We Talk Menopause: The 'Ladies Problem' Should Not Be A Taboo Anymore

If you're a woman over the age of 50, or even younger in some cases, chances are you've had some experience with a biological process every woman goes through: menopause. Amazingly, even though more than half of the world's female population will experience it, menopause is still treated as a taboo subject. But why is that? Why do we hesitate to openly discuss something so fundamentally human?

"Menopause is not an illness to be ‘managed’ but a normal stage of life," says Dr. Heather Currie, Associate Specialist in Obstetrics and Gynecology. However the symptoms and the society makes you feel quite otherwise.

Insomnia bacame my first symptom of menopause in my early 40s. Then came mood swings, weight gain and impatience. It's upon experiencing these dismissal attitudes to my condition, that I've come to unravel the deep misconceived notions about menopause. This experience isn’t limited to me at all - it's a shared story by countless women around the globe. 

The sad reality is that menopause isn't given enough attention. It is often sidelined, and relegated to hushed whispers and awkward conversations. It's a worldwide phenomenon: more than half of the female population is going through or will go through menopause, yet it remains such a taboo topic. 

The Mystery Shrouding Menopause 

There's a certain degree of mystery surrounding menopause. Even in our modern, information-driven society, misinformation and confusion prevail. The reasons for this are multifaceted. The matter's complexity, layered with societal and cultural stigmas, create a perfect storm of misunderstanding and misinterpretation. And deep down, it echoes a more significant and more systemic issue: we're comfortable discussing women's bodies only within the context of reproduction and fertility. 

A Cry For Empathy And Understanding 

We need to change how we approach menopause. It's beyond time to break the silence, to vanquish the stigma that keeps women suffering in silence, feeling alone and sometimes hopelessly desperate. It's more than just medical treatment—it calls for empathy, understanding, and most importantly, open dialogue. Treating menopause with the gravity it deserves could drastically improve the health and well-being of innumerable women worldwide. 

Awareness

We need to create more awareness regarding protein consumption and energy boost during menopause. Protein for example plays a critical role during menopause, a natural biological process that marks the end of a woman's menstrual cycles. It's a time of significant hormonal changes, including a decline in estrogen levels, which can lead to a variety of symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, mood changes, and bone loss.

Parting Words 

"Enduring menopause doesn’t make us extraordinary. Nor does it make us any less," says Shaili Chopra, founder of Gytree and SheThePeople and I agree with her. What we need is to feel seen, heard, and understood. Society should usher in a new era where the natural life changes of women are equally celebrated and respected, as are their contributions to society and the world at large. 

It's time to open discussions, nullify taboos, and invite open-hearted, nuanced conversations around menopause. Only then, can we render a fuller, healthier, and more appreciative understanding of the female life cycle. Together, let's open the dialogue on menopause and redesign the narrative for future generations. 

In none of my appointments did I feel like they actually treated me as an individual. I got the impression that for each woman who arrived with menopausal symptoms, the doctor had already decided what to tell her, like we were all part of some common denominator.

After an exhaustive search, I found a clinic that saved my life: a place where doctors with different specialties work together and combine modern and traditional medicine. That, and a group of English women on Facebook whom I luckily stumbled upon, were the only things that managed to help me. 

Let's dive into the depth of the matter and demystify menopause together, shaking off the stigma attached to it. Knowledge is power, and the more we understand about menopause, the better we can support those living through it. It's high time we end the silence that surrounds menopause.

Views expressed by the author are their own