Many women from non-western countries including Hong Kong, Japan, and Pakistan only have a 10% incidence of panic attacks during this change of life period, compared with 85% in the west.

Menopausal symptoms of panic attack

Perimenopause and menopause are associated with anxiety symptoms that include feeling sudden intense fear, nervousness, sweating, and shortness of breath, palpitations, and dizziness. Some women experience rage and depression along with the above symptoms.Are these symptoms driving you crazy try this informative book.

Cause of anxiety in relation to menopausal panic attack

Anxiety is coordinated partly by a small organ deep inside the brain called the amygdala, which is located in the temporal lobes.

The amygdala has a number of properties including regulating emotions and mood.

The amygdala like other organs in the body are affected by hormones, but not controlled by them.

The amygdala has an inhibiting effect on behaviour. Meaning it protects you from being aggressive in situations that warrant caution. Anxiety has many causes, and some are further explored here.

Protective loss during perimenopause

During perimenopause there is an extreme change in hormonal estrogen and progesterone. Normally estrogen increases before your period, and progesterone creates a calming effect after. Progesterone fluctuates and has less of a calming effect during perimenophase, and it influences the inhibitory effect of the amygdala.

You may experience periods of extreme rage, mood swings and depression because of the up and down nature of your hormones at this time. This can last for a few months or years, which could create the experience of menopausal panic attack.

Hypnosis can help

Anxiety, menopausal panic attacks, can leave you feeling inadequate, confused and frustrated. Hypnosis can help you alleviate the symptoms leaving you calm, confident, and feeling a sense of control over your life.

Anxiety is a serious concern, and cannot be conquered by will power. Anxiety is not the same as stress. See below for the difference between anxiety and stress.

Anxiety that disrupts your life, and leaves you feeling unable to cope requires attention. Hypnosis can help. I have included some hypnosis scripts below that you can record, and modify to suit your needs.

It is important to see your medical doctor to rule out any underlying medical or physiological (biological) conditions that maybe causing your anxiety.

It is well known that anxiety can present itself as a result of some biological conditions like high blood pressure (hypertension), low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), heart problems, and withdrawal from certain stimulants and drugs including caffeine, cocaine, and alcohol.

Hypnosis can be helpful in these cases, but the main focus will be on the underlying organic condition.

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IIIR)

When biological conditions are ruled out, you may fall into one of the following five principle categories of anxiety disorders according to the revised third edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IIIR)

The Difference between Stress and Anxiety

It is important to be aware that stress and anxiety are not the same. Stress has a specific stressor or stimulus. You might feel extreme stress when you find yourself suddenly having to live in poverty, or when you have to take an exam, and when faced with the loss of a loved one.

But once you move into a better neighborhood, the exam has ended, and the mourning period is over the stress disappears. Yet, chronic stress is not to be under emphasized, and can be extremely debilitating on the body.

If for example, you are unable to get over the loss of a loved one that continual feeling of grief could lead to death. However, in stress the original stressor is always known.

In addition, a certain amount of stress can be a great motivator in moving you forward in your life and too little stress can lead to boredom and a feeling that there is no meaning to life.

If you are highly stressed removing yourself from the situation will allow you to feel better.

With Anxiety Disorders, once a stressor is removed, the anxiety remains. The origin of anxiety is still unknown. What is known is that it could be a learned response, hormonal as in menopausal panic attack, genetic, or a combination of all.

Anxiety is always present, and will get worst without treatment. Trying to avoid or remove yourself from a situation that gives you the symptoms of anxiety only makes the condition worse.

Menopausal panic attack and stress

As has been mentioned not everyone suffers from menopausal panic attacks, and it is mainly a western occurrence. Stress plays a massive role in the lives of women in western culture, because they live in a nuclear family where they are working, taking care of kids, and husband, as well as their elderly parents.

In non-western families extended relatives take on the role of caregivers to children and the elderly. The increased stress of hormonal changes for the modern western woman could very likely be the connection to menopausal panic attack.

How Hypnosis can help

Hypnosis and hypnotherapy can be very beneficial whether treating stress, anxiety, or menopausal panic attack. The main purpose of hypnosis with regards to anxiety is to provide the individual’s unconscious or subconscious mind with suggestions on how to relax.

Relaxation during anxiety provoking situations allows you to gain greater control over the symptoms, which allows you to lead a more productive life. Relieve stress and tension with hypnosis.

Multifaceted approach in hypnosis

The symptoms that characterize the anxiety disorders are multifaceted, and as a result; the goal of hypnosis has to be specifically tailored to the individual.

The aim for menopausal panic attacks might be to decrease the intense sweating. If you have a fear of public speaking, then the goal might be geared to feeling at ease.

For those of you that feel anxiety in a social context, then the purpose of hypnosis could be to decrease anticipatory anxiety, or only improve your self-esteem.

Empower your subconscious to overcome menopausal panic attacks

Hypnosis can be advantageous because, it bypasses the conscious control of will power. You might try to use your conscious mind to 'will' yourself to feel better, so you say something like, “I am an intelligent person, why can’t I just get over this thing”.

Anxiety cannot be conquered using will power. Hypnosis works with the unconscious or subconscious mind by empowering it with images and suggestions that generate successful strategies for you. To learn more about hypnosis read frequently asked hypnosis questions (FAQs).

In conjunction with hypnosis, I employ a wholistic approach using the Law of Attraction and Time Line Therapy to get to the root cause or first event to eliminate limiting decisions, limiting beliefs, and negative emotions associated with anxiety disorders and menopausal panic attacks such as anger, sadness, fear and guilt.

Try this free mountains relaxation script when you need to feel calm and stress free.

If you are experiencing intense rage or depression during menopause or perimenopause this script might help.

For additional information about menopausal panic attack or any other anxiety concerns contact me...Toronto office

Menopause Related Links:

*Menopause Health Information Organization

*Fabulous at 40 yrs Plus Total wellness for all women 40 years plus. Physical, mental and emotional wellness including fitness. Fabat40.com