Dealing with Depression and Menopause

Unfortunately, experiencing depression and menopause together is something which a great many women have to deal with as they go through menopause. Menopausal depression is definitely not to be confused with mood swings. It goes much, much farther than simply feeling sad or blue. It goes beyond feeling happy one moment, down the next, and angry the one after that. Most women feel sad or frustrated because of what is going on with their bodies. Depression is much more serious than that, no matter how old you are or what kind it is. However, when hormones play such a large part, the results can be even more devastating.

Depression itself is generally caused by a variety of biological factors. In fact, there are hormones in your brain, especially serotonin, which regulate and rule your moods. When the level of serotonin produced by your body decreases, it can cause serious fluctuations in your mood. Indeed, it will ultimately bring on depression. Most of us realize that depression is not classified simply by feelings of sadness. Rather, when you are truly depressed, your feelings are extremely intense. You can go from feeling merely melancholy to feeling utterly hopeless and full of despair – and these feelings can last for as much as two weeks. So, too, can the symptoms associated with depression, such as physical problems, feelings of isolation, and even thoughts of suicide. Mind you, these are the fundamental facts of "traditional" depression, if there is such a thing. To put it a better way, this is what people who are depressed but not menopausal have to deal with on a regular basis. Can you then imagine what menopausal depression must be like? Two weeks of feeling hopeless is something of a reprieve, considering that menopause can last for as long as fifteen years.

All told, anywhere between 8 percent and 15 percent of all the women who go through menopause will experience some kind of depression. It generally hits during pre menopause – or perimenopause, depending how your doctor defines it – which is the stage leading up to menopause itself. No one really knows what causes menopausal depression, although there are a variety of theories. The only thing anyone really seems sure of is that hormones do play a large part in its emergence.

Certainly, the very fact of menopause itself can contribute to feelings of depression. After all, women have to cope with the fact that they will no longer be able to have children, which is one of the very definitions of womanhood. The stress through which women go as they deal with menopause may also be a contributing factor. Add into that the fact that you are not likely to get a good night's rest until sometime after your very last period, that you gain weight, that your periods are irregular, and that you do indeed go through wild mood swings, and it really is understandable.

Menopausal depression cannot be taken lightly. If you think you are depressed, you need to talk to your doctor immediately. There are a number of treatment options, from antidepressants to hormone replacement therapy. At the very least, sometimes having someone to talk to about what you are going through can greatly ease your emotional burdens.