Davina McCall has been attempting to break the stigma surrounding menopause!
In recent years, the TV presenter has been speaking out about her experience with the menopause, in an attempt to make other women feel less alone.
The 55-year-old recently released a book on the subject, titled Menopausing: The Positive Roadmap to Your Second Spring. Davina co-wrote the book alongside Dr Naomi Potter, a doctor who specialises in menopausal care.
In her writings, Davina discussed a myriad of topics relating to the menopause, and how it frustrates her when women feel the need to make it a light-hearted issue.
“I think the terrible, terrible thing about a hot flush is that when you’re having one, it just isn’t funny, and yet sometimes we kind of try to make an excuse about it and try to minimise it – ‘Ooo I’m just having a hot flush!’ – and people kind of joke about it.,” she admitted.
“They think they’re joking along with you but actually, it genuinely isn’t funny, because when it’s happening, all you can think about is what is happening in your body,” Davina added, detailing the anxiety and stress that it can cause.
Davina also got incredibly candid about how her symptoms have affected her home life. “I am really not a shouty person, and as I’ve said before, there were moments in my perimenopause when I really behaved in a way that upset me, and my kids,” she revealed.
“It didn’t happen all the time; it would come and go,” Davina continued. “But sometimes it would break out, often while I was trying to get the kids into the car on the school run, and I would feel so bad and I would look at their little faces because they’d be thinking, ‘Who is this?’”.
In the book, Davina expressed how badly so-called ‘brain fog’ has affected her. “Brain fog, for me, was an absolute HORROR, because I am List Lady. I am super-organised. I am Madam Multi-tasker,” she joked. “And all of a sudden, I am literally just not turning up to a mate’s supper somewhere. Like, not even remembering.”
However, Davina has managed to find methods to help her combat the anxiety that comes with forgetfulness. “My diary is a very complex place where I just literally write down everything. I keep lots of notes on my phone to help me remember things that I think I might forget,” she noted.
Most notably, Davina wants her audience to know that they are not alone, and that the stigma surrounding the menopause should continue to be broken. “Anybody who’s reading this who has gone through that, don’t worry – it happens to all of us, and there are lots of things that you can do to help yourself,” she promised.
Well done to Davina for being so candid!
