navigate through menopause. And remember, this will look different for every individual, as each woman’s experience with menopause is unique.
Do you simply need a friend or partner to sit down and listen to you? Or would you find it more comforting to receive some words of reassurance, spend some quality time doing a fun activity, or explore another form of support if you’re having a particularly rough day?
Occasionally, you may find that talking with friends or family may not be the most helpful support for you, and that’s okay! In these instances, it may help to talk with a licensed professional or therapist who can help provide support for more significant emotional changes like anxiety or depressed moods that you could be experiencing.8
Step 3: Set Up a System to “Check In” with a Support System
Figuring out the best way to navigate your menopause experience with the proper menopause support will likely take more than having just one initial conversation. Many women may want a safe space to “check in” when their emotions or symptoms of menopause are feeling particularly overwhelming. Allowing your support system to regularly check in with you may be incredibly useful toward helping you feel better during menopause and beyond.9
Should I Talk to My Children About Menopause?
While children won’t need all the same details about what you’re going through, leaving the door open to having an honest conversation about the menopause transition and what it might mean for your body and/or behavior is never a bad thing. This may be especially true if you have a daughter as it could help prepare her for the future. If you choose to talk with your children about what you’re going through, do your best to keep the conversation simple, and reassure them that your mood or change in disposition has nothing to do with them.
When it Comes to Menopause, All Types of Support Are Crucial
You shouldn’t have to navigate menopause alone. If you’re experiencing physical or mental symptoms due to shifting hormones, it’s a great idea to consider reaching out to your friends, family, or loved ones to seek out the support you deserve. And if you find your symptoms are becoming disruptive to your daily life, it’s always an option to check in with your healthcare provider.
Resources
- https://www.nia.nih.gov/news/research-explores-impact-menopause-womens-health-and-aging
- https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/menopause/what-menopause
- https://www.mdpi.com/2673-4184/4/1/5
- https://www.mdpi.com/2673-4184/4/1/5
- https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1300/J013v38n03_07?src=recsys
- https://www.mdpi.com/2673-4184/4/1/5#B15-women-04-00005
- https://www.nhsinform.scot/healthy-living/womens-health/later-years-around-50-years-and-over/menopause-and-post-menopause-health/supporting-someone-through-the-menopause/
- https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/menopause/things-you-can-do/
- https://patient.info/news-and-features/how-to-support-someone-during-the-menopause
