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Confusion with menopause

Substance Abuse Signs and Symptoms
Red Flags
Emotional

Irritability

Coworker complaints about "moodiness"

Crying while at work

Anger - directed at supervisors, coworkers or patients

Withdrawn from people in contrast to previous behavior

Loud and sudden outbursts

Recently during my annual review time I had to take many year "stupid test" at work.  I would take one every other night just after I was done at the desk  some where just before midnight. One evening after a very hectic and busy day I was in no mood to take any test let alone stay to do it but knew that I had to do that night or be late on it. It was on  Substance Abuse Signs and Symptoms in the work place.
I was at a point that night of exhaustion and at times like that I get the "stupid giggles" over anything that strikes me weird or funny. And yep, that nights opening lines of the test just did that for me.
Substance Abuse Signs and Symptoms
Red Flags
Emotional

Irritability

Coworker complaints about "moodiness"

Crying while at work

Anger - directed at supervisors, coworkers or patients

Withdrawn from people in contrast to previous behavior

Loud and sudden outbursts

Now Looking at that the first thought in my exhausted mind was "Hmmmm, they got that wrong!"
See not only are those signs for substance abuse but as we "Ladies" grow sweeter (hahahaha) this could fit for those menopausal moments too.
I have this picture in my mind. Here is some hard-working nurse, secretary,  nursing assistant or other type of worker of the female gender and you just get done taking this test on substance abuse. You notice that say Agatha (fictional name here) is exhibiting these sign and you think sure enough she has a substance abuse problem. ***(Note you are male and don't know the difference between substance abuse and menopause).
Well wanting to be the helpful coworker you go over to Agatha and start asking questions. (WRONG!!!) The questions in your mind is harmless (or so YOU think).  You kindly ask "how are you doing today?" Harmless enough but what you don't know is that Agatha just got done doing 15 admissions, 36 stat orders and answered sweetly to 12 nurses, 100 doctor and a killzillion call lights. She is at wits end.
Agatha looks up to you with tears in her eyes and starts crying her heart out.
Puzzled you ask if there is anything wrong.
Immediately she stops crying and starts yelling at you and then as suddenly as it started withdraws into a tiny little ball and won't even acknowledge you.
Stunned you  back  away,far, far away and thank the powers to be you are now armed with the information to "help".
As soon as it is safe enough you enlist the help of your supervisor about the suspected substance abuse because this is what you learn from the lesson and the test. Little do you both know that you both are very far off the mark.
The supervisor calls Agatha into her office and she too suspect that just maybe your are correct in your assumption. She asked poor Aggie if she is having any substance abuse problem and maybe they can help with it because you really don't want to lose a valuable employee.
Agatha looks shocked at her supervisor. She questions her judgement. "What ever gave you that idea?" Agatha asked.
"Why you are exhibiting  all the classic signs of substance abuse." her supervisor states.
"Substance abuse, are you crazy?? " Agatha replies " I have all the classic symptoms of menopause!!!"
And now once again we have learned that if it quacks like a duck,  if it walks like a duck,  if it looks like a duck ...it is not necessarily a DUCK.