In a recent BBC survey 48% of women say the menopause had a negative impact on their mental health.

• 41% said it had affected their work
• 25% said it made them want to stay at home
• Approximately 1 in 4 women consider leaving the workplace.Peri menopause is described as the time in a woman’s life when she is experiencing menopausal symptoms but still having periods. It can be difficult for any woman to know when peri menopause started for her until she is able to look back.
  Post menopause is entered once a woman has experienced twelve consecutive months without periods she is postmenopausal for the rest of her life.
  The average age of menopause is 51 but it usually happens between 45 -55 years of age. It can occur later or earlier. Symptoms can last up to 15 years

  So what happens to the female brain?

• Oestrogen fluctuates and depletes
• Neuro chemicals become disturbed
• Sleep and mood and concentration can sufferResearch shows many women are being failed by their GP due to lack of knowledge around symptoms and treatments

  Women are being incorrectly diagnosed as depressed and given antidepressants.

• Approximately 38 per cent of women seek help from a GP
• One quarter of those who visited a GP say the possibility of the symptoms being menopause related is missed
• Many women are mistakenly denied HRT due to existing or family health concerns
• Women still feel very confused about HRT
• Many women are unaware of NHS menopause clinics, you can ask your GP to refer you. Find your nearest BMS-recognised menopause specialistNICE guidelines on menopause state that blood hormone tests are not indicated to diagnose menopause in a woman over 45 years of age experiencing menopause symptoms. Here is a menopause symptom checker

  Many women say

• I feel like I’m going mad
• I feel so alone/sad/angry/lost
• I don’t know who I am anymore
• I have lost my joy
• I feel like I’m going mad
• My brain feels foggy, I can't think and feel slowMenopause can affect women's relationships with partner, family, friends and colleagues. It can help to talk to a sympathetic listener who can signpost you to medical help if needed. You don't have to suffer in silence. Please have a look at the resources linked to here.

  Thanks to Diane Danzebrink for providing this information at the BACP Private Practice Conference