Is my increased irritability and constant worrying really due to being menopausal?

[solidgoldbrass]

I thought it was just down to being single parent to a 7 year old and having no money. I don't want HRT anyway, at least partly because I'm not wild about the idea that being angry, sad or scared is something that only happens to women because they're irrational and have all these funny hormones, and that we need to be drugged into sweet placidity...

Probably not- unless you are having other symptoms like flushes, poor sleep, weight gain, aching joints, memory loss, brain fog. And that's on the good days

I wouldn't go rushing for HRT for the symptoms you have- it's IMO for when life becomes unbearable with all or any of the above.

It doesn't drug you into placidity- it does put back what you have had all your fertile years for a bit longer.