Bladdaow!

There’s no doubt in anyone’s mind that our Western culture puts a premium on youth while seemingly disregarding older people. This is especially true with regards to how women are represented in print media, TV, and movies. How often are models or actresses over the age of 50 represented as vibrant sexual beings? How often are geriatric actors paired with actresses over 30 years younger than themselves playing their girl friend or lover? So, is it no wonder then that women themselves living in this youth obsessed culture would view aging as a negative process?

Does this overall negative view of aging manifest itself in both the physical and emotional symptoms of women going through menopause? Although not a lot of testing has been done on the subject there is some evidence to suggest that culture may indeed have some bearing on menopause symptoms. Women from cultures where aging elevates a woman to a place of respect and prominence in the community, like in some Asian cultures, women report fewer symptoms and a greater sense of well being. American women experience a lot of psychological symptoms like depression and anxiety that is rare in other cultures.

The greatest indicator of how a woman will fare during menopause is her basic overall view of aging in general, this is true regardless of culture. If a woman views menopause and aging as a positive experience, she will fare much better than a woman who is very negative about aging. These views end up manifesting as both real and psychosomatic symptoms.

What’s hard to determine is whether the media is reflecting our cultural views on older women, or are we being influenced by the media? As our baby boomer generation begins aging en mass, I expect that advertising will follow the money. Hopefully this will result in a more positive representation of older women in the media.  Please visit Signs of Menopause Guide for more information about how to cope with all the difficulties that menopause presents.