Perimenopause Considerations and Eating Disorder Recovery

Each stage of life can present unique challenges and vulnerabilities for eating disorders. Many are aware that onset and susceptibility for disordered eating behaviors are in adolescence. Fewer consider the transitionary period of perimenopause and how these physical, emotional, and mental changes can impact a woman and her experience of her identity and body.

One study points out the connection between these two life transitions, sharing that “Perimenopause is characterized by estrogen change and may also present a window of vulnerability to eating disorder development [1].”

What is Perimenopause?

Menopause is an important life stage for women that involves their ovaries no longer releasing eggs and producing most of an individual’s estrogen [2].

Symptoms of menopause include the ending of the menstrual cycle, hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, insomnia, emotional changes such as irritability, mood swings, and mild depression, and more [2].

Perimenopause, or “the menopause transition,” usually occurs when a woman is in her 40’s but can begin in the 30s as well [2]. During perimenopause, the ovaries are gradually producing less estrogen, and perimenopause ends when the ovaries stop releasing eggs, thus beginning menopause [2].

The length of time between perimenopause and menopause varies for each individual, but the average length is four years [2]. During this transition, women can experience symptoms of menopause and can still become pregnant.

Perimenopause and Identity

Perimenopause can be a challenging life stage for any woman and presents unique considerations for those in eating disorder recovery. Perimenopause “often coincides with other milestones such as adult children leaving home, marital breakdown, illness, or the challenges of looking after aging parents. Inevitably, a new identity is also emerging [3].”

So many of these life occurrences can leave an individual reeling, confused about who they are and their role in their family, their own lives, and the world.

As one article aptly details, the eating disorder “can provide a feeling of being in control or at least a sense of purpose in pursuing that control when the body feels under threat from an unstable environment. It can be the known component during an unpredictable and turbulent time [3].”

If you are in recovery and approaching, or experience, perimenopause, engaging your support system will be important in adapting to this transition.

Not only that, even if you have not engaged in therapy for some-time, or ever, this may be an important moment to start so that you can have professional guidance in strengthening your self-view regardless of how your body is changing.

How it Affects Your Relationship with Your Body

This is a 3-part article series. In one of those, we will specifically address body image and perimenopause; however, it is worth touching on here as we consider those experiencing perimenopause that are in eating disorder recovery.

So much of disordered eating beliefs and behaviors involve the concept of control over the body, how we relate to it, and whether or not we are comfortable in our bodies.

This is why life transitions where our bodies are changing can make someone so vulnerable to an eating disorder, as adapting to bodily changes can be hard. Those in eating disorder recovery have, hopefully, begun to feel a connection with, and appreciation for, their bodies.

Perimenopausal changes present a unique challenge to this peaceful understanding, as a woman may feel that she does not know her body, cannot “trust” it, or does not feel comfortable in it all of a sudden.

If you are approaching perimenopausal age, it would be valuable to bolster the use of your eating disorder coping skills, increasing those activities that help you to appreciate and feel in-connection with your body and all it does for you.

We are always working toward recovery and should never cease using effective coping skills, particularly in moments of life transition.

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Resources:

[1] Baker, J. H., Runfola, C. D. (2016). Eating disorders in midlife women: a perimenopausal disorder? Maturitas, 85.

[2] Unknown (2020). Menopause, perimenopause, and post-menopause. The Cleveland Clinic, retrieved from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/15224-menopause-perimenopause-and-postmenopause.

[3] Unknown (2020). Menopause can triggers eating disorders, says priory expert. Priory Group, retrieved from https://www.priorygroup.com/media-centre/menopause-can-trigger-eating-disorders-says-priory-expert.

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About the Author:

Margot Rittenhouse, MS, PLPC, NCC is a therapist who is passionate about providing mental health support to all in need and has worked with clients with substance abuse issues, eating disorders, domestic violence victims, and offenders, and severely mentally ill youth.

As a freelance writer for Eating Disorder Hope and Addiction Hope and a mentor with MentorConnect, Margot is a passionate eating disorder advocate, committed to de-stigmatizing these illnesses while showing support for those struggling through mentoring, writing, and volunteering. Margot has a Master’s of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Johns Hopkins University.

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The opinions and views of our guest contributors are shared to provide a broad perspective on eating disorders. These are not necessarily the views of Eating Disorder Hope, but an effort to offer a discussion of various issues by different concerned individuals.

We at Eating Disorder Hope understand that eating disorders result from a combination of environmental and genetic factors. If you or a loved one are suffering from an eating disorder, please know that there is hope for you, and seek immediate professional help.

Published September 30, 2020, on EatingDisorderHope.com
Reviewed & Approved on September 30, 2020, by Jacquelyn Ekern MS, LPC