{"id":122792,"date":"2021-06-17T11:00:27","date_gmt":"2021-06-17T10:00:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/?p=122792"},"modified":"2021-06-24T12:00:00","modified_gmt":"2021-06-24T11:00:00","slug":"menopause-and-mental-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/menopause-and-mental-health.htm","title":{"rendered":"Menopause and Mental Health – Is it Wreaking Havoc With Your Moods?"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"menopause

photo by Rodnae Productions for Pexels<\/p><\/div>\n

by Andrea M. Darcy<\/span><\/p>\n

In your late thirties or older, or put into<\/strong> medical menopause, and feeling a mess lately?\u00a0Anxious, depressed<\/a>, all over the place? The menopause and mental health connection is worth learning.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Is your issue just depression<\/a>? Or is it actually just menopause? The answer is not that simple and is often… both.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Menopause and mental health <\/span><\/h2>\n

Research on menopause and mental health has been surprisingly slow. But it is recognised that for some, menopause can put their mental health at risk from the moment their hormonal profile starts to decline. This is generally the case if you already had mental health issues in the past.<\/em><\/p>\n

“The vast majority of women who develop significant mood issues during perimenopause have had them in the past. It’s relatively rare for someone with no history of depression or anxiety to suddenly develop a severe case of it at menopause”. (Dr. Hadine Joffe,\u00a0 Professor of Psychiatry in Women’s Health at Harvard Medical<\/a>).\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Perimenopause and depression<\/h3>\n

It’s been discovered that it’s early on in<\/strong> our hormonal transition that we are most sensitive to depression. According to a recent review of research around menopause and mental health:<\/a><\/p>\n

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“longitudinal studies, conducted across the world and in diverse populations, confirm that women are two to five times more likely to experience a depressive disorder during the peri versus the late premenopausal years”.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Anxiety in perimenopause<\/h3>\n

Anxiety<\/a> is also a common complaint during perimenopause. But t<\/span>he research explaining its direct link is still flimsy, not helped by the fact that hot flashes mimic many of the symptoms of panic attacks<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span>But it’s thought to be related to declining progesterone levels.<\/span><\/p>\n

With less progesterone circulating,\u00a0 it can contribute to<\/strong> feeling tense<\/a> and stressed<\/a>. Meaning your body takes it as a sign to produce more of the anti-stress hormone<\/a> cortisol, leaving you in an anxious state. Which, in a vicious cycle, the body can take as a sign to produce even less progesterone.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Why is menopause depression controversial?<\/h2>\n

\"menopause<\/strong><\/p>\n

As pointed out by the<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a02018 large-scale review of menopause research<\/a><\/span>, \u201cFor many decades, there has been an ongoing debate about whether the menopause transition and\/or post-menopause is associated with an increased risk for depressive symptoms<\/a> or disorder\u201d.<\/p>\n

The debate has been focussed on just how exactly declining hormones could cause depression. A strange argument, given that almost all mental health issues are routinely identified as both biological AND environmental. <\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

We recognise, for example, that a<\/strong> teen is depressed<\/a> not just because of hormones, but also because of the general stress of being a teen, such as having to find their identity<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Menopause and mental health – how it works<\/h2>\n

The review thankfully steps in to finally <\/strong>clarify just this. That\u00a0when we look at menopause and mental health —<\/p>\n

“–we need to accept that “multiple psychosocial and biological factors are involved.”<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Physical symptoms of perimenopause and depression<\/h2>\n

When looking at the ‘biological factors’ it’s important to note that many of the physical side effects of peri\/menopause are themselves standalone causes of anxiety and depression.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

One common menopause side effect<\/strong> is insomnia or disrupted sleep, which has a very strong causal link with depression<\/a>. Poor sleep is of course not helped if one also has night sweats.<\/p>\n

Loss of libido<\/a> is another commonly reported perimenopause symptom. Which can cause a loss of identity<\/a> and relationship issues<\/a>. Both of which are directly related to\u00a0 anxiety and depression<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Then there is dealing with memory loss and the\u00a0<\/strong> foggy thinking<\/a> that can also be a symptom. And navigating hot flashes. Which can all affect<\/span>\u00a0<\/strong>our daily coping<\/a>, as well as things like our work performance<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

New life stressors during middle age<\/h2>\n

As for ‘psychosocial factors’,\u00a0 there are new life stressors in middle age that can play a part in mental health struggles. For starters, we are still dealing with a society that doesn’t fully embrace ageing women. Meaning we can be left feeling suddenly invisible and irrelevant.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Other very real new stressors at middle age include:<\/strong><\/p>\n