Survey Of Over-50s Women Finds Almost Two In Three Struggle With Mental Health

Almost 2 successful 3 women complete 50 successful nan UK struggle pinch their intelligence wellness arsenic they woody pinch menopause, narration breakdowns and changes to their appearance, a study has found.

Brain fog, parents dying, children leaving location and financial pressures tin besides trigger difficulties specified arsenic sleeping problems, emotion anxious aliases overwhelmed, and a nonaccomplishment of zest for life.

However, an “epidemic of silence” surrounds nan challenges women look to their mental wellness successful midlife, arsenic almost 9 retired of 10 of those affected activity nary thief to cope.

The findings emerged from a study of 2,000 women aged 50 and complete crossed Britain, commissioned by nan British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), which represents therapists.

The findings were “a sobering read”, said Dr Lisa Morrison, BACP’s head of master standards, argumentation and research. “We cognize that for galore women this shape successful life presents a convergence of awesome challenges – from nan menopause and different beingness changes, to narration breakdowns, caring responsibilities and empty-nest syndrome.

“What is astir alarming is that a staggering astir 9 successful 10 women [affected] are facing intelligence wellness struggles but consciousness nan request to hide it. For galore women complete 50, midlife intelligence wellbeing challenges are having a devastating effect connected their day-to-day lives.”

The antagonistic consequences of a wide “holding backmost from opening up” included problem sleeping (59%), gaining aliases losing weight (43%), avoiding societal events (38%) and withdrawing from relationship groups (28%), according to nan survey, undertaken by nan marketplace investigation patient 3Gem.

Overall, 58% felt much anxious and overwhelmed by things that would antecedently not person affected them.

Asked what stopped them opening up astir their intelligence welfare, women said they did not want to load group (4%), felt they needed to “hold it together” for others (45%), feared that different group would not understand (27%), and tended to support a “stiff precocious lip” (24%).

The BACP is launching a run coming to pass midlife women that “stiff precocious lip” civilization is bad for them and they should see therapy arsenic a shape of support.

Menopause presents peculiar challenges: nan BACP’s Mindometer research, its yearly study of almost 3,000 therapists, has identified a important emergence successful women seeking therapy to thief them header pinch concerns related to it, particularly anxiety.

When women were asked what pressures they had faced since turning 50 that affected their intelligence wellbeing, encephalon fog – a communal side-effect of menopause – was nan commonest reply (38%), and navigating menopause (34%) was nan 3rd astir cited.

“Menopause tin lead to symptoms specified arsenic encephalon fog, mediocre slumber and representation loss, which tin make women mobility their ain competence and abilities,” said Morrison. “Alongside this galore are navigating a modulation successful their location lives. This mightiness see grief, taking connected caring responsibilities for ageing relatives, young big children leaving home, aliases nan breakdown of a relationship.”

Financial difficulties were besides common, Morrison said. “A culmination of moreover conscionable a mates of these issues, connected apical of nan accustomed day-to-day challenges, tin beryllium capable to make women consciousness overstretched and unsupported.”

Janet Lindsay, nan main executive of nan kindness Wellbeing of Women , said: “Hormonal changes during menopause tin person a important effect connected women’s intelligence health. A civilization of dismissal tin time off galore emotion pressured into keeping their struggles to themselves.

“Perimenopause and menopause symptoms aliases fluctuating oestrogen tin lead to anxiety, debased mood, irritability and encephalon fog, and without due support, these tin person a profound effect connected a woman’s life and wellbeing.”

A survey published connected Wednesday of 9,600 mothers successful 12 European countries recovered that 71% of mothers successful nan UK felt overloaded and 47% suffered from intelligence wellness challenges, specified arsenic slump and burnout.