10 Ways To Support Women in Menopause
Women in menopause deserve more than just excellent healthcare; they also deserve support from their community. Although a perfectly natural transition, menopause can be fraught with frustrating and complicated health issues that can take a toll on a woman’s physical, mental, and emotional health. No one should have to battle their health concerns and struggles alone.
So, how can we find support for ourselves and show support for our menopausal sisters?
Join a Support Group
Support groups are the perfect place for giving and receiving support. Support groups can help you identify common issues, work toward goals, give you some kind of release to let out all your frustrations, and have other women understand what you’re going through. It’s not often we have people in our lives who can understand all of the trials and tribulations we go through when it comes to our health. So find a support group or a forum that you can join. If you can’t find one, start your own among the women of your community and make new friends!
Send a Care Package
Sometimes we’re not equipped to deal with our menopausal symptoms. Hot flashes, night sweats, brittle hair, dry skin; all of these things can be difficult to deal with, especially without any tools to help combat them. So, why not help each other out and send menopausal healthcare packages! Stick a portable fan in there, a cooling eye mask, and maybe some hydrating body wash while you’re at it. Whatever small ways you can show your support and provide a little help will be greatly appreciated.
Help Them Find a New Doctor
One of the more challenging and often frightening realities of menopause is finding the right doctor. Menopause comes with a whole new list of health concerns, and not all doctors are created equal. You wouldn’t go to a podiatrist to fix head trauma. So finding the right doctor is crucial to maintaining and improving your menopausal health. If you or someone you know is having trouble finding the right doctor, help them out. Do some research, make a few calls, ask questions. A helping hand can go a long way.
Go to Appointments Together
Doctor’s appointments can be nerve-wracking. Sometimes menopausal symptoms can surface out of nowhere, or secondary health issues can occur due to the menopausal transition. Going to doctor’s appointments with friends can help ease some of that anxiety and frustration in addressing health concerns. Accompany a friend or call them after to make sure they’re alright. Just having another person to talk to about it can be enough.
Have a Girl's Night
One of the biggest concerns when it comes to menopausal health is stress. Stress has a strong impact on how the human body responds to pain and illness and can drag the body’s health down. Finding ways to relieve stress and decompress is not only helpful in maintaining a comfortable life, but it’s also fundamentally important to staying healthy. Spending time with friends is a great way to help relieve stress. So spend some time with friends. Call them up, visit them, talk to them, have movie nights, whatever makes them relax can help them stay healthier longer.
Help Them Reach Their Goals
Whether your goals are to lose weight, cook healthier meals, or learn French, having someone who can help you stay on track with your goals helps you stay motivated. It’s why people spend so much money on personal trainers to support their exercise goals. So do the same for your menopausal friends. Help them stay on track with their diet, encourage them, and celebrate even the smallest milestones with them. Positive reinforcement does fantastic things for the brain and body.
Exercise Together
Some people prefer exercising alone, but many people feed off the energy of others when exercising. It helps them get in the right headspace and pushes them to be more motivated. So exercise with friends to help them get in the right headspace. Do challenges with them, spot them when they’re lifting weights, help them work on their form if they’re having trouble. Most importantly, be encouraging. Celebrate the milestones they make in their goals, and be sure to check in on them the day after a big workout.
Give Compliments
As we get older, we may forget the importance of giving compliments to friends, family, and work colleagues. It may seem like a small and unimportant thing, but compliments can change how we feel about ourselves and reaffirm our self-confidence. Giving compliments can help those going through a hard time and remind them of their value in our lives. So give out a compliment or two to your friends as often as possible, and you’ll receive plenty in return.
Organize Events & Get Active
When all else fails, get active in the community and make some noise. Organize events, charity drives, start podcasts, or blogs to spread awareness on menopausal issues and help your fellow women get access to the resources and tools they need. Get others involved and build a vast support network for women in menopause. Sometimes the best things we can do are the ones that have the biggest impact on our world.
Show Your Support
However you choose to show your support for the menopausal community, remember, you have the power to make a change. We can make more progress when we stand together. Start taking action today!
