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Menopause and Depression
 Depression affects twice as many women as men and midlife is traditionally recognized as a period of increased risk for depression in women. Whilst the reasons towards menopausal depression are not totally conclusive they are likely to be related to having a personal or family history of depression, life stresses, and role changes. Menopause is also established as a time when women are more likely to become depressed. Studies demonstrate that depression is more likely to occur in the years during the perimenopausal years, a period associated with gradual declines in estrogen levels.
Untreated depression can lead to more severe episodes of depression and even physical complications. Depression is associated with increased risk for heart attacks and also causes a loss of bone mineral density.
In order to avoid the pitfalls associated with menopause and depression, it is best to keep yourself informed on potential warning signs and treatments. Read over the following paragraphs for more information on menopause and depression.
What is depression and how is it related to menopause?
2 core reasons for depression:
Psychological causes are also grouped into two classifications. Those related to specific psychological disorders (hereditary), and those associated with things such as too much stress (environmental). The former group involves those who suffer from rare hereditary diseases and are depressed due to a chemical imbalance in the brain. The latter is related to stress, work, and constant fatigue, which can destabilize one´s emotional state.
The foremost explanation for increased depression during menopause is hormonal imbalance. Estrogen hormones have a proven effect on our mental state, given they regulate the body´s levels of serotonin, which is the chemical in the brain that controls mood. Depression is often a result of a drop in serotonin due to a decline in overall estrogen levels.
The symptoms of depression in menopause may include two or more weeks of bleak mood, decreased interest or pleasure in activities, changes in appetite, changes in sleep patterns, fatigue or loss of energy, excessive feelings of guilt or worthlessness, thoughts of suicide, and extreme restlessness and irritability. Unfortunately, many symptoms of menopause overlap with the symptoms of depression, only making the gloominess all that harder to deal with. Menopause symptoms include problems with sleep, physical symptoms such as hot flashes, fatigue, irritability, anxiety and difficulty concentrating.
Regrettably, may women suffer these symptoms needlessly as they believe such discomforts and problems are a natural part of growing older. However, depression should never be dismissed as a normal consequence of later life for women.
 While everyone experiences feelings of glumness through the course of everyday life, menopause can exacerbate women´s feelings of sadness due to frustration with the body´s symptoms and sadness at the loss of the ability to carry children. Increased depression during menopause can therefore be identified as a more prolonged feeling of general unhappiness, often unexplained and never felt before. The severity and duration of this depression is what distinguishes it from ordinary.
What can I do about menopause and depression?
Other Solutions:
. Medication
. Hormone Replacement Therapy
. Professional therapy
. Dietary changes
If the depression during menopause is being caused by physical changes (as identified by your doctor), a hormonal balancing program could best alleviate your mood and any other symptoms of menopause. Alternative medicine treatments have been particularly successful in this regard, by giving the body support to support and regulate its own source of hormones rather than introducing them from the outside. Obviously, a healthy lifestyle also does a great deal to lift one´s mood.
For more specific information relating to treatments for menopausal depression click on the following link.
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