Читать книгу Counseling the Contemporary Woman - Suzanne Degges-White - Страница 113

Women of all ages understand the connection between their menstrual cycle and their moods. During perimenopause and menopause, women’s moods are also labile and unpredictable. In addition to, and likely exacerbating, mood swings are the lethargy, fatigue, irritability, and difficulty concentrating that typically occur during this period of life (Inayat et al., 2017). Menopause is often accompanied by memory problems and forgetfulness as well (Devi, Hahn, Massimi, & Zhivotovskaya, 2005; Inayat et al., 2017), which can lead to additional frustration and irritation. Unfortunately, the middle adult years may bring about mood changes that are simply a normal aspect of hormonal shifts. Counselors should validate clients’ feelings related to noted mood swings or irritability while normalizing their presence in client’s lives. Some clients are happily surprised at their newfound ability to say what they think without worrying about consequences as they once might have. Counselors can encourage clients to share instances where their irritability might have been a positive force or surprising in a good way. In a culture obsessed with youth, or at least a youthful appearance, women reaching midlife may also express emotions and behaviors that are due, in part, to their changing bodies as well as the cultural messages and expectations they face. Combined, these symptoms may influence the development of depression.