Menopausal Depression in Women: Causes and Treatment
Perimenopause, the time leading up to menopause, is an emotional and physical roller coaster for some women. It’s a change of life that comes with a host of symptoms brought on by hormonal shifts—insomnia, mood fluctuations, hot flashes, and even depression.
In this blog post, we’ll cover depression in women caused by the onset of menopause, the reasons behind it, and strategies to help them keep the symptoms at bay.
How Menopause Contributes to Depression in Women
Technically, menopause is a day in a woman’s life that occurs 12 months post her last period. Once that day passes, women are considered in the postmenopausal phase. Before then, women are in what’s called the perimenopause phase, during which, volatile shifts of reproductive hormones take place, making them more susceptible to depression.
Here’s why it happens:
- Sleep Problems
The occurrence of nighttime hot flashes makes insomnia a common experience during perimenopause. It’s proven that you’re 10 times more likely to get depressed if you have a poor sleep pattern.
- Hormonal Fluctuations
When women talk about going through “the change” associated with menopause, they’re referring to the perimenopausal stage. During this period, your menstrual cycle becomes irregular — shorter, heavier, longer, lighter, closer together, and infrequent.
This leads to a fall in estrogen and progesterone levels, which can trigger mood swings and make you less able to cope with things you normally don’t pay much heed to. For some, hormonal dips can even set off depression in women, especially if they’ve struggled with major depression in the past.
Also, the hormones that control your menstrual cycle regulate the levels of serotonin, a brain chemical that promotes feelings of happiness and well-being. When the levels of your menstrual hormone drop, serotonin levels also take a hit, leading to increased sadness, anxiety, and irritability.
- Changes in Life
Turbulent hormones aside, the 40s (when perimenopause usually occurs) is a stress-filled stage of life that impacts the emotional health of women in many ways, including:
- Career problems
- Health problems
- Kids getting married or leaving home
- Ageing parents
Such external stressors aggravate the effect of mood swings, as well as trigger depression in women or increase it.
Treatment for Menopause-Related Depression in Women
If you’re exhibiting frequent mood swings or having other symptoms of depression that are negatively affecting your life, talk to your gynecologist or approach a mental health therapist in Mumbai.
Usually, you can control the symptoms of perimenopause and the resultant mood swings with estrogen patches or progesterone medication.
However, it’s not a good option to turn to medications to control depression if you
- Have high blood pressure
- Smoke
- Are postmenopausal
- Have a history of blood clotting problems
Antidepressants may be useful for those who aren’t candidates for hormonal medications. Studies show that appropriate medication coupled with cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is a reasonably effective way to manage depression. Many mental health therapists in Mumbai practice these therapeutic methods to allay depression in women.
Changes in lifestyle can also help you reduce perimenopause symptoms and promote better postmenopausal health. These adjustments include exercising regularly, eating a nutritious diet, alcohol consumption, and limiting caffeine.
In a way, reaching menopause can also be seen as a relief. Once hormonal changes mellow down, the mood fluctuations come to an end. But if you’ve had major depressive episodes, it’s difficult to predict how you’ll feel after menopause.
Depression, by nature, is a recurrent condition—there are times when it gets better for long periods, and sometimes, it can get worse without any notice.
When to Seek Help
Good news: Hormonal changes causing mood fluctuations are treatable! If emotional ups and downs during perimenopause are restricting your ability to live a normal life—be it hobbies, professional work or relationships—it’s time to consult an expert who provides counseling for women’s issues and explore your options.
Women Counseling in Mumbai at Faculty Minds
At Faculty Minds, our women counselors specialize in a diverse range of women’s issues, including depression and anxiety caused by perimenopause. Counseling for women is designed to address the various needs with expertise and sensitivity.
Get in touch with us today and learn to cope with the symptoms healthily.
