Menopause, Hormones and Panic Attacks
It starts with your breathing. You breath in faster and faster but you are not sure why. Then you realize that your heart is beating so quickly it might fly right out of your chest. You may feel trapped, constricted or frozen. A feeling of sheer panic consumes you. Such are the first moments of a panic attack. One in four people will experience one throughout their lifetime, so it is not a rare occurrence. They can be brought on by many reasons, personal or environmental stress, medication or simply for no reason at all. What many people don’t realize though is that during menopause you are more susceptible to panic attacks than at any other time in your life.
Are you finding yourself becoming anxious about events that you usually wouldn’t worry about? Are your stress levels higher than normal? Do you come out in a hot flush at times or even have a panic attack?While there are many reasons that your stress and anxiety levels seem greater than in other times during your life, menopause and the hormonal changes that occur are often a cause of increased stress and anxiety.
Inside your brain is a small centre called the Amygdala. Among many other functions, the Amygdala monitors your response to stressful situations and can bring about the onset of a panic attack. During menopause, the altered levels of hormones cause the Amygdala to react, which can make you far more likely to have high levels of stress and in turn be prone to panic attacks. What your brain viewed as a normal, or slightly stressful situation a few years ago, it now sees as being highly stressful. The hormonal changes that menopause brings have, in effect reset the way that the brain interprets stress.While anxiety is a symptom of menopause, this does not mean that you need to accept this as a part of your life. There are ways that you can control these reactions. The first step is to talk to a councilor or other qualified professional. You may wish to consult with your GP. Anti anxiety medication can be prescribed to help.
If you feel like you are experiencing a panic attack the best thing to do is take deep relaxing breaths. This will slow down your heart rate and help bring the attack under control. If you are driving, pull over safely as soon as you are able. Sometimes a panic attack can be a reaction to a stressful event, sometimes it can seem to happen for no reason at all.
Another great step is to take a more relaxed approach to other areas of your life. Take up yoga or meditation classes once a week, you will learn strategies to deal with difficult situations and find that over time you will have a more relaxed attitude. If you are feeling constantly stressed, take ten minutes to sit down are think about what is really stressing you out, perhaps write a list. Think about these issues and whether they are really worth stressing over. If so, what can you do to help resolve or improve the problem?
Disclaimer: Always seek medical advice from a proper doctor if you are suffering from any medical condition related to anxiety, fear or panic.