Menopause and AnxietyWritten by Cathy Taylor
The mid-life phenomenon known as menopause and stresses of anxiety go hand in hand. Panic attacks, rushes of energy, burning in chest, unusual vibrations throughout body, and warm sensations are some of physical effects you may feel under this condition. When menopause hits, there is a greater chance women will go through anxiety and depression. Christian Northrop talks about this phenomenon in her book, Wisdom of Menopause, where if a woman has repressed something in her life, she won’t be able to get past menopause employing same tactics. For example, unexpressed anger will find its way out and sometimes in unusual or uncomfortable ways. In what is often referred to as a ¨midlife crisis,¨ this time of life forces women to re-evaluate themselves and role(s) they play as they are getting older. And, often times we are not comfortable with what we find. A little voice in back of our head is saying, “If you don’t make changes now … you never will!” Our hormonal imbalances (due to decreased estrogen levels) can contribute to feelings of depression or make us feel plain ‘indifference.’ Even if menopause isn’t actually causing these conditions, it can heighten underlying anxiety and bring it to surface. Anxiety is an individual’s prolonged feeling of dread and worry with no particular reason behind it. It’s uncomfortable and causes stress particularly on body. It can be triggered by problems in everyday life like paying bills and work. Although worrying about these things for a normal person has its ceiling of severity, menopausal women suffering from anxiety tend to think about their problems excessively. When anxiety finally hits its highest peak, it is often called a panic attack. Panic attacks are debilitating episodes of fright and fear that include chest pains, fear of death, and shaking. In what is called being ¨psychosocially¨ depressed, women have negative beliefs and attitudes in regards to getting older, assuming unwanted roles such as caretaker, and responding negatively to impatient husbands who might demand sex. Being depressed during duration of this condition has a lot to do with their overall psychological well-being prior to menopause. Women who have continuous anxiety and depression beforehand are more likely to suffer worse cases of anxiety during this latter phase of life. If life-long imbalances have not been healed, menopause may exacerbate situation. We might feel unable to perform ¨female duties¨, contributing to feelings of worthlessness and hopelessness. Research has found that consistent regular physical activity (i.e. exercise) before menopause has been scientifically proven to lessen possibility of anxiety symptoms during this transition. It’s also helpful to avoid drinking caffeine-loaded liquids, sleep deprivation, and stimulant use.
| | Causes of Hair LossWritten by Karen Brown
Hair loss, in both men and women, can be a difficult matter to face. Most of time, individuals who are dealing with hair loss focus solely on prevention/treatment of hair loss rather than origin, which may aid in prevention/treatment of hair loss. Although hair loss causes vary from person to person, there are a few main factors that cause hair loss, such as heredity and aging.In men, most common causes of hair loss are heredity, hormones and aging. These contribute to potential for men to lose hair. In women, some common causes of hair loss include poor circulation, hormonal changes after menopause or having a baby, and poor diet. A few other causes of hair loss include high stress, diabetes, certain drugs, chemicals and hair dyes, vitamin deficiencies and poor nutrition, and so on. In case of losing hair based on genes, there may not be much that men or women can do in way of prevention. Chances are that if a parent or close relative, or many close relatives, suffer from hair loss, these individuals with also have hair loss caused by heredity. In these instances, hair loss acts like a genetic based disease or trait that carries itself in DNA. However, not all hair loss is heredity based. In fact, some individuals may experience hair loss, while their parents and close relatives have not. Usually, this means that another factor is causing hair loss, like high stress or poor nutrition. When individuals experience hair loss at early ages or in drastic amounts, this generally indicates that these persons are sustaining an agent that is contributing to hair loss. As aforementioned, along with others, causes of hair loss, especially in premature and/or drastic cases, are heredity, high stress and weakness from overworking, hair dyes and other chemicals, diseases, and so on.
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