Perimenopause and Mental Health

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, it’s incredibly exciting to see so many companies posting positive and encouraging messages on sites such as LinkedIn, about employee mental wellbeing and the steps they are taking to support and care for their employees. Like so many other champion causes and awareness raising campaigns, it’s wonderful to call attention to mental health each May, and it’s more important to support employees each day to ensure the work environment is a healthy one that fosters a sense of mental wellbeing. Calling attention to mental health reduces the stigma around having a mental health issue as well as encourages help seeking behavior.

In light of mental health awareness month, I’d like to spend some time highlighting the mental health challenges women face as a result of hormonal changes and life transitions. Specifically, periomenopause. Let’s start with the basics, what the heck is perimenopuse anyway? Perimenopause, otherwise known as the menopausal transition, occurs in 3 stages; the first is premenopause when a woman continues to have regular menstrual cycles, the second is the menopausal transition when a woman is still having menstrual cycles but there are less than 12 within the last 12 months, and finally early menopause, when a woman has had no menstrual cycles for 12 months. Perimenopause typically starts for women in their 40’s, with the average age of menopause occurring at 51. Perimenopause can last anywhere from 2-12 years! Some women may start this transition earlier and some later.

So why is this important and why am I bringing it up during Mental Health Awareness Month? Because the symptoms associated with perimenopause significantly impact a woman’s mental wellbeing. Some of the symptoms include; hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, altered mood, sleep difficulties, lack of libido, and irregular bleeding. Any and all of these symptoms can contribute to feelings of depression, anxiety and in some cases even suicidality, that’s why it is important to not only talk about perimenopause and mental wellness, but to ensure that women are getting the treatment and support they need to navigate all of this!

Allow me to share, briefly, some of the science around perimenopause and mental wellbeing. To begin, one of the most significant symptoms of perimenopause that can impact a woman’s mental wellbeing is sleep. During perimenopause, women are likely to experience difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, waking early, and having interrupted sleep cycles. In one study, about 37% of women ages 40-55 reported sleep difficulties. Did you know that depression can contribute to early awakening? In this same study, the researches found that the risk for depression, mood swings, and other psychological challenges increased from 20% - 62% for women by the early perimenopause stage compared to the premenopause stage. Some women during the menopausal transition will experience an increased depressed mood during this time with an onset of depression and anxiety. Women who have pre-existing medical conditions or psychological conditions such as anxiety disorders and / or depression, have been shown to have an increased risk for depressive symptoms.

In another medical study the most common symptom of perimenopause was fatigue, followed by 25.99% of women in the study reporting having experienced depression, and in women aged 50-55 the prevalence was higher. Additionally, 12.62% of women in the study reported anxiety, with more severe symptoms occurring in those women aged 50-55.

Ok, enough of the science stuff for now….and if some of you are reading this and you fall into this age range and you are not experiencing any of these symptoms, that’s normal too! In fact, most women will pass through the menopausal transition without difficulty. If you are one of the 25% or so of women who are experiencing mental health challenges related to perimenopause, you are not alone! I’m right there with you and I’ve got your back! I will continue to share my personal experience and struggles with mental health challenges through this blog, and I will also continue to share the science associated with these symptoms and challenges. Stay tuned for next week’s posting and the first newsletter edition coming out in June. Sign up for the newsletter now so you don’t miss it!!!

It is OK to ask for help, in fact it’s the brave thing to do. If you need assistance and support the following resources are available:

NAMI; The National Alliance on Mental Illness

Lifeline; The Suicide and Crisis Hotline (call 988)

Psychology Today; Find a therapist near you

Many employers offer Employee Assistance Programs that includes brief mental health counseling.

You can also find a mental health treatment provider through many health insurance plans.