Menopause is Schizophrenic

Contributed by Lynette Sheppard,RN

Many times menopause can have the qualities of a split personality! It’s difficult and delightful. It’s wonderful and just plain weird. It’s frightening and freeing. This may be why so many goddesses tell me it is hard for them to read the myriad menopause self-help books out there. The books seem to be either irritatingly positive and upbeat or a mind-numbing litany of physiology, symptoms and treatments. Our search for wisdom ends up exhausting us.

The “happy” books tell us this is the best time of our lives. Well that may be, but many are suffering more losses than the stock market. And while we may ultimately transition into the best time of our lives, we have to deal with all the transition symptoms before we can begin to move on.

The “one right answer” books tout their own versions of miracles, and we end up having to read a library full of books and experiment ad nauseum to find a workable combination of menopause aids.

The everything-you-ever-wanted-to-know-about-menopause books just end up overwhelming us even if the information we might need is in there. And worse yet, they frequently contradict one another. Why is that? Because the simple truth is we have lots of info and knowledge, but little wisdom distilled from them. And the web is no different.

That’s why Women in Balance is here to help by making practical sense of complex information. It’s a place to learn about the good – and not so good – parts of the menopause transition. It’s about avoiding the overly perky writings that really can grate on your last nerve. So on those days, when your body makes you feel like a split personality, know that you are not alone and other goddesses feel the same – tear-filled and joyful, cranky and hopeful – all at the same time. Pretty much like menopause really is!

Lynette Sheppard, RN, writes and moderates the Menopause Goddess Blog – www.menopausegoddessblog.org – where women share their wisdom for the pivotal journeys through menopause, midlife, and the Second Half of our lives.