menapause depression symptoms

allegra · Silver Member Joined: 21 Oct 2000 Posts: 266

I have a friend who finds her feeling quite blue during her menopause. I know it is common for women to feel frustrated, but I am worried about her. She is affected too much with depression because of the loss of her ability to carry children. I do not know if sometimes menopause can make you feel more than a little sad, if that is normal to make woman downright depressed. Can you tell me more about menopause depression symptoms?

terence · Newbie Joined: 22 Jun 2005 Posts: 27

Menopause can trigger feelings of sadness and episodes of depression in a number of women, and that is normal symptoms of menopause. It is thought that somewhere between 8% and 15% of menopausal women experience some form of menopausal depression. Menopause depression is most likely to hit during perimenopause, which is the phase leading up to menopause. Causes of menopausal depression are under debate, but a variety of theories has been suggested. All of these theories wanted to explain why so many menopausal women experience mood disorders. One theory asserts that the stress of menopause symptoms leads to depression as consequence. Woman may be finding that her symptoms of menopause are simply too difficult to manage on her own. Off course, menopause may just be that straw that breaks the camel’s back, causing the onset of depression. Another theory links menopause depression with fluctuating levels of hormones in the body as reasonable leading to depression. Throughout menopause, levels of estrogen, progesterone, and androgen are constantly changing, and when hormones drop, especially estrogen, woman can experience periods of sadness and hopelessness, and some women experience a severe drop in mood, resulting in depression.

menapause depression symptoms

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