A girlfriend came to see me just prior to Lockdown 2.0, she was overwhelmed with depression and lack of sleep. An energetic, bubbly, fit and vibrant woman who was losing her desire to enjoy life, her family and all she was fortunate enough to have. A second girlfriend had slipped out of regular contact and finally told me just prior to Lockdown 3.0 that she had been going through a really difficult time, she had felt unable to cope and some days felt like slitting her wrists. Fortunately, both of these women shared this newfound loss of self and with the help of hormone replacement therapy returned to a balanced state once more. In hindsight, these two creative, intelligent and now healthy women look back on this time and acknowledge that their prior state left them both feeling (wrongly) that they had little reason to live. In light of the recent loss of former British model and fashion designer Stella Tennant, and on a more personal note with my dear girlfriends also suffering during this time. It comes as no surprise that mental health experts are seriously concerned that Covid-19 is pushing up the numbers of perimenopausal depression and suicide.
“Australian statistical data shows the highest rate of age specific suicide rate for females in 2015 was in the 45-49 age group and the second highest group 50-54 years.”
The recognition of mental health in the past years has become ever more prevalent and medical experts and others alike have to come to realise and recognise its importance. Mental health in perimenopausal women can have a devastating impact as they approach menopause as the risk of serious depression is significantly increased, not only due to the hormonal shifts but also the lack of support around the topic. There is a gap in recognition and provision for middle-aged women experiencing depression relating to the hormonal changes of the menopause and it is simply not discussed. We now acknowledge post-natal depression but perimenopausal depression is still brushed under the carpet. An awareness of such a significant life change can allow those suffering and their families to identify what is going on and act to support those affected.
Established in a study on women in Seattle carried out in 2008 it was found that, “Menopausal women are three times likely to develop depression than premenopausal women.”
Perimenopause is the time preceding menopause - a series of disrupted periods and hormonal chaos occurs before menopause. Menopause being defined as being “12 months following the last period’. Therefore, the time prior to this is known as perimenopause and the diagnosis of perimenopausal depression is often made retrospectively. During this time hormones drop as do feel-good hormones such as serotonin which can lead to increased irritability, anxiety and sadness. Some of the dips in hormonal fluctuation in perimenopause can take form in a set of depressive episodes, especially for those who may have experienced depression in the past. “As a clinician treating menopause, menopausal and peri-menopausal depression is quite common and is caused by deficiency in sex hormones oestrogen and progesterone since these decline at or prior to menopause. When these hormones are replaced, preferably in body-identical form, there is usually a significant remission of depressive symptoms which is associated with a brighter outlook’. Dr Nyon Eccles -leading bioidentical hormone specialist.
M illi O n A ir magazine
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