Anxiety Attack During Menopause

Imagine a room where you are reading a newspaper and then suddenly, without any apparent trigger, your heart beat doubles, you panic, and finally you experience terror. This is nothing but a typical experience of an anxiety attack. Many times, you might experience continue periods of such tremors because on the onset of the first episode, you tend to fear about the arrival of another bringing drastic behavioral changes.

Also called as panic attack, an anxiety attack refers to unexpected and severe bursts of irresistible fear and panic. This persistent psychological state will make a menopausal woman breathe faster as compared to a normal person. The anxiety attacks are like the beach waves that come in ebbs, but when they come, they induce extreme physical vibrations that might give you a feeling of a heart attack due to increased blood pressure and heart beats. The overall experience is further worsened if your response is negative, which is mostly the case.

As the menopause transition starts in a woman’s body, the naturally occurring hormonal changes not only affect the body, but also the menstrual cycles, mind, spirit, and emotions. So, this sometimes make her feel that something 'wrong' will take place creating anxiety for herself. Typically, menstrual women are more likely to worry when they are not familiar with what is happening with them. Such women have one symptom in common - they breathe at a faster rate. As per the studies, younger post-menopausal women are more vulnerable to anxiety attacks. But, fortunately, there are many options to manage and treat it. So, keep on reading!
 

• Symptoms of Anxiety AttackAnxiety attacks have both physical and psychological symptoms that can become intense after 10 minutes. In such attacks, the feelings of losing control, being out of the world, intense worrying, and fearing about the next attack dominate a woman. By nature, anxiety attacks are very anguishing and violent. Listed below are the common psychological and physical symptoms during menopause.
• Psychological:
• Devastating feelings of panic
• Loss of control
• Aloofness from self or reality
• Fear of dying
• Physical:
• Racing heart/palpitations
• Sweating
• Electric currents
• Trembling and jolting
• Difficulty breathing/hyperventilation
• Suffocation
• Numbness or tingling
• Nausea
• Stomach cramps
• Weak legs
• Hot flashes
• Dizziness (fainting)

In fact, difficulty breathing forms a vicious circle: breathing problem – muscle tension – more breath shortness – tiredness – less energy – increase in anxiety – short breath. So, it is necessary to consult a doctor.

• TreatmentListed below are some ways to deal with anxiety attack.
• Go for some natural supplements such as exercising, meditating, and estrogen producing herbs.
• Accept that you are experiencing symptoms. This will take away your confusion.
• Note down the triggers of anxiety and share with your doctor. Remember, knowing what initiates panic attacks is the first effort in tackling this symptom.
• Try to observe on what is happening with you rather than getting involved in that. So, be a spectator rather than a doer.
• Do not let your stress levels increase and look for relaxing techniques. So, practice yoga and breathing exercises.
• Listen to what your mind is saying the moment you tend to be upset or anxious. If it is saying something negative, try to change it to positive via conversation.
• Never blame others for your anxiousness. This is because it is only you who can control it ultimately.
• See if you can take a break and plan for a vacation so that you are away from the hectic city life. This is one of the best ways to relieve stress.
• Ensure that stress reduction techniques as stated above, doctor's involvement, and lifestyle changes go hand in hand.
• One of the ideal ways is to combine lifestyle changes with the natural therapies like massage, estrogen generating herbs, acupuncture, and aromatherapy.