Although menopause is a natural phenomenon for the female body, it is still a taboo. Nowadays more and more of us know that menopause is a medical condition, but misbeliefs have a historical background and of course a pernicious impact on the present.

Women’s complaints about the symptoms of menopause, such as hot flashes and episodes of sadness, either were not taken seriously or were trivialized as a condition of physical weakness and emotional instability. Menstrual blood was considered to be a sinful bodily fluid, even a toxin, that needed to drain from the body. Otherwise, it was believed to cause diseases.

Still a long way to go
It took until 1929 to first assume the relation between hot flashes and hormones of the ovaries, but nevertheless, it was still believed that symptoms could improve with a "healthy attitude of mind."

The exact correlation between menopausal complaints and the changes in hormone levels was recognized only in 1965. Physicians started discussing the benefits of hormone therapy using estrogens after 1965, but despite this correct approach, nothing changed in the way society used to think. It seems like we needed half a century to reverse the general concept that women go crazy around the age of 50, and we still have a long way to go.

Not a mystery anymore
Increased research efforts brought a better understanding of the topic by the 1970s and 1980s, and finally, menopause was considered a normal physiological change in women's lives, similar to puberty. And the last two decades have finally made it possible to understand the processes of menopause and to develop appropriate and effective therapies for individuals.

Let’s talk about it
The most important thing for women affected by menopause is to counteract the negative emotions, and if possible, educate those around them that menopause is completely normal, harmless, and is certainly nothing to be ashamed of. The more we talk about it, the more we can do to normalize it. Share your story with the ones that matter to you.

References:
 • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15981376/