Why Naomi Watts' Honesty About 'Spiraling Out Of Control' During Early Menopause Is So Important
Open conversations about women's health are essential to creating a sense of connection.
Andrea Raffin / Shutterstock In an interview with Hello Magazine, Naomi Watts candidly discussed how one particular part of the aging process led her to discover her most authentic self. Watts, 54, went through early menopause at age 36, a process she said “was not easy, especially during a time when there was so little information available about it.”
Noami Watts’ honesty about ‘spiraling out of control’ during early menopause proves how important it is for women to talk about their bodies.
Watts described the symptoms she experienced in early menopause, including “mood swings, night sweats, and migraines... I was feeling like I was spiraling out of control."
She explained how the common social stigma associated with menopause made her feel isolated in her experience when, in reality, menopause is a natural biological process that people with uteruses go through.
The Office of Women’s Health reports that in the U.S., the average age of menopause is 51 years old. When menopause occurs before age 45, it’s defined as early menopause, which comes with higher risk of health problems, like heart disease and osteoporosis.
Watts explained how the absence of honest dialogue around menopause made the process that much harder. She said, "I truly believe that if menopause hadn’t been such an off-limits topic when I first started experiencing symptoms, I would’ve had an easier transition.”
"It’s a natural phase of life which half the population is going to go through,” she continued. “The more normalized the conversation can be, [it] is going to present an opportunity for everyone to understand.”
Watts felt alone while going through menopause, but now, she’s taking action to make sure other women have more support.
"I was part of a cycle that desperately needed to be broken,” she explained. “There was a lack of open conversation and resources to help women navigate the changes we go through. That’s why I’m now so passionate about raising awareness and encouraging more honest conversations.”
Watts acts as the US co-chair of the nonprofit Menopause Mandate, an organization “devoted to creating a framework of support to achieve everyone's ultimate goal of revolutionizing the support and advice women receive from both our healthcare system and wider society.”
Watts discussed her experience on the Menopause Mandate website, where she was quoted as saying, “In Hollywood, aging and menopause is a completely taboo subject. I felt like I was out there struggling on my own.”
“We are half the population of humanity— we deserve support, solutions, and quality, accessible care in midlife,” her statement continued. “Because while menopause may be part of midlife, midlife is a lot more than just menopause.”
Watts ultimately believes that going through early menopause helped her accept herself entirely, and not just by Hollywood’s standards of worth.
"Going through this journey led me to a deeper understanding of myself, and I came out on the other side feeling more authentically me. A lot of freedom came in the self-acknowledgement,” she stated.
Watts emphasized that aging deepens our understanding of ourselves. She champions what she sees as a shifting narrative, where older women’s stories are beginning to be told in the mainstream.
“A woman’s story is interesting at every stage,” she explained. "I'm proud to still be working... There’s growing recognition that women’s stories don’t end at a certain age.”
In acknowledging both the challenges and triumphs of aging, Watts has opened avenues for compassionate conversations that will further normalize an experience women are taught not to discuss. When women tell their stories from a place of truth, as Watts has done, it creates clear pathways to radically accepting our life’s journeys.
Alexandra Blogier is a writer on YourTango's news and entertainment team. She covers celebrity gossip, pop culture analysis and all things to do with the entertainment industry.