MENOPAUSE at work

Don't Sweat It Co-Founders Shelly Horton and Dr Ginni Mansberg on how menopause impacts working women

- MADISON BOGISCHI

Shelly Horton’s signature smile and in-depth opinions have been a constant on Channel Nine for the last eight years. However, in 2020, what viewers couldn’t see was her struggle with the symptoms of perimenopause.

“I had never experienced mental health issues before, but the surging and dropping hormones brought on depression and anxiety that destroyed my work ethic and my confidence,” Horton tells WHO.

“I would feel embarrassed about having hot flushes on live TV. I had no idea what was going on with my body.

“So, I would put on a happy face at Channel Nine but drive home berating myself and thinking I should quit before I got fired.”

In Australia, approximately 20 per cent of the workforce – or nearly 2.5 million women – are estimated to be currently undergoing perimenopause or menopause, which means menopause at work is almost impossible to ignore.

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