Depression, Women, and Menopause -- a Hot Topic We Need to Talk About
By Melanie Haiken, Caring.com senior editor
This past weekend I was at a gathering attended by many women ages 45 to 65, and noticed that one very hot topic seemed to trump all others: depression, and how severely it was affecting many women later in life. There were tons of stories, and many different experiences, but one common thread. It was concern (panic, even) about the extreme mood swings many of us or our older relatives were experiencing--and how hard we've found it to get doctors to take this issue seriously. There was one more common link: Many of those sharing stories said the dark moods had hit with the onset of menopause.
"I just feel completely dismissed every time I bring this up with my doctor," one woman grumbled. "She keeps saying it's just hormonal fluctuations from menopause and it'll go away in a few years. But what do I do between now and then? I'm afraid my marriage won't last that long!"
A gentleman present told us he actually charts his wife's moods on the calendar, and there's one week a month he simply tries to be out of the house as much as possible. "How's that for a solution," he said to general laughter. For others, depression had begun to cause problems when they were in their 50s but had deepened over time.
In fact, some stories were truly scary.
One friend's mother is suffering from depression so severe that her doctors have recommended electroshock therapy. My friend's question was fairly simple -- shouldn't they try every possible antidepressant first? After all, electroshock comes with the risk of memory loss, a problem her mom's already struggling with. Another friend said her formerly social, outgoing mom has become almost housebound, losing interest in all her old friends and activities since her children moved away from home and her husband retired.
I went home and decided to do some research to see if our instinct was correct that this issue has become a serious one, yet isn't being taken seriously enough. Absolutely - a Yale School of Public Health study last year found that older women are not only more likely to be depressed than men in the same age group, their depression is more likely to last a long time. I found that the tide seems to be turning, but only very recently. Just this past fall, World Psychiatry, the "official journal of the world psychiatric association," published a comprehensive article that called depression in older women "a significant cause of morbidity and disability."
Their conclusions were startling, actually -- that menopause seems to present a "window of vulnerability" during which women are at high risk for the onset of major depressive symptoms. The problem is, for many, those symptoms don't go away.
Other common risk factors they found that contributed to depression in women:
• Sleeping poorly
• Memory problems
• Sexual problems
• Chronic aches or pain
• Declining physical energy
• "Empty nest" syndrome
• A history of severe PMS moodiness
• Surgical menopause after hysterectomy
• Divorce, separation, or widowhood
If you or another woman in your life is experiencing depression, it may very well be hormone-related, and it's important for her to talk to a doctor openly. Unfortunately, it will probably be necessary to speak up loudly and more than once -- mental health care is still one of the most overlooked health needs. Become an advocate and demand help -- there's no reason for any woman to spend her later years missing out on life because of depression.
Add to this the risk of depression due to caregiving and there will be many caregivers who will need greater knowledge and tender loving support to get through this period.
Hugs tater
Please add to the list of issues that cause depression during menopause THE issue that causes me to most angst, loss of sleep, and worsens my health. It is: being in the "sandwich generation, caring for elderly parents who have many crises. They are not appreciative of my help because it's never enough, no matter that I have made their care my priority and have given up so much of my life to see to their needs. I am becoming resentful, and now I don't like myself. There are no clear solutions, and sometimes there is no light at the end of the tunnel.
I am 58 years old and have experienced menopause and the depression that goes with it. What I found that REALLY helps, I can't emphasize how much it helps is to eat right, exercise, stay away from junk food, get sunshine and enough Vitamin D. I make sure I get 8 servings of fruits and vegetables, eat lean meats and 3 servings of dairy. I can't tell you what a difference it has made since I gave up sugar, alcohol and refined carbohydrates. I sleep better. I feel better. I have more energy. I feel like me instead of a zombie that wants to stay inside and feel grumpy all day. Eating right has cured my lifetime problem with constipation too and I am slowly loosing weight, about 2 pounds a month. If I am tempted with cookies, or crackers or bread and butter I remind myself that I will feel bad if I eat it and how much better I will feel if I have a fruit snack instead. I'm not perfect, but I eat healthy at least 80% of the time and it has made a TREMENDOUS difference because now I feel like exercising and I feel younger. Don't expect perfection, just work towards changing small things to live a healthier lifestyle.
I was told by people close to me that I needed counceling for a mental disorder, bipolar etc. The mood swings I was experiencing were horrific and affecting my home and work relationships. I started antidepressant treatment and found huge relief, but not 100%. I could count on one week a month where I would become " the bad witch".I know this too will end ,so for now I just lay low during that time and wait for it to pass, which it always does. It was not knowing what I was going through that was the hardest part of menapause for me. Now that I know what is happening to me and that it is normal, I can deal with it better and take comfort in knowing that some day I will be my old self again. Know that YOU ARE NOT ALONE!
Hello! Im new to the site. really looking forward to meeting new people, seeing what they have to say and just really chilling on some social network other than facebook. bleh. like i said, i am me, now who are you? Look forward to 'meeting' you all.
When my late wife was going through menopause in her late 30's the doctor prescribed birth control pills to suppliment her hormones. I don't advise doing that. By the time she was in her early 40's she was a wreck. She was constantly turning the termostat in the house up and down, and the poor gal was miserable all the time. She died at 46 due to a blood clot from a foot surgery that traveled to her fragile lungs. I miss her terribly.
There is no question that depression, mood swings, sadness, anxiety, lack of sleep, aches and pains have all started affecting me at 50. I have never been a 'depressed' type and exercise vigorously almost daily. So its NOT 'in my head' and thanks to the individuals below I am making an appointment with a recommended FEMALE gynecologist of similar age and getting some form of treatment!!!
When I was going through menopause (and peri-menopause), I became terribly anxious and my depression became much worse. I have never felt right for the last 10 or so years, with each year getting progressively worse. Not one OBGYN would help me, always indicating basically that it was no "big deal." I finally most recently went to an osteopathic family doctor who does hormone testing by saliva testing. Sure enough my progesterone and DHEA were low. I am now taking bio-identical hormones which I just started, and I am beginning to feel much less anxiety and depression. I believe that this is something that any woman suffering from a similar experience should definitely consider. It's really going the alternative route as opposed to the traditional, standard route which has a totally different approach to the problems.
I am about to turn 50 and have been getting waves of horrible depression like clockwork. It is very dark and deep but thankfully lasts only a few days - for now. Thanks for the heads up on this. I thought it was just me.
I have been in menopause for 12yrs.I'm 52, with a 82yr. old back,and need a hip replacement.I have a long time to go, and who would want to live like that??? And the golden years?? Forget it unless of course you have insurance.Not on a fixed income, not in this life...