As someone who is self-employed, I have faced many challenges throughout my journey. However, one challenge that I never anticipated was going through male menopause, also known as andropause.

Male menopause is a taboo subject that is often not talked about, but it is a very real experience for many men including myself. As I began experiencing symptoms such as hot flushes to the extent where I just had to sit down and let it pass, fatigue, mood swings, and decreased libido, I found it difficult to talk about what I was going through with others, especially in a professional setting.

As a self-employed individual, I was already dealing with the stress of running my own business and managing my workload, and the added stress of male menopause made things even more challenging. I found myself struggling to stay focused on my work and feeling more irritable and anxious than usual.

However, I have found that talking to women friends of mine has been incredibly helpful. Women have a unique perspective on hormonal changes as they often experience menopause themselves, and they can offer a supportive and non-judgmental ear to listen to my concerns.

Talking to my women friends has also helped me to feel less isolated in my experience. It can be easy to feel alone when going through something that is not commonly discussed, but hearing from others who have gone through similar experiences has helped me to feel more connected and understood.