You know, in Japan, they don't even have a word for menopause. None of the woman report any of the menopausal symptoms that Western women do. Instead, culturally, 'menopause' (or just, 'not getting your period anymore', to the Japanese) is seen as a huge, positive step, where the woman can stop concentrating on having her period and begin to be the 'wise, old woman' - she is treated as above the rest, older, more knowledgable about life, able to pass on life lessons, and they have the most validity in their opinions of the whole family. Menopause, therefore, is a culturally conditioned 'idea', and since it is seemingly 'inevitable' throughout our culture, we inevitably and inadvertently experiance it. The side effects that Western women experiance from menopause comes from the fact that getting old in our society is extremely undesirable and often unwelcome, but nonetheless inescapable. Menopausal side effects are simply a result of a combination of the physical indication that 'you are getting old', and the conditioned minds' inability to 'deal' with this fact. For examples such as this, I always refer to my (own, personal :D ) Sick-Bay Syndrome. At school, I used to pretend I was sick to get out of class. And I had to pretend it to every teacher I walked past. So by the time I got to sick bay, I was feeling somewhat physically ill, simply because I had to put on that facade for a little while. I asked a lot of my classmates about this, and they have felt the same thing. My Mum, my Dad, my family, friends, everyone I have asked has experianced something like this before, in one form or the other. Same concept for menopause in Western society. It's also why some people get hit by menopause so much harder than others, and why some just don't experiance any symptoms at all. So, in answer to your question, it only starts when you are somewhat resistant to 'getting old', and it only ends when you are happy with yourself and have accepted that 'getting old' is a part of life - it's another experiance, another chapter. And it's one less thing to worry about! Fascinating stuff, the workings of the mind.

I wonder if Anon is male or female. Male doctors used to tell newly pregnant women that morning sickness was all in their mind, a protest against being pregnant. That is until the pill came along and most women were at least slightly morning sick for a month or so, until their bodies adjusted to the increased levels of estrogen. Mind and body are connected, but estrogen levels do have a direct affect on body, without the mind getting involved.

"This stage is generally considered part of the menopause period and can last anywhere from 10 months to four years as the ovaries gradually decrease in estrogen production. However, menopause is not considered to have officially begun until a woman misses her period for 12 straight months. Jun 4, 2014" Talk to gynecologist about medication for it to relieve symptoms. There are Rx and OTC meds that make menopause a more pleasant experience.