Dr. Oz Show Shares 4 Warning Signs of Perimenopausal Rage

Perimenopause is the time period shortly before a woman begins to experience full menopause. Typically it occurs between the ages of 35 to 55 when a woman is still having her period, although perhaps not as frequently or as long as previously. In fact, this is a time when a woman may first begin to feel that something is not “quite right” about her body as she begins to sense hormonal changes coursing through her veins.

These hormonal changes coursing through their veins can elicit sudden and strong emotional outbursts like anger not unlike watching the typically mild-mannered Bruce Banner transform into the Incredible Hulk. These outbursts manifest as anger to the worst degree where “rage” is the most accurate descriptor of the condition. To a family member caught in the wake of the rage, it can be confusing and hurtful as the rage is often perceived as a “way out of proportion” irrational reaction to whatever slight may have triggered the response.

However, it is not just the family members who are hurt by the rage, but the woman herself who often feels guilt and shame afterward wondering what had just happened. Essentially, what she may or not realize is that what she is experiencing is similar to normal PMS - if she were on angel dust at the same time - because it occurs just before a major hormonal change in her body.

To help women and their family members recognize that a serious health condition is afoot in their home, Menopause Clinician Marcy Holmes offer these four warning signs of perimenopausal rage so that families can recognize a problem exists that can be solved.

Warning Signs of Perimenopausal Rage and Anger

1. Mood Swings Within Minutes: Are you fine one minute, and sad, overwhelmed or crying the next – does this sound familiar? Your moods are changing like the flip of a light switch with no warning. This moment-to-moment flip-flop of emotions is often a sign of hormonal imbalance.

2. Out-of-Proportion Anger: Totally overreacting to even little things is part of this anger. These responses are over-the-top in regard to what is usually considered “small stuff.” Agitation and irritability surface in response to minor events.

3. A Long History of PMS: If you already have had a tendency to experience premenstrual symptoms, the more extreme hormone fluctuations of perimenopause can exaggerate your symptoms tenfold, and can lead to perimenopausal rage. I almost always find that PMS is worse in women who don’t support their systems adequately using healthy nutrition and lifestyle measures.

4. Previous Postpartum Depression: I am always interested to hear what pregnancy was like for the women I meet in my practice. I have found that women with postpartum depression have brains that are wired to be very sensitive to hormone changes. From my experience, I consider women who report having postpartum depression in the past at greater risk for developing more difficult perimenopausal and menopausal symptoms, including this type of perimenopausal rage.

4 Solutions for perimenopausal rage treatment

Marcy Holmes says that the key to conquering perimenopausal rage is to promote a return toward achieving hormonal balance in your body. She offers examples of suggestions that include medications, progesterone creams, eliminating or reducing your intake of caffeine, alcohol and sugar, and therapy options with a mental health counselor to address the can of worms a hormonal imbalance can open for a woman and her family.

For more information about the 4 warning signs of perimenopausal rage, watch the episode on the Dr. Oz Show and read Marcy Holmes’ companion article “Conquering Perimenopause.”