Studies show that in addition to normal menopausal symptoms such as irregular periods and hot flashes, some peri-menopausal women experience panic attacks due to hormonal changes. In more severe cases, it can lead to depression.
in a news article about Menopause and depression in women Dr. Jennifer Payne, a psychiatrist and director of the Johns Hopkins Women’s Mood Disorder Center, explains on the Johns Hopkins University Medical website: Changing your monthly cycle increases your risk of depression. ”
This is especially true for those who already suffer from postpartum depression, or who always have major mood swings before their period. Women are also twice as likely to experience depression as men.
However, people with no history are not immune to anxiety and depression.a A 10-year study of 2,956 American women Across multiple races and ethnicities, women who had low anxiety levels before menopause may actually be more likely to experience higher levels of anxiety during and after the menopause transition. Premenopause is the period between a woman’s first menstrual period and the onset of perimenopause.
By comparison, women who were previously diagnosed with the disease may already have chronic anxiety and are not at increased risk.
by Harvard University Study on Moods and CyclesWomen with no history of depression were also almost twice as likely to experience depression during the menopausal transition compared to premenopausal women.
