Some people would be happy to talk all day long about menopause in general and about their personal experience of it in particular.
They don't blush and don't pick the words they're using.
But most of those who are experiencing menopause feel the other way around.
They'd rather not have anyone know what they're going through for fear of embarrassment.
And because the way society has portrayed menopause for so long leaves them feeling ashamed about it all.
However,
There are so many benefits of talking about your menopause experience.
It contributes to the education of the wider society.
If nobody talks about menopause,
Nobody knows about the challenges it can bring in so many people.
And we will continue to hear that those who experience menopause should just get on with it.
It incentivizes the health industry to find solutions that are suitable for every individual who suffers with menopause symptoms.
It prompts medical schools to make menopause a compulsory topic.
It creates an easier future for the regenerations that will come behind us.
And most importantly,
It can be beneficial for you.
Menopause is not an experience to go through alone.
It is such a big change and it's a very important transition into the next stage of your life.
Talking about it and asking for help and support will help you enjoy this stage of your life,
Both at home and in work.
And it will help you develop better and more meaningful relationships too.
So how can you have a positive conversation about menopause?
Start from the knowledge and acceptance of the fact that the world has only just begun to talk about menopause.
And so there aren't many people at all that understand it.
So be patient and where needed,
Help people learn about it.
Don't assume people understand your experience of the menopause.
Don't assume that people know what's going on with you unless you explicitly told them already.
And by that,
I don't mean just telling them that you're going through menopause.
I mean,
Tell them that you're going through menopause and tell them about the challenges you're dealing with because of it.
Tell them about your potential shame about your menopause,
About your brain fog,
That you're tired and fatigued,
That you lose your temper with people that you love and that you break down in tears afterwards because you didn't really mean it,
But your hormones got the best of you.
Don't use one experience of the menopause that you know of as a benchmark for your own experience.
Don't disregard your symptoms and personal experience if you're not having an experience as bad as another person's.
And don't feel embarrassed if you feel like a mess whilst somebody else seems to hold it all together.
Still talk about it,
Compare experiences,
Share what works for each of you and see how you can support each other.
And when you're talking about menopause with other people,
About their menopause experience,
Don't assume that you know what somebody else is going through.
Every individual has their own experience of the menopause.
Instead,
Find out from them,
Be genuinely interested.
Can you joke about it to lighten up the mood?
Sometimes it's good to laugh at ourselves or our situation.
And so you might feel okay to make jokes about your hot flashes or brain fog or any other symptoms,
But other individuals might feel different about their menopause experience.
And particularly in a social context,
They might not appreciate menopause-related jokes.
If you're in a group setting and the menopause comes up,
First explore and understand how other people feel about their own experience of menopause and how they prefer to talk about it.
And finally,
Leave shame and embarrassment behind you.
We are grownups.
Menopause is not something we choose to experience.
It's not something we do to be ashamed of it.
Menopause is part of life,
Whether the natural course of it or one of the challenges and changes brought by it.
So don't be afraid to talk about it at work and ask for the right support for your symptoms.
Most employers are very accommodating once they understand what is happening.
