Hot flashes and weight gain are often the first symptoms of menopause in women. 20 percent of the women affected suffer from depression. Two psychologists explain what helps.
During menopause the body often goes crazy. But it’s not just the body that is affected by the hormonal change – the psyche also has something to do with it. Two psychologists explain what helps now.
Hannah Süss and Jasmine Willi, why does everyone know that women have hot flashes during menopause, but not that many suffer from depression?
Süss and Willi: Because it’s hardly talked about – in public and among women themselves. Many people are ashamed and don’t seek help. In addition, mental illnesses often become noticeable gradually. The first depressive symptoms can also appear before the actual onset of menopause.
What makes us so vulnerable to depression during menopause?
It is a time when many different changes are coming to women. Both hormonal and psychosocial factors play an important role.
Then the hormones and the external living conditions are equally the causes?
Yes, they influence each other. We know, for example, that hormones have a major impact on the psyche.
And the social factors?
Women are in the transition from the reproductive to the non-reproductive phase. This change can be very challenging. Not only does it make it clear that you can no longer have children, but topics such as transience and changes in your own role in life also become more present.
What else is problematic at this stage of life?
The children often move out and you have to reorient yourself. And physical complaints and illnesses also occur more frequently – which can have an emotional impact.
What does menopausal depression look like?
If symptoms such as loss of interest, loss of joy, sleep problems, difficulty concentrating, loss of appetite or sadness occur over several weeks, it is referred to as depression. With menopausal depression, typical physical menopause symptoms can still occur.
Can you explain that?
Some women are more hormone sensitive than others. They react particularly intensively to hormonal fluctuations. This can especially be before menstruation, during pregnancy, after birth or during menopause.
Can a woman take preventive action against depression during menopause?
A healthy lifestyle helps. It is important to know the symptoms and get support if they occur.
When is medication needed?
Depression is divided into mild, moderate and severe episodes. Studies have shown that psychotherapy is most successful for mild depression; for moderate and severe depression, it is a combination of psychotherapy and medication. Hormone therapy can also help with menopausal depression.
Jasmine Willi and Hannah Süss are doctoral students and clinical psychologists at the Psychological Institute at the University of Zurich.