While the intensity and timing may vary, it seems no one escapes this phase entirely. Being around 50 years old and having no particular menopausal symptoms is not necessarily something to just be happy about. Many patients come to us in their 60s or 70s complaining of classic menopausal symptoms, asking, "I passed through menopause without even knowing it, what is happening to me?"

Since it is a change everyone must go through at least once, navigating it wisely is the shortcut to improving your quality of life and maintaining health after the completion period.

The reason why it is especially difficult to navigate menopause well is that a child's puberty often overlaps with the mother's menopause. As the saying goes, "no parent can win against their child," so even while struggling themselves, mothers often endure and suppress their feelings to accommodate their children. Then, once the children leave home for college, the mother experiences "Empty Nest Syndrome," as if she has lost everything.

The sense of emptiness and loss is even greater for those who have dedicated themselves entirely to child-rearing and education. A brief period of slump is understandable, but if it persists, it can lead to diagnoses of depression, bipolar disorder, panic disorder, insomnia, or anxiety, so special care is required.