Menopause is a biological transition women inevitably pass through, yet for many women it unfolds alongside an intense and unequal mental load. The invisible work of caring, organising, remembering, anticipating and emotionally holding families, workplaces and communities sits on top of profound hormonal and neurobiological change. This intersection helps explain why menopause symptoms often present differently across women, why distress is frequently misunderstood or minimised, and why standard medical models sometimes fall short.

This session explores how the mental load interacts with menopause to shape symptom patterns including anxiety, low mood, cognitive changes, fatigue, burnout and somatic complaints. It will examine how social roles, work pressures, caregiving, cultural expectations and health inequities influence both experience and help seeking. Drawing on clinical practice, lived experience and emerging evidence, participants will gain a deeper understanding of why some women present with complex, overlapping symptoms and how better, more compassionate and more effective support can be offered.

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

• Explain what is meant by mental load and describe how it interacts with hormonal changes during menopause.
• Recognise how psychological, cognitive and physical menopause symptoms may present differently depending on social, emotional and workload pressures.
• Identify why some women are more likely to experience severe, persistent or atypical menopause symptoms, including the role of caregiving, work stress and health inequities.
• Differentiate between menopause related symptoms, stress related distress and mental health conditions in a clinical or support setting.
• Apply a more holistic, trauma informed and culturally sensitive approach to assessing menopausal women.
• Develop practical strategies to reduce mental load, validate lived experience and improve symptom support in healthcare and everyday settings.