Efficacy of Body-Oriented Psychotherapy in Alleviating Climacteric Symptoms and Menopause Manifestations

Abstract

The climacteric symptoms experienced by menopausal women significantly affect their quality of life. These changes can lead to sexual dysfunction, an increased risk of osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, cancer, psychiatric disorders, and chronic kidney disease. The psychological impact of menopausal symptoms is also high, including mood swings, depression and anxiety. In our study, we evaluated the effectiveness of body-oriented psychotherapy in alleviating menopausal symptoms in women aged 45 years and older. Twelve women with menopausal symptoms were interviewed in a structured survey based on the Menopause-specific Quality of Life Questionnaire (MENQOL). After diagnostic evaluation, study participants underwent three months of body-oriented psychotherapy. A pre- and post-intervention survey was administered to assess changes in symptom severity. Significant changes were found in the severity of psychosocial and physiological symptoms as well as in the overall quality of life score (p<0.01). Moderate changes in the severity of vasomotor and sexual symptoms were also detected (p<0.05). The results of this study contribute to our understanding of the effectiveness of body-oriented psychotherapy and suggest its potential as a non-pharmacological treatment option for reducing climacteric symptoms and menopause manifestations.