I've got to take issue with your Myth #7 - “Menopause caused me to slip into depression.” You write as though depression is simply something that is caused by and can be prevented by will or emotion when, in fact, the shift in hormonal balance in perimenopause can cause a depression before a woman even knows she's IN perimenopause. Yes, embracing all stages of life is vital, but mental health is affected by chemical and hormonal imbalances that often need attention from medical health professionals. Therapy and/or medication can help immensely.
Here is the Cleveland Clinic's page on perimenopause, menopause and depression:
Women suffering from a depression would love to feel better. Depression isn't a choice, it's a condition with biological and chemical factors. You are right when you say that healthful eating, exercise and a chaos-free home can all help with a depression. But for many, even those activities are too much at first. And diminishing the very real causes of depression in your article won't help them take that first step.
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Samara,
I've got to take issue with your Myth #7 - “Menopause caused me to slip into depression.” You write as though depression is simply something that is caused by and can be prevented by will or emotion when, in fact, the shift in hormonal balance in perimenopause can cause a depression before a woman even knows she's IN perimenopause. Yes, embracing all stages of life is vital, but mental health is affected by chemical and hormonal imbalances that often need attention from medical health professionals. Therapy and/or medication can help immensely.
Here is the Cleveland Clinic's page on perimenopause, menopause and depression:
http://my.clevelandclinic.org/disorders/Menopause/hic_Perimenopause_Menopause_and_Depression.aspx
Here's an American Psychiatric Association article on how Perimenopausal Depression is often overlooked or undertreated:
http://pn.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/full/41/10/32
A USA Today report on a 2004 landmark APA study of 591 women and how often they developed depression in perimenopause:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2004-05-05-perimenopause-usat_x.htm
Women suffering from a depression would love to feel better. Depression isn't a choice, it's a condition with biological and chemical factors. You are right when you say that healthful eating, exercise and a chaos-free home can all help with a depression. But for many, even those activities are too much at first. And diminishing the very real causes of depression in your article won't help them take that first step.
September 15, 2009 - 8:56amThis Comment
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