Perimenopause:
Depression as a Symptom
Women may suffer from depression when perimenopause rears its ugly, inevitable head. By now, we probably know that perimenopause is mainly caused by a female hormone imbalance – specifically low estrogen levels which in turn affect the state of the other existing hormones, progesterone, testosterone and even those that may affect our thyroid functions.
While depression is a possible symptom of perimenopause, it would be good to note that if you have already reached THAT certain age and you sometimes feel the blues crowding in on you for short periods of time, that this is a normal occurrence. Everyone is entitled to a little sadness every now and then. It’s just that when a woman reaches perimenopause, she is more prone to more than a little of said sadness since estrogen regulates serotonin levels (the brain chemical that controls moods; sometimes known as the happy neurotransmitter).
Depressed women experience mood changes including a loss of interest in usual activities, sleep disorders (sometimes eating problems as well), and an emotional withdrawal from both family and friends.
Depression’s main trigger in perimenopause is the low estrogen levels, but we shouldn’t discount that there are other factors as well. Stress, in particular, is usually the main culprit. Stress can be had from major changes (like a job transfer, changing to a new house, having a new boss, etc.) or minor, everyday changes in life (over-fatigue due to being overworked, chasing the bus so that you could get to work on time, noise pollution contributed by your kids when you come home, etc.).
Also, in perimenopause, depression may set in when you start to feel the usual symptoms: an irregular and erratic period, hot flashes and flushes, insomnia, night sweats, weight gain (specifically around the tummy area), and vaginal dryness and irritability among others. Why? Well, if I ask you, what if you had insomnia the night before going to work. Wouldn’t you be tired and depressed too from not getting a full, good night’s sleep? Or, when you decide to have intercourse with your partner (long overdue in both your opinions), and then you feel that you lack lubrication to enjoy the act, and instead you feel a whole lot of pain due to the dryness of the vaginal walls? You may not only feel depressed, but it may combine with another mood swing as well: irritation at the slightest thing.
And not to scare you or anything, but depression may also possibly be linked to a deeper medical condition or rare psychological disorder. If you feel that your feeling down is a bit out of line and looks like it won’t be short-term, then it is best that you go to a trusted doctor or a psychiatrist so that they could rule our any other illnesses that could probably be associated to the depression.
Menopausal women have said that they rarely experienced being depressed as soon as they left the stage called perimenopause. So it is safe to say that perimenopause contributes to a depressed feeling. But this is manageable though. As soon as psychological, physical or hereditary problems are ruled out, you may make changes to your lifestyle. Eat healthy and exercise regularly to regain lost and depleting energy. Give your healthy regimen some time to work, and pretty soon, you’ll be back to your normal pre-“perimenopausal” self.
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