Louise Phillips
During menopause, many women struggle with debilitating symptoms such as low mood, anxiety, anger, insomnia, and mood swings, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle can be particularly challenging.
CBT (cognitive behavioural hypnotherapy) is an evidence-based approach to therapy which is used to create new healthy ways of thinking and to develop strategies to better manage common menopausal symptoms.
Recommended by NICE for the treatment of anxiety and depression in menopausal women, CBT is a wonderful way of creating healthy coping mechanisms and building positive lifestyle habits.
Women going through menopause often report feeling stressed, anxious, and overwhelmed. And Many women will know just how easy it is to get caught up in a vicious cycle of anxiety, fatigue, low mood, and a feeling that you just can’t cope.
But it doesn’t have to be this way! Using CBT, you can learn to manage and ultimately change the thoughts that lead to feelings of being anxious and overwhelmed, helping you to break free from those unhelpful thinking habits. You can learn to build your self-efficacy, which is not just your ability to cope but more importantly your belief in your ability to cope.
Using CBT you can address specific issues such as anger and mood swings, insomnia, intrusive or overwhelming thoughts, or low self-esteem; and develop strategies to resolve issues such as problem drinking and binge eating which are common when going through perimenopause and menopause.
As women, we often feel that we are the only ones who are struggling and that we should just get on with it but using CBT you can learn to challenge those beliefs and normalise your feelings and emotions. This can lead to better coping mechanisms and greater levels of happiness and contentment.
Studies show that menopausal symptoms such as night sweats, hot flushes and anxiety are commonly triggered in response to life stressors but by using CBT you can learn to develop healthy ways of managing stress which in turn, may reduce the incidences and severity of these symptoms.
CBT can be accessed via the NHS and privately. To find out what CBT NHS services are available in your area please see the following link
Louise Philips is a Cognitive Behavioural Hypnotherapist
