Putting the Men in Menopause
It’s true. Menopause is a condition that men will never experience directly. Men will not have the massive changes to their physiology that women endure due to ever-changing hormone levels.
They will never deal with the emotional repercussions of these physical changes and identity issues associated with moving past child bearing years. As such, as a man you may think that you have it easy.
Not so fast. Though men do not experience the symptoms directly, they are in line to be affected by the results in indirect ways. If your wife or another woman in your life is moving towards menopause, you have options.
Option one is for you to continue your life unchanged. You can be rude, judgmental and ignorant to the shift that she is struggling to manage. Beware if you choose this option. It won’t help your relationship. If option one sounds good to you, you can stop reading now.
If you are still reading then option two is right for you. In option two, you work to understand and empathize with what your wife or partner is experiencing. You put your own needs on the backburner for small amounts of time to focus on the greater good of your family and relationship.
Remember, the work that you put towards menopause now will come back to benefit you greatly in the future. Are you ready to help the person that helps you? Here’s how:
Take it Seriously
Over the years, it has become commonplace in the media to make fun of women in different stages of menopause. It’s easy to make a joke about hot flashes or increased irritability.
It is also easy to see why someone would want to make fun of menopause. Menopause is a big issue that is involved and difficult to understand. When something is intimidating, people tend to make fun of it to overshadow their insecurities.
Though it is good for a cheap laugh, it does no good to help your situation. This is not the time for jokes or insensitivities. It is time for action and concerted effort moving towards happiness. The easy way is usually not the best way.
Get Educated
The road to understanding something new begins at education. Work to move away from the stereotypical and clichéd information about menopause and move towards solid information from reputable sources. To begin, gaining knowledge about the stages of menopause can do you a world of good. Here’s a breakdown:
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