Dealing With The Emotional Impact Of Menopause Menopause is a time of awesome hormonal fluctuations. When doctors measure hormone levels in perimenopause, the years just before the periods finally stop; they find that the levels can change markedly from day to day. This may lead to emotional upheaval that may last for several years. This is a time when women are transitioning from being young and fertile to being middle-aged and infertile. This loss of fertility can be emotionally taxing over and above the hormonal changes menopausal women are experiencing. During menopause and in the perimenopausal years, the estrogen levels gradually decrease and the ovaries put out less progesterone. This results in a rise in FSH and LH, which can …show more content…
Some women have real issues with age, and menopause is a landmark time that typically marks the end of middle age. Emotional Impact Related To Womanhood For some women, menopause may trigger feelings of depression and sadness because a lot of their personal identity in womanhood is tied up in being able to bear children. There are also those women who may have not had a chance yet to bear children or as many as they wanted to or planned to which lends itself to feelings of sadness, anger, grief and loss. Emotional Impact From Hormonal Fluctuations Menopause can be associated with an emotional impact even when the woman looks forward to not having periods anymore or being fertile. This is because the fluctuations in hormones directly affect the neurotransmitters in the brain. Low levels of serotonin and norepinephrine, for example, can be found in menopausal women. These low levels contribute to feelings of depression and irritability. Women are more likely to suffer from an episode of major depression during these years and often need selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which are medications that have been found to biochemically lift depressive
Reproducing is a decision that is irreversible and produces masses of major responsibilities and changes. However large the decision may be, there are many women who decide that they are ready too late in their lives. The delay in becoming pregnant may occur for a variety of reasons, many of which include financial or career stability, mental stability, or pregnancy through outside means, such as in vitro fertilization. Women are expected a stop in the ability to become impregnated with the arrival of menopause. In the book State of Wonder, by Ann Patchett, a woman named Marina Singh travels deep inside the Amazon jungle in the hopes to find Dr. Annick Swenson, a doctor who is developing a drug for pregnancy in post-menopausal women. Dr. Swenson herself has become the first non-native test subject. Marina struggles with the ethical and moral aspects of the activities that are being done on the native cultures. She soon learns that although there are cultural practices that may lead to optimistic advances into post-menopausal pregnancies, there may be no use bringing them back into modern society. Women should not be allowed to reproduce when they have passed natural menopause and the stop in ovulation.
Menopause, also know as “the change” is a normal stage in the life cycle of aging women. During menopause a women’s body slowly produces less of the two female hormones, estrogen and progesterone. Estrogen promotes the normal development of the female breast and uterus, controls the ovulation cycle, and affects women’s physical and emotional health, while progesterone controls menstruation and prepares the lining of the uterus to receive the fertilized egg.
Hundreds of cognitive, physical, and emotional symptoms have been associated with the late luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. Women who cyclically experience any of these symptoms during their late luteal phase are said to have premenstrual syndrome (commonly known as PMS). However, comorbidity is common as symptoms overlap with those of anxiety and mood disorders (Craner, Sigmon, Martinson, & McGillicuddy, 2014; Chrisler & Caplan, 2002). A small portion of women meet the criteria for what is known as, premenstrual dysmorphic disorder (PMDD). PMDD can be characterized as a severe and unbearable form of PMS. With that in mind, there has been one major criticism regarding the relationship between mood changes and the luteal phase; that is, the two cannot directly be linked together. Several elements have been found to be connected to PMS and PMDD such as, anxiety, depression, lifestyle, and coping methods (Crane & et al., 2014). Conversely, the etiology of these two disorders remains unidentified.
She employs an appeal to pathos when she addresses the point that older parents will die earlier in their children’s live than a younger parent, “what haunts me is the actuarial risk I run of dying before my children are ready to face the world” (Shulevitz 12). With the added statistic presented in her argument that the loss of the mother at early age is connected to the decline in physical health of the mother’s child, this information evokes the emotion of sympathy among the audience; grasping at the audience’s imagination of not being able to help their own children. Judith Shulevitz also appeals to pathos when describing the process taken just to conceive a viable embryo. As Shulevitz describes being told by the doctor to wait a few months, her husband and her submitting to fertility tests, and having to inject herself with the drug Clomid five days a month, the audience is inquired to feel sympathetic. The audience is exposed to the arduous tasks faced by not only Mrs. Shulevitz family, but also many other families experiencing parenthood later in life. This shows one the complicated nature of the fertility
When a person is at the stage of middle adulthood, his or her body changes drastically; for instance, women go through menopause and erectile dysfunction occurs in men. Menopause is when a typical woman (between the age of 45 and 50) has a discontinuation of her menstruation. Erectile dysfunction is when a man is unable to withstand a long lasting erection for sexual activity. As we move into late adulthood, our memories begin to get a little fuzzy and we have a fear of Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s is defined as the deterioration of a person’s mental processes. These are only a few health issues that can occur in late adulthood.
Menopause, also know as “the change” is a normal stage in the life cycle of aging women. During menopause a women’s body slowly produces less of the two female hormones, estrogen and progesterone. Estrogen promotes the normal development of the female breast and uterus, controls the ovulation cycle, and affects women’s physical and emotional health, while progesterone controls menstruation and prepares the lining of the uterus to receive the fertilized egg.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2.1 million married couples experience troubles with infertility. Infertility is defined as trying for over a year and not becoming pregnant for women under 35 and trying for six months for women over 35. The cause of the infertility is a male factor one third of the instances, female another third, ten percent of the cause is a combination of both male and female factors and the remaining twenty percent is not apparent. In vitro fertilization is a process that tries to eliminate the problems inherent in the mother and father. It involves an egg is fer...
“Women are two times more likely to develop depressive symptoms then men”(Psychosocial and Behavioral Factors in Women’s Health, 1990), and women who are among the child-bearing years tend to be more at risk. However this is not to say that men are not affected by depression. It is usually, because of negative social influences, such as economic instability, and/or the inability to handle stress in their lives.
Depression is the most common mental health disorder; it affects over 17 million American adults each year. Depression is a mood disorder characterized by at least four symptoms such as changes in sleep, appetite, weight, and psychomotor activity; decreased energy, feelings of worthlessness or guilt; difficulty thinking, concentrating, or making decisions; or recurrent thoughts of death or suicidal ideation, thoughts or attempts. “Women are approximately two times more likely than men to suffer from major depression” (Research Agenda for Psychosocial and Behavioral Factors in Women’s Health, 1996) and it has been called the most significant mental health risk for women. Women are more likely to suffer from depression during marriage than if single, unlike men who are more likely to suffer depression when single than married, and increases with the number of children in the house (American Psychiatric Association, 1994, p.317). There are many contributing factors to depression in women including but not limited to: hormonal, genetic, infertility, menopause, family responsibilities, gender roles, sexual abuse, work related issues, and financial problems. (National Institute of Mental Health, June 1999). Depression in women is mentally and physically painful but has treatment options available.
"Male menopause is a lot more fun than female menopause. With female menopause you gain weight and get hot flashes. Male menopause - you get to date young girls and drive motorcycles." (11)
Late life depression affects about 7 million Americans 65 and older, but only 10 percent seek out and receive treatment (Depression in the Elderly: Symptoms, Causes, Treatments). Depression symptoms are different for every individual and sometimes the elderly can confuse mental illness to be side effects of medications they are currently taking. Medications such as steroids, benzodiazepines, and beta blockers may cause symptoms of depression. Also end of life changes such as loss of independence, being alone, and grief from a loss of a spouse are commonly linked to depression of the elderly. As individuals grow in age, neurotransmitters associated with well-being and happiness such as serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine begins to diminish (Elderly Depression: Depression and
“The Emotional Effects of Infertility on the Couple Relationship.” IVF.com. Georgia Reproductive Specialists, 2007. Web. 22 Mar. 2010. .
Depression is most common in women. The rates are twice as high as they are in men. According to the National Mental Health Association, about one in every eight women will develop depression at some point during her lifetime. Women’s symptoms are similar to major depression. Some of them include being in a depressed mood, loss of interest in activities you used to like, feelings of guilt and hopelessness, and suicidal thoughts or recurrent thought of death. Women tend to blame themselves, feel anxious and scared, and avoid conflicts at all costs. They also use food, friends, and love to self-medicate. Some causes of depression in women are premenstrual problems, pregnancy and inf...
I do believe the author’s conclusions were warranted given the study’s design. By using the results obtained from this study counselors can determine how to best help clients with various types of infertility issues. As the results of the study revealed the etiology of the infertility could be correlated with the type of stress the client experiences.
Depression affects everyone. According to Psychology Information Online, women are more at risk for depression. This is due to factors that are directly related to women such as reproductive, hormonal, genetic or other biological factors; abuse and oppression; interpersonal factors; and certain psychological and personality characteristics. In general, it has been found that people who have low self-esteem, who consistently view themselves and the world with pessimism, or who are readily overwhelmed by stress are more prone to depression. Psychologists often describe social learning factors as being significant in the development of depression, as well as other psychological problems. A serious loss, chronic illness, relationship problems, work stress, family crisis, financial setback, or any unwelc...