Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Shows Promise for Women with Menopause
While Menopause is both a natural and inevitable part of most women’s lives, the negative impact on both physical and mental health has long been under-acknowledged and poorly managed. Women are more than four times more likely to experience a major depressive episode during this period than in any other live stage. For women with a history of mood disorders, this risk can increase to 13 times higher likelihood. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), often delivered in the form of Cognitive Behavioural Group Therapy (CBGT), is showing promise in minimising the emotional, and physical impacts of menopause. Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, a similar approach has also shown promise in easing menopausal symptoms.
Side effects of early Hormone Replacement Therapy include increased cardiovascular risks including stroke, heart disease and blood clots as well as increased risk of some cancers. While HRT medication has been refined to reduce risks, a significant number of menopausal women seek alternative treatments for emotional and physical symptoms.
On both the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression and the Menopause Quality of Life Scale, participants in several recent studies reported improved outcomes after attending CBT or CBGT therapy. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy addresses the way that the patient interprets and reacts to emotional situations. It encourages patients to avoid “negative or pessimistic thoughts”, to recognise patterns in thinking that increase feelings of depression or hopelessness, and to build more effective coping skills. While it’s clear how CBT could potentially ease depressive symptoms associated with menopause, the unexpected finding was the positive impact on physical health.
CBT has long been used for treatment of anxiety and depression. Part of the treatment includes creating “time” barriers to limit the escalation of acute negative emotions that lead to overwhelming and worsening symptoms. This may take the form of structured breathing or physical activity, of “talking it out” or “manual relaxation of your muscles”. Research into the physical ailments associated with menopause, including hot flushes, heart palpitations and sleep disruption are proving to reduce in intensity and frequency, when the breathing, and other physical exercises included in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy are activated.
“CBT isn’t a new approach to therapy but it’s only recently we’re understanding the full benefits of it for menopausal women. The problem with most Psychology Clinics is that they don’t offer any facility for group therapy, and there is mounting evidence a combination of CBT and CBGT is the most impactful approach,” said Davis Lemke of Clarity Health Care Psychologists Melbourne.
The success of a group therapy approach may provide greater impact as participants feel supported, not “alone” and engaged by a more social approach to managing menopausal symptoms.
“Our ongoing research into providing better health care for women has shown a marked improvement in menopausal symptoms through ongoing, talk based therapy,” said Davis Lemke, Managing Director of Clarity Health Care, Psychology Clinic Fitzroy.
