MILLIONS OF MENOPAUSAL women have a better understanding of their bodies thanks to an open public dialogue that has gathered pace over the past decade. Celebrities including Davina McCall, Gabby Logan, Oprah Winfrey and Angelina Jolie have joined forces with women everywhere to open up conversations about symptoms such as hot flushes, headaches, sleep problems, mood changes, thinning hair, dry skin and night sweats.
However, to date, one symptom of perimenopause – the transitional period before menopause – and menopause remains dangerously in the dark: eating disorders.
Kerrie Jones is a leading psychotherapist in the treatment of eating disorders and the CEO and founder), a specialist eating disorder clinic in London that provides intensive day treatment and outpatient services, including online treatment, for those aged 16 and over. Kerrie has seen an increase in older people seeking treatment over the past 15 years, including middle-aged women struggling with menopause. ‘Eating disorders develop due to a variety of different reasons, but we often see them triggered during transitional phases. This can be anything that symbolises a critical junction in someone’s life and might include becoming a new parent, being made redundant, going through a divorce, or saying goodbye to children leaving for university. Menopause also represents a transitional phase in someone’s life. It can be welcomed by some but cause enormous difficulty for others,’ says Kerrie.
