Your menopausal rage is valid

health at every sizeself careself acceptancemenopausegentle nutrition
Written By Emma Polette

Over the past few months, I’ve had quite a few women tell me they are full of rage. I want to remind you all that your rage is valid. Anger is an important emotion, just like any other, but we have been taught to keep it in check since childhood (especially girls/women and BIPOC people, who are often told they shouldn’t be angry). Of course, when you are angry and are told not to be, that just makes you angrier!

Interestingly, menopausal rage is common and is directly related to the drop in oestrogen that happens during this phase of life. Oestrogen and serotonin are linked, so a drop in oestrogen can affect mood. Depression is very common during the menopausal transition, but there is often less sadness and more irritability and anger during this time. Plus, these mood changes can be very “on-off,” which means one moment life is peachy, and the next, you want everyone to die. If we’ve spent our lives trying to live up to the happy, unflappable, impossible standard that women are supposed to be, it can feel really discombobulating to suddenly be a raging bitch. It can affect our sense of self-esteem, which is also influenced by our serotonin levels. It’s a very vicious cycle.

There’s probably more than just dropping oestrogen making you mad. As women, most of us have had to put up with a lot throughout our lives—our menstrual cycle, the gender pay gap, beauty standards, childbirth and raising kids, the mental load of the family, the majority of home tasks, sexual harassment, discrimination… and now THIS TOO!!

So, please remember that your menopausal rage is valid.

But here’s what to do about it:

  1. Acknowledge It's Normal: Knowing that it’s normal and understanding why it’s happening can be the first step. This may help reduce the self-esteem drop that can come with mood changes. You can tick this box now ☺️

  2. Boost Serotonin Levels: Exercise, meditation, sunlight exposure, massages, and social interactions are all good ways to do this. Read my latest article about 11 minutes of exercise a day to learn how to incorporate exercise and sunlight exposure into your routine.

  3. Seek Support: Get support from a psychologist.

  4. Consult Your Doctor: See your doctor about medications. Antidepressants and sometimes MHT can be helpful for mood changes related to menopause.

  5. Feel and Express Your Anger: Remember, it is valid to feel and express your anger.

If you would like to try a free meditation to help boost serotonin and self-compassion, click here to get the track.

 

Boost your mood with food

Gentle nutrition can also help to boost your serotonin and your mood. Here are some ideas:

  1. Eat Tryptophan-Rich Foods: Tryptophan is an amino acid that the body converts into serotonin. Foods high in tryptophan include turkey, eggs, cheese, nuts, salmon, tofu, and pineapples.

  2. Carbohydrates: Consuming healthy carbohydrates (like whole grains) can help increase the absorption of tryptophan.

 
Emma Polette
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