Menopause and your mental health

Menopause directly affects mental health in more ways than one, and experiencing menopause at work comes with its own unique challenges. It’s an experience that everyone goes through in varying degrees. From increased anxiety to panic attacks, if menopause isn’t managed, symptoms can be hard to bear. While the physical symptoms seem to be rather well known, it’s the mental and emotional changes may take prevalence in some cases.

Discover what menopause is, how it affects mental health and what can be done to manage symptoms in and out of the workplace.

What is menopause?

Menopause is a natural stage of life where periods stop – ending an individual’s reproductive years. This generally effects individuals between 45-55, but can happen outside of this bracket too. Physical symptoms such as hot flushes and poor sleep are some of the more common ones you may hear about, but with this comes low energy levels, mood swings and other unpleasant side effects that can impact quality of life.

How does menopause present itself in intersex, non-binary and transgender individuals?

When the subject of menopause comes up, it’s typically associated with cisgender women (women assigned female at birth). However, menopause can occur in a variety of individuals.

Intersex Intersex individuals have chromosome patterns that may or may not display physical characteristics. It’s not a medical condition, but rather a natural variation in human biology. Individuals who are intersex may or may not experience menopause, and the experience is largely dependent on the individual’s unique genetic and physical make up.

Non-binary Someone who identifies as non-binary may have female sex organs and therefore would experience menopause. This can be dependent on what the individual has done with regards to medical treatments may have had.

Transexual men If a trans man was assigned female at birth but still has ovaries and aren’t on gender-affirming hormone therapy, there is a chance they may go through menopause. It can also happen if they stop taking oestrogen and don’t take testosterone. If a trans man has had their ovaries or uterus removed, menopause may happen earlier in life with possibly more intense symptoms, and it’s not uncommon for some individuals to still experience menopausal symptoms even on testosterone.

Menopause and mental wellbeing  - how are they connected?

Individuals going through menopause may experience changes to their mental wellbeing. This is due to the fluctuation of hormones. Individuals may experience some or a lot of the following:

• Anxiety

• Depression

• Irritability

• Brain fog

• Mood swings

• Problems concentrating

• Sleep disturbances

The physical symptoms that follow menopause can also cause a strain on one’s mental health, especially if they do not have the support systems in place at work and home. Not to mention that menopause signifies a major life change, so there’s an emotional toll this can take on the mind and body as the individual adapts. It can become a particularly intensified experience if an individual has a pre-existing mental health condition.

How to tell menopause is affecting mental health

If you or someone around you is going through menopause, it’s worth knowing the signs to identify whether it may be negatively affecting their mental health.

Anxiety. Feelings of worry can become uncontrollable, leading to stress and anxiety. In some cases, this can cause panic attacks if left unchecked

Low mood. The individual may appear unhappy and disengaged from tasks or activities they’d usually partake in

Brain fog. They may appear forgetful and unable to maintain focus or effectively switch between tasks

Mood swings. One minute they’re fine, the next they may be tearful, sad and/or irritable, with seemingly no cause

Overwhelm. With the combination of the above, it may be overwhelming to deal with symptoms, which in turn impact work performance and commitments outside of work

How to accommodate menopause in the workplace

When it comes to UK employment law and menopause, there are some protections in place. While menopause isn't a protected characteristic under the Equality Act 2010, employers do have a duty to protect employees from discrimination based on sex, age, and disability – this makes it relevant to menopause experiences. Plus, the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 requires employers to ensure a safe working environment, which includes considering the impact of menopausal symptoms.

To properly accommodate individuals going through menopause, your workplace should create a supportive, open culture that facilitates flexible arrangements for a comfortable working environment. From training to wellbeing initiatives, here are some ways you can accommodate menopause in the workplace.

Have supportive policies in place

Have policies in your employee handbook that directly (and indirectly) accommodate individuals going through menopause, enabling them to feel more comfortable and protected. This can look like offering flexible working arrangements, adjusted hours or shifts, having additional absence policies to accommodate for appointments or recovery time.

It’s also a good idea to run an Occupational Health assessment to assess what additional needs are required. This could look like desk fans to offset hot flushes, improving the layout of the desk or supplying a more breathable work uniform.

2. Encourage open conversations

By having open, productive discussions about menopause, colleagues can be more aware of how it affects an individual. It can also help reduce mental health stigma, as well as discourage discrimination in the workplace.

3. Train managers

Managers are often the go-to when a colleague has an issue or concern. By adding menopause training to their arsenal, they can be trained to identify the signs of menopause as well as how to communicate with someone currently going through it.

Our Mental Health First Aid Training programme is paramount in providing mental health support as a first line of defence. The principles can apply to menopause, as the course trains individuals in how to spot the signs of poor mental health.

How an Employee Assistance Programme can help 

Whether you’re going through menopause, or you’re a business leader looking to support your colleagues who may go through it at some point, having an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) in place can act as a first line of defence and invaluable resource. HA | Wisdom Wellbeing’s counsellors are available 24/7, 365 days a year to support people with menopausal challenges, as well as provide individuals with coping strategies to manage their mental health during this time. Plus, we’re proud to offer CBT for menopause – a unique and tailored form of CBT that actively addresses the concerns of menopausal changes.

What’s even better, is our unique wellbeing app Wisdom serves as an invaluable tool for tracking one’s mental health. Using our mood tracker, you can keep tabs on how your mood changes over time, as well as access a huge bank of helpful content to support your wellbeing.

Conclusion

Menopause is a challenging stage of life for many. It’s in an organisation’s best interest to provide the appropriate accommodations to get the best out of an individual, ensure they feel supported and are abiding by employment laws. Signposting support for menopause, as well as providing the necessary accommodations can help alleviate symptoms, as well as help employees feel valued.