The similarities between puberty and menopause are vast. Think about it. Teens who are reaching puberty deal with acne, fluctuating hormones, body shape changes, irregular menses, growing pains and fatigue. Similarly, women going through peri-menopause or menopause are sometimes afflicted with mood swings, joint aches, the inability to concentrate, skin eruptions and mind-numbing exhaustion.
As women wait longer to have children, their menopause is more often coinciding with the onset of puberty in their children. The question, then becomes who just slammed the door and began sobbing? was it mother or daughter?
Coinciding hormonal transitions can result in tiresome bickering and cause extra strain on the entire family. While it’s difficult to achieve complete serenity in a house where hormones are colliding, there are measures that can be taken by both mother and daughter to ease tension. The following are a good place to start:
Communication: Communication can break down if you let it. Talking about ways to be respectful to each other can really help you get to know each other’s likes, dislikes and boundaries. Remember, no one benefits from a lack of communication.
Self-Awareness: Take the time to reflect on your emotions, reactions and behaviors. What are your triggers and how do you react to them? Are you overwhelmed by negative thoughts? Do you fly off the handle far too easily? It can be helpful to write down your feelings in a journal to achieve some clarity and feel empathy. Remember, everyone is dealing with their own personal challenges. Keeping that in mind can be quite liberating.
Initiate: By sharing your challenges openly, whether you are mother or daughter, you show that you’re willing to be vulnerable. Vulnerability can act as a white flag and set the tone for healthy discussions. It may also be helpful to understand your own hormonal cycles.
Diet: Proper nutrition can help ease agitation, depression and anger. Certain vitamins and minerals are part responsible for mood stabilization and controlling hormone production in the brain. And what’s more than that? A healthy body that you feel good about can make you a happier, more easy-going individual. Consulting a nutritionist can help you achieve your mental and physical goals.
Empathy: Moms, consider what it was like for you as a hormonal teenager. Daughters, consider that your mother is also going through a change. Trying to feel empathy for one another can make a world of difference in regards to your relationship.
Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement Therapy: BHRT is a treatment that can help balance hormones. HormoneSync™ for women treats symptoms caused by peri menopause and menopause such as excessive mood swings, anxiety, hot flashes and joint pain. Alleviation of such symptoms could help you and your entire family live in a more harmonious environment. Read this blog for more information on BHRT.
We can be emotional and still find ways to respect each other. After all, we’re female. We can handle these dramatic changes if we know what’s coming and that it won’t last forever; even if it seems that way.
By Anna Rawson, contributor to the BodyScience Medical blog
Does this problem sound familiar to you? Join us for a tweet chat about Hormonal Households on January 11th at 2pm EST. Visit the Be Prepared Period Tweet Chat page for more info about the chat and its associated giveaway!