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9 - Spiritual and psychological aspects of menopause

from Part II - Hormonal changes

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 August 2009

By
Melissa H. Hunter  and
Dana E. King
Edited by
Jo Ann Rosenfeld
Melissa H. Hunter
Affiliation:
Department of Family Medicine, University Family Medicine, Charleston, SC, USA
Dana E. King
Affiliation:
Department of Family Medicine, University Family Medicine, Charleston, SC, USA
Jo Ann Rosenfeld
Affiliation:
The Johns Hopkins University
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Summary

Introduction

Case: Anne was 48 when she found out that she had breast cancer. She had been having frequent hot flushes, having stopped having periods one year ago, and she was still dealing with the fact that her children were no longer living at home. One child was in college and one was getting married, and now she was faced with the news that she had breast cancer. Cancer! It was almost too much to bear. She wrestled with thoughts of her changed body image, the upcoming loss of her breast, and the thought of “not being a woman any more.”

Her doctor was asking her to make decisions that she did not feel ready to make, no matter how many times he explained the choices. How extensive did the surgery need to be? Should she get a complete mastectomy or a more breast-sparing procedure? Should she proceed with plastic surgery to reconstruct her breast, or was she being selfish? Where could she turn for help with these decisions? In addition to talking with her husband and reading as much as she could, she turned to spiritual resources for strength. She found great comfort in returning to religious practices that formerly she had not considered so important, like prayer and attendance at religious services. While she considered medical knowledge and skill most important in a physician, she sought a doctor who would understand her need to consult with God throughout the decision-making process.

Keywords

anxietybenzodiazepinesdepressionmenopauseSSRIspiritual counselingsocial factorsreligious faithtricyclic agents
Type
Chapter
Information
Women's Health in Mid-Life
A Primary Care Guide
 , pp. 137 - 150
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2004

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