What is happening to my body?

Mental health difficulties are an often overlooked symptom of (peri)menopause, which makes it even more important to understand what causes them and how they can be effectively managed. Maybe you found this page if you’re struggling to cope emotionally with the changes you’re experiencing — and we’re here to help you understand your experience better. 

In general, your transition to (peri)menopause means changing hormone levels, including decreasing oestrogen and progesterone. This may affect your mood, and sense of well-being, including:  

• a greater level of stress 
• an increased risk for depression 
• anxiety and panic attacks 
• mood swings 

Mental health difficulties rarely occur in isolation; instead, they combine with other factors in your life, which might affect how intensely or frequently you experience them. For example, they might be linked to:  

Your family history: since many such conditions, especially depression and anxiety, tend to be at least partly genetic. 

Other emotional, behavioural, or mental issues:__ like a history of mental illness (including bipolar disorder, postpartum depression, or schizophrenia). Consuming alcohol or other drugs as a means of coping might also increase these risks. 

Life changes: like “empty nest” syndrome, concerns over aging, strain on personal relationships, social isolation, financial changes, chronic illness, and more. 

Sleep disturbances: mainly due to other (peri)menopause symptoms like hot flushes and night sweats, as well as chronic sleep conditions like insomnia and obstructive sleep apnea. When you don’t get enough sleep, it can negatively affect your day-to-day routine, as well as your physical and emotional well-being. 

Your experience of (peri)menopause symptoms: these can be understandably overwhelming and distressing to experience, especially if you’re already worrying about aging, weight gain, changes in your period, decreased libido, painful intercourse, or other concerns.  

(Peri)menopause can feel like you’ve lost control of your body — so your feelings are entirely valid and understandable. Mental health difficulties might not be openly spoken about, but with our content, we’d like to draw more visibility into women's experiences on their (peri)menopause journeys. Let’s explore the role they might play in your day-to-day and long-term experience.  

What does it mean for me?

Experiencing mental health difficulties during (peri)menopause can feel overwhelming — but on the bright side, experts believe that most women can transition into this phase of life without any serious mental health concerns or significant mood disorders. At the same time, there are several specific mental health difficulties faced by women in these stages:  

1. Depression: around 18% of women in early perimenopause and 38% of those in late perimenopause experience symptoms of depression.  
2. Anxiety: symptoms, including panic attacks, seem more common during perimenopause — often in combination with life stressors.  
3. Stress: changing hormone levels might keep cortisol (the stress hormone) in your body for longer periods. With time, this can affect your physical health, which in turn might worsen your mental health.  This can also affect sleep, which in turn affects all aspects of mood and well-being. 

Experiencing depression and anxiety symptoms can drain your energy — both physically and emotionally — and make you feel less motivated to take steps to manage your health, like staying active and connecting with your social support system. They might also overlap with (peri)menopause symptoms like fatigue, decreased libido, sexual difficulties, and vaginal dryness. All these factors can make your overall experience even more difficult than it already might be and may worsen your physical and mental health if left unaddressed. 

While it’s understandable to feel overwhelmed and upset at these experiences, there are some steps that are within your grasp to manage your mental health difficulties confidently and effectively — both from a  medical and self-care standpoint. Let’s dive right into what these are and what might work best for you.  

Overcoming your trouble with confidence

Mental health challenges might be stigmatised; it can be difficult to speak up about what you’re experiencing, especially for topics like (peri)menopause and women’s hormonal health in general. But you’ve taken an excellent, proactive step towards taking charge of your (peri)menopause journey by getting informed — and we’re here to support you every step of the way.  

We understand that it’s challenging to speak up about (peri)menopause and the impact it has on women’s mental health — at Unfabled, we're determined to change that. 

If you’re curious, you could consider learning more about the symptoms of (peri)menopause — our next article covers why you might be more likely to forget things in this phase of life and what practical action steps can help you overcome it.