Menopause causes plenty of changes in your body. It may also affect your emotions and moods. One minute you are happy, the next you are in tears. You snap at loved ones for no good reason.
Changes in your personality and the way you react to events can cause havoc in your work, family and other relationships. You do not have to live with constant mood changes during menopause.
If mood swings negatively affect your life, there is help available. Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy helps stabilize your moods, allowing you to feel like your old self. If you want to know more about what you can do to mitigate the changes that accompany menopause, contact an experienced doctor who can help.
Why do so many women suffer from mood changes during menopause? Estrogen and other hormones regulate mood, and when these hormones decline, mood fluctuation occurs. Every woman differs when it comes to these emotional ups and downs. Common examples of mood swings and related disorders include:
Other menopausal components intensify mood swings. Women suffering from insomnia, fatigue, night sweats, and other menopausal side effects experience mood alterations. Some women may feel they are losing their minds.
During your reproductive years, estrogen aids the brain’s production of serotonin, the neurotransmitter regulating mood. As the ovaries slow down and stop estrogen production, serotonin production is also affected. As estrogen and serotonin levels fluctuate, so does your mood, leading to mood changes during menopause.
Women who suffered from PMS during their reproductive years are more vulnerable to extreme mood swings during menopause. The same holds true for women diagnosed with depression prior to menopause – deep depression may return during the menopausal years.
Bioidentical hormones, derived primarily from soy and wild yam, are the same on the molecular level as the hormones your body produced prior to menopause. These natural hormones help prevent mood swings in two ways.
They alleviate the side effects, such as insomnia, which contribute to mood changes. Serotonin levels return to normal, so mood swings diminish or disappear. Your hormones are again balanced, not out-of-whack. Along with customized bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, patients receive an individually-tailored diet, supplement, and exercise plan to help them stay healthy.
Menopause can be overwhelming to go through. The fluctuation in hormones can vastly affect your mood, and you may find yourself cycling through emotions. If you are suffering mood changes during menopause and would like to know more about how bioidentical hormone replacement therapy can help, call Dr. Edward Jacobson today to arrange a consultation.