Ask Allison: I can’t figure out why I’ve had such bad anxiety for the last few years – what can I do about it?

Question: Ever since I turned 45, I have been experiencing very bad anxiety. I couldn’t figure out what it was as there was no logic to it at all. I have a stressful job and a busy life, but am well able to handle the stresses that accompany that. Last year, at the age of 48, I started HRT and the change was almost immediate. Within weeks the brain fog I hadn’t even noticed lifted and my moods were better, but unfortunately the anxiety remains. It is so bad at times, that I find it hard to manage. Exercise helps a bit, but I am struggling sometimes, even with regular exercise. Should I consider asking my GP for some anxiety medication? And why am I still experiencing such anxiety so late in life? A lot of people I know are the same and I wonder if it is a hangover from the pandemic.