What Is the Connection Between Menopause and Depression?
The link between menopause and depression isn’t fully understood. There are a number of theories posited as to why women in perimenopause and true menopause are at higher risk for depressive illness. It’s estimated that more than 10% of women develop depression during this time. This condition may be due to one or more of the following: decline in estrogen and progestin levels, increased stress of undergoing uncomfortable menopausal symptoms, the significance of the change that menopause represents, and cessation of the monthly cycle.
