The M&Ms of Wellness: Menopause & Mental Health

Authored by: Victoria Wroblewski

Art by: Mia Hsu

Women face an immense challenge for up to 15 years of their life. It is untreatable and directly affects their well-being and functionality throughout daily activities, instilling a constant clouding of consciousness. This is the reality of menopause. While it is an inevitable part of aging, menopause causes hormonal changes contributing to poor mental health and overall quality of life. On August 29, 2024, “Driving Change in Women’s Health: Innovations in Funding, Research, and Policy” was written and a component included a research study on mental health during menopause transitions, revealing symptoms of depression. [1] Specifically, the prevalence of depression during the menopausal transition alone is around 40%. [2] It cannot be denied that more awareness needs to be focused on finding ways to help older women alleviate its impact. Raising awareness about menopause is not just important for women. Understanding this life stage can help college students support loved ones, whether in future relationships or within their families.

The menopause transition occurs for women approximately aged between 45 and 55. It is a natural state of the aging process and begins when a woman’s estrogen and progesterone production levels decrease. Specifically, the ovaries are no longer capable of producing eggs. [3] There are three stages: perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause. During perimenopause, initial symptoms arise through hormonal fluctuations which lead to menopause, the stage with the peak intensity of symptoms. Postmenopause consists of the years following menopause until death. There are severe risk factors associated with postmenopause including heart disease and osteoporosis. [4] Understanding the three different stages is important to examine the occurrence of symptoms and treatment plans.

The physical and hormonal changes that occur have consequential effects on a woman’s well-being. While all women experience menopause differently, the common symptoms of menopause include continuous hot flushes, mood changes, insomnia, and irregularities in the menstrual cycle. Mood swings and disturbances are a critical symptom of menopause which has an impact on not just a woman’s physical well-being, but also mental wellness. Up to 70% of women describe irritability as their main emotional problem during the menopausal transition. [5] Sudden mood changes have a direct effect on extreme feelings of happiness or sadness, nonetheless overall welfare. About 18% of women in early perimenopause and 38% of those in late perimenopause experience symptoms of depression. [6] Such implications take a large toll on the mental health of women and it is difficult to battle its severity, especially as it appears suddenly and with no warning.

To top it all, there is no cure for menopause. Unfortunately, women often find it difficult to receive the required help from doctors. This is largely due to the lack of education surrounding menopause for physicians and OB-GYNs. [7] Doctors tend to suggest hormonal therapies and treatments for easing the symptoms, often not acknowledging the intense mental health symptoms. Such therapies come in several forms including creams, pills, and injections which only provide short-term relief. [8] Additionally, Dr. Mieres from Northwell Health addressed gaslighting surrounding women’s health, claiming, “some of women’s symptoms are often brushed off as psychosomatic from the get-go”. [9] This is discouraging for women and ultimately leads to the substantial lack of knowledge regarding important health topics such as menopause.

A type of long-term assistance that needs more attention comes in the form of social support. Many women have reported feeling alone throughout the process. Similarly, isolation is a common phenomenon for women in transition. Women need to talk about the situation with other women, family, friends, therapists, etc. Studies reveal that 70% of women are comfortable talking to their friends about their experience with menopause, 64% are comfortable talking about it with healthcare professionals, and 61% with family members. [10] Acquiring a social support circle can positively affect the day-to-day lives of women and help them understand that they are not going through the transition alone. It is crucial to understand the facts of menopause at an early age and how to receive or provide support, whether as a female going through the process in the future or as someone who will have a close relationship with a woman, before it becomes urgent. 

Menopause has been a taboo topic for decades. During the 21st century, technological advancements have made it apparent that there is an association between menopause and poor mental health. It is time to help all women overcome the negative stigma surrounding menopause and break the silence once and for all.  

References:

1. Clayton, J. A. (2024, August 29). Driving Change in Women’s Health: Innovations in Funding, Research and Policy. National Institutes of Health. https://orwh.od.nih.gov/about/director/messages/driving-change-in-womens-health-innovations-in-funding-research-and-policy

2. Dutchen, S. (2023, May 21). The Mental Health Aspects of Menopause. Harvard Medicine Magazine. https://magazine.hms.harvard.edu/articles/mental-health-aspects-menopause

3. Mayo Clinic Staff. (2024, August 7). Menopause. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/menopause/symptoms-causes/syc-20353397

4. Ferris, E. (2023, April 3). Preparing for menopause: Understanding the signs and symptoms in all three stages. Summa Health. https://www.summahealth.org/flourish/entries/2023/04/preparing-for-menopause-understanding-the-signs-and-symptoms-in-all-three-stages#:~:text=Menopause%20is%20divided%20into%20three,menstrual%20cycle%3B%20estrogen%20and%20progesterone.

5. Team, W. E. (2021, August 13). Menopausal side effects: How can it affect your health?. Winona Wellness. https://bywinona.com/journal/menopausal-side-effects-how-can-menopause-affect-your-mental-health?psafe_param=1&gc_id=13244609706&h_ga_id=128751532703&h_ad_id=564029054636&h_keyword_id=dsa-19959388920&h_keyword=&h_placement=&utm_source=google&utm_campaign=Branded&utm_content=g&utm_medium=All_Pages_-_Dynamic&utm_term=&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwgrO4BhC2ARIsAKQ7zUlTPhGQ5vfxAajJV-SKTdYynLClbJhbqdfreXjLwkU7peFHRtlcoeUaAnAPEALw_wcB

6. Chatterjee, R. (2020a, January 16). As menopause nears, be aware it can trigger depression and anxiety, too. NPR. https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/01/16/796682276/for-some-women-nearing-menopause-depression-and-anxiety-can-spike#:~:text=%22The%20good%20news%20is%20that,perimenopause%20%E2%80%94%20experience%20symptoms%20of%20depression

7. Chatterjee, R. (2020b, January 16). As menopause nears, be aware it can trigger depression and anxiety, too. NPR. https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/01/16/796682276/for-some-women-nearing-menopause-depression-and-anxiety-can-spike#:~:text=%22The%20good%20news%20is%20that,perimenopause%20%E2%80%94%20experience%20symptoms%20of%20depression

8. George, C. (2023, February 15). Hormone replacement therapy costs. GoodRx. https://www.goodrx.com/conditions/estrogen-replacement/hrt-cost

9. Katz Women’s Circle. (n.d.). Gaslighting in women’s health: When doctors dismiss symptoms. Northwell Health. https://www.northwell.edu/katz-institute-for-womens-health/articles/gaslighting-in-womens-health

10. Newson Health. (2024, April 19). Loneliness and the Menopause. Balance Menopause. https://www.balance-menopause.com/menopause-library/loneliness-and-the-menopause/#:~:text=In%20what%20can%20be%20a,of%20us%20can%20feel%20a