Women in body and soul: biopsychosocial factors in menopause / Mulheres de corpo e alma: aspectos biopsicossociais da meia-idade feminina

• Main Authors: Maria Elizabeth Mori, Vera Lucia Decnop Coelho
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: SpringerOpen 2004-01-01
• Series: Psicologia: Reflexão e Crítica
• Subjects: Middle-aged women; menopause; aging; finitude
• Online Access: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0102-79722004000200006&lng=pt&nrm=iso&tlng=pt

This study investigated biological, psychological and sociocultural aspects that interact in middle-aged women in order to better understand their feelings and experiences. The advent of the menopause — characterized by the end of the menstruation and by psychic and physical manifestations — imposes fundamental questions that, on the limit, may elicit depressive symptoms. Hormonal changes are implicated in the aging process, that point to the finitude. A feeling of not being themselves makes many women experience difficulties with losses inherent to this life period.