Actress Gillian Anderson, suggests that “Perimenopause and menopause should be treated as the rites of passage that they are. If not celebrated, then at least accepted and acknowledged and honoured.”
Falling apart
The co-star of The X-Files – the hugely popular science fiction tv series about FBI special agents whose job it is to investigate mysterious, unexplained cases – felt that her “life was falling apart”. She “started to ask what could be going on internally, and friends suggested it might be hormonal. Accustomed to balancing lots of things, she suddenly felt as though she “could handle nothing” and was “completely overwhelmed”.
Where, in the past, one could be forgiven for likening Ms Anderson to the character she so famously played for more than two decades – realist agent Dana Scully, who appeared so logical and so ‘together’ – in total contrast, the actress was, in fact, overcome by the effects of being menopausal and struggled to balance everything.
Feeling low and anxious
The awesomely open star’s honesty is confirmation that the menopause doesn’t discriminate. It can affect us all in very different ways.
Juggling everything as you normally would on a daily basis can become very difficult and things can get on top of you so much more quickly.
Hormones do have a lot to answer for with feeling low and anxiety being just two of the many potential symptoms.
The NHS website has some great advice and information and even has this mood self-assessment quiz that you can do if you are feeling vulnerable.
Sometimes it just helps to know that you’re in good company
What may feel overwhelming to you now – alien even (pardon the pun!) – can almost certainly be eased by your GP. They will be used to dealing with all kinds of menopausal symptoms and can guide you on the right path to help you through this stage of your life.
You only need to look at Gillian Anderson and her many compatriots going through the same to know that you are so far from being alone.
