what's wrong with my feelings?

 Things have always happened, but now I can't take it anymore.
I don't understand my husband and I don't want to talk.
 Suddenly, I can't sleep because of anxiety.
 Everything I've been doing feels futile and I have doubts about why I live.

If women in their 40s and older are having a hard time thinking about it, they should be aware that the hormone "estrogen" is slowly decreasing or is already very low. These symptoms can start at the 'next-year' or 'end-of-life crisis' and continue after menopause. About 25 to 50 percent of menopausal women experience psychological symptoms like the above, according to the data.
The reason the estrogen deficiency relates to the above mental and emotional symptoms, which seem to have nothing to do with menstruation, is interpreted as an interaction with "Serotonin." Serotonin is a neurotransmitter called happiness hormone that is involved in mood changes and controls cognitive function. It is also related to appetite control, body temperature control, and sleep cycle control, and is still being studied continuously because it is not fully aware of its function.

menopausal women experience psychological symptoms ; picture from Pixabay

Serotonin exists not only in the brain but also in other parts of the brain, especially in the gastrointestinal tract. Serotonin is made from a substance called tryptophan, and one of the factors that helps this process go well is estrogen. If estrogen is deficient, the body's production of serotonin naturally decreases, resulting in mood changes, anxiety disorders and depression.
If you start hormone replacement therapy to compensate for hormone deficiency, it will also have a positive effect on serotonin production, which can improve psychological symptoms such as the above. In some cases, a direct administration of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor , which causes serotonin released from the nerve cell end of the brain to continue its function without being re-absorbed, may treat mood-related symptoms, especially depression. The ingredients currently prescribed include fluorocetin, paroxetin, and sultraline.
However, experts recommend adjusting your lifestyle first rather than starting medication from scratch for psychological treatment such as mood swings and depression. For example, avoiding caffeine, alcohol and high-sugar foods, eating healthy meals with a good balance of nutrients, making intimate exchanges with friends and family, exercising regularly, and finding your own way to relieve stress.

Jiyoon Jeong. Pharmacist. Publisher of Korean Women's Health News

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