I think our bodies are beautiful, and I think celebrating them and being comfortable in them – no matter what age you are – is important. There shouldn’t be any kind of shame or discomfort around it.
Jennifer Aniston
I’m on Menopause Island at the top of a hill and waving. Yoo hoo! Look up here! Hey I’m up here! I’m shouting, LOOK UP! LOOK UP! I’m screaming to the top of my lungs. I’m jumping up and down and acting the fool but to no avail. Everyone is walking around and minding their business, completely oblivious of me and my antics.
That’s how I sometimes feel trying to explain to my friends and family what’s happening to my mind and body during perimenopause. They empathize yes, but I don’t think they really get it. Their eyes seem vacant, there’s not even a flicker of recognition. I start to think, maybe I’m overreacting, overthinking, being overly dramatic. But no, it’s none of that. I know how I feel.
Most of my friends are either younger or older than me so there’s no familiar ground. How do I explain to my twenty- and thirty-year-old friends why I am sweating so profusely on a cool day? Or why I must sit next to a doorway or under an AC vent anytime we go out. Or why a handheld misting fan is now a staple in my purse? And after all of that, they still may not get it.
But there’s hope for me yet. I’ve found support in online communities and for those of you looking, I want to encourage you to join a community. There’s a plethora of groups on which ever social media platform that suits your fancy that supports women who are going through all the phases of perimenopause and menopause. It’s comforting to know that my symptoms aren’t unique to me alone. In addition, there’s loads of information on how to go through whilst you’re going through.
So, if you are feeling marooned on Menopause Island join an online community today. You wouldn’t regret it. Feel free to share in the comments how online communities are helping you.
