In 2015 the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) launched the recommendation that all GP's and health professionals should inform menopausal patients about Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and how it can support them through this difficult period.
CBT is known to successfully treat anxiety and depression, which are two emotional states often experienced by women during the menopausal transition and post menopause. It's very common for women to feel anxious about the physical symptoms of menopause such as hot flushes for example. These random and strong sweats can cause a lot of embarrassment, leading to a gradual avoidance of social activities and an increase in anxiety or depression. CBT techniques for social, health and general anxiety can all be adapted to relate specifically to these area's during the menopause.
Around 10% of women are more likely to experience a depressive period during the menopausal transition*. Self esteem, body confidence and mood can all be effected during this unsettling time but there are also considerable challenges faced by our own negative beliefs about the menopause and what it means for us as a women. Our unhealthy thoughts combined with the anxiety around the physical symptoms of menopause can make this an incredibly difficult time for many women.
Based on the NICE guidelines my CBT treatment focuses largely on tackling night sweats, sleeping problems, hot flushes, palpitations and challenging negative thinking patterns. Clinical trials have shown that CBT is an effective treatment for all of the above issues and I regularly treat insomnia, general anxiety and health anxiety with the proven techniques.
For more information on how I can help you during the menopause get in contact to book a free phone consultation.
*National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, Menopause: diagnosis and management, Nov 2015.
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