What's Wrong With Me?

Old advertisement for a miracle weight-loss plan!

Sad and alone...

Grrrr - it's the Gorgon within!

Could it be the "change of life" known as MENOPAUSE? Hmmm, let's see what Wikipedia has to say...

Skeletal

• Back pain
• Joint pain, Muscle pain
• Osteopenia and the risk of osteoporosis gradually developing over time

Skin/Soft Tissue

• Breast atrophy
• Breast tenderness +/- swelling
• Decreased elasticity of the skin
• Formication (not to be confused with "forn-ication") itching, tingling, burning (a lot!), pins and needles, or sensation of ants crawling on/under the skin
• Skin thinning and becoming drier

Psychological

• Depression and/or anxiety
• Fatigue
• Irritability
• Memory loss, and problems with concentration
• Mood disturbance
• Sleep disturbances, poor quality sleep, light sleep, insomnia and sleepiness

Wow. I never bothered to look it up before. Do any of these symptoms apply to me? Yep, every single one. Perhaps there is a disparity of hormonal levels - say, too much testosterone (more aggressive, hostile, argumentative) and not enough estrogen?
So, it appears that my efforts to maintain my inner calm and develop my mantra of cognitive happiness are both fleeting and precious. How would I describe myself these days: as a nihilistic optimist or a toxic psychic vampire? Maybe that's a bit extreme...
Seriously, though, I'm just sorry that those around me end up catching the shrapnel. I will try harder to make some improvements in my behavior in the very near future. Like, right away. As in, tomorrow morning. Maybe more meditation (not to be confused with "medi-cation")? Color therapy? In the meantime, please bear with me.
And here, Your Honors, I rest my case.