CLKD, I didn't feel criticized when my husband told me that. I simply felt intense pressure, the truth of it being my current state is a burden. You know how you can hear the nuances when your husband speaks, he is stressed. He doesn't blame me at all, but I know I am adding to his stress. At times he is not as supportive as he could be, but bless him, he would have to tread lightly all the time to avoid upsetting me. My feelings are annoyingly fragile lately.
As for the meds, I haven't completely ruled them out. It's that I know that the onset of my anxiety issues coincided with the absence of my periods. I hope my body and my will adjust and find equilibrium. When this anxiety popped up, my intention was to ask the doctor for ADs, but after researching here and online, I learned that, well for one, all of my issues are common in menopause, and also that at my age hrt is more necessity than choice. My plan had been to take ADs until my hormones settled. Now I'm trying to settle my hormones, and if that doesn't succeed, then try the ADs.