When a woman’s cycle becomes irregular at the early age of late 30’s to early 50’s, this refers to the state of perimenopause. In this case, there is the disorder in the menstrual cycle of a woman prior to the occurrence of menopause which generally occurs at the age of fifty one. Because there is a hormonal imbalance in the woman’s system due to her low level of estrogen and progesterone, symptoms that can be experienced are symptoms related to depression. Depression is a mental disorder that affects primarily the person’s mind, body and behavior. When depression happens in a woman that is undergoing perimenopause , this is referred to as perimenopause depression.

 

Perimenopause depression is quite different from the ordinary state of depression if based from their origin. Perimenopause depression is caused by the imbalance of hormones in the woman’s body while other people’s depression may come from other factors such as drug abuse, childhood issues, and mental illness and so on. When a woman experiences perimenopause depression, she must consult her doctor about it but not necessarily a psychiatrist in the sense that what affects her mind and behavior is her hormonal imbalance which a gynecologist is very familiar with.

 

What type of depression menopausal women must worry about?

There are actually three types of depression and these are the major depression, bipolar or manic depression and the dysthymia depression. Major depression covers all the depressive states so it has the strongest impact on one’s mind and personality while bipolar or manic depression induces mood swings. Dysthymia depression, on the other hand, is a low level form of major depression but it can linger for years and may develop into major depression if no preventive measure is undertaken.

 

According to medical studies, once a woman experience the onset of menopause symptoms or once the symptoms of pre menopause started to show up, there is a great risk for the development of depressive illness because of the hormonal changes that is taking place in the woman’s body. Some doctors assume that the cause of perimenopause depression is the decrease of the progesterone level in the women’s system which can result in the rise of the estrogen thus leading to hormonal imbalance. Unfortunately, women who are in their perimenopausal stage have always the higher risk of recurrent depressive episodes especially if the woman has a history of postpartum depression or PMS (premenstrual syndrome).

 

What are the symptoms of perimenopausal depression?

Women are usually asking this question to know if they are suffering from perimenopausal depression and if they may need treatments. Well, categorically speaking, the symptoms of perimenopausal depression are almost the same as with the symptoms of the three major types of depression. To identify these symptoms, these are the following:

• feeling gloomy

• sudden feeling of sadness

• loss of interest in sex or any form of entertainment

• fatigue

• low self-esteem and self-respect

• feeling of extreme guilt

• overwhelming hopelessness

• lack of focus and memory loss

• insomnia

• thoughts of dying or suicide

 

Other than these signs, there are also the pre menopause symptoms that are within the depression category and these symptoms are:

• anxiety or feeling of emptiness

• lack of energy (due to slow body metabolism)

• suicidal thoughts and brooding

• complicated weight loss or weight gain

• physical illnesses

• self seclusion

 

Is there a way to be out of perimenopausal depression?

Yes, there is always hope in treating perimenopausal syndrome as long as women would be aware on what they feel about themselves and can ask other people’s help. With the gynecologist’s intervention, treatment options can include using anti-depressant drugs, changes in the woman’s lifestyle and psychotherapy. If none of these works, the use of light therapy or electroconvulsive therapy can be advised. There is also the standard application of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) where in the woman must regularly be treated with hormonal balancing drugs. If the woman wants to avoid the use of drugs and mind healing, there is the alternative medicine that involves the use of herbal remedies, high dosage of dietary supplements and the application of the still unpopular Bioidentical Hormone therapy.

 

Women should not feel hopeless when they experience symptoms perimenopause depression because if depression can be cured, perimenopause depression can also be treated although in no time menopause has its end and the depression can usually disappear. However, before a woman could suffer while within the perimenopause depression state, she still must consult her gynecologist and perhaps a professional psychotherapist will be recommended by the gynecologist to treat the woman out of her depressive state. For those who still feel there is no hope in their case, they don’t have to worry about their situations. They must only talk to people to whom they can trust and whom they are attached personally just to release the tension and let the perimenopause depression go away naturally.