Vacation can be stressful for anyone. While the idea is to relax while on vacation, the logistics, such as the organizing, the packing, and transportation to and from your destination can be very difficult to manage, even in the best of times.
But when you are suffering from menopausal mood swings, the idea of vacation can be overwhelming. Mood swings are caused directly by hormone fluctuations, and can be confusing as they don't necessarily reflect how you feel. They can be particularly difficult to handle at stressful times, such as a week-long getaway.
Read on to find out how to enjoy vacation while experiencing menopausal mood swings.
The Organizing
Organizing the logistics of a trip is one of the most stressful aspects of a vacation: sorting out the passports and the paperwork, booking the flights, and figuring out the transport to and from your hotel can be time-consuming and difficult to manage. If you feel overwhelmed,talk to your family about how you are feeling, and encourage them to help out. If at all possible, delegate certain tasks to different family members. If one person is booking the flights, perhaps someone else is making sure the passports are up-to-date. This can ease the pressure of figuring out every little detail and let you breathe easier.
The Packing
If your kids are at an appropriate age to do so, do not worry about packing their suitcases. Make it clear to everyone in your family that they are responsible for packing their own bags and checking to make sure they have everything they need. If they forget anything, it is their responsibility to figure out what to do about that. However, making sure that everyone has their passports and boarding passes is recommended.
Surviving the Week
A week in the same company can be taxing at the best of times. This is even more apparent when you don't know where to get a taxi, when you don't know where everything is in your rented apartment, and when you're struggling with language barriers just to buy insect repellent. Before setting off for the week, make it clear to your family that you are having menopausal mood swings, and that you need your space at various moments during the holiday. When you find your mood swings overwhelming, go for a walk, lose yourself in a book, or drink a cocktail by the pool. Enjoy your vacation and let your mood swings subside.
Vacations can be exhausting, and even more so when you are suffering mood swings. It can be confusing and frustrating when you aren't enjoying something that you should be. Just remember, mood swings are a completely natural part of the menopausal transition, and it's okay to take time for yourself when you need to.
For more information on your menopausal extreme cases of mood swings, why you are having them, and how to deal with them in stressful situations, click on the link above.
Sources
- Amin, Zenab, Turhan Canli, and C. Neill Epperson. "Effects of Estrogen-Serotonin Interactions on Mood and Cognition." Behav Cogn Neurosci Rev 2005; 4; 43.
- Dr. Love, Susan, and Karen Lindsey. Dr. Susan Love's Menopause and Hormone Book. New York_ Three Rivers Press, 2003.
- Molecular Psychiatry.(n.d)."Estrogen Promotes Gender Difference in Brain's Response to Stress." Retrieved from www.psycheducation.org.
- The Health Center.(n.d)."Adult Mood Swings." Retrieved from www.thehealthcenter.info.