Perimenopause & Menopause
Women are twice as likely as men to suffer from depression. The reasons for an increased risk is probably due to multiple factors. One is the biological explanation, related to the exposure to vacillating reproductive hormone levels over the course of a lifetime.
Some women are especially vulnerable to depressive conditions during perimenopause, the time representing the 5-7 year period between regular menses and the cessation of menses, where female sex hormones decrease.
Women who suffer depressive conditions can be successfully treated with antidepressants, hormone-replacement, and psychotherapy.
In all cases, women with perimenopausal depression require supportive understanding, provided by clinicians with extensive knowledge of the biological challenges women face as well as the physiological and emotional changes which often occur during this time.
Symptoms of Perimenopausal Depression
- Mood swings
- Emotional hypersensitivity
- Crying spells
- Irritability
- Agitation
- Guilty feelings
- Diminished energy
- Fatigue
- Insomnia and disturbed sleep
- Disordered eating patterns
- Impaired concentration and memory
- Anxiety
Risk factors for Perimenopausal Depression
- Family history of depression
- Particularly troublesome perimenopausal physical symptoms (e.g. frequent and severe hot flashes)
- Difficulty with mid-life psychosocial issues
