{"id":41771,"date":"2021-10-19T07:07:30","date_gmt":"2021-10-19T14:07:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/?p=41771"},"modified":"2026-02-13T19:53:33","modified_gmt":"2026-02-14T00:53:33","slug":"menopause-and-mental-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/The-Change-Menopause-and-Mental-Health","title":{"rendered":"The Change: Menopause and Mental Health"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"GoodTherapy<\/h1>\n

The Change: Menopause and Mental Health<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h1>\n

As women age, it\u2019s only a matter of time before menopause sets in. Since every person is unique, the timing of menopause varies from one person to the next. But, generally speaking, menopause affects women, transgender men, and\u00a0some\u00a0nonbinary individuals in their late 40s and early 50s.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

While menopause is a completely natural process, individuals can feel its effects quite differently. For example, some people going through menopause\u00a0might feel nothing much out of the ordinary while others might\u00a0feel anxiety and depression. In extreme cases,\u00a0some women going through menopause can experience a condition called\u00a0<\/span>menopausal psychosis<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

But before we examine the different phases of menopause and how menopause and mental health tie together, let\u2019s take a step back and take a deeper look at what menopause entails.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What Is Menopause?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Menopause is the process of transitioning from a fertile individual who can get pregnant to an infertile individual who can no longer give birth. When an individual passes menopause, they become post-menopausal, i.e., someone who hasn\u2019t had a period in at least one year.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As women endure this process, they may experience\u00a0a number of\u00a0medical symptoms as the ovaries stop producing as much estrogen and progesterone. Some of\u00a0<\/span>these symptoms<\/span><\/a>\u00a0include hot flashes, vaginal dryness, weight gain, insomnia, and mood swings.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As a result, many women\u00a0going\u00a0through menopause also lose quite a bit of\u00a0their\u00a0<\/span>sex drive<\/span><\/a>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Going Through Menopause: The Phases<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Generally speaking, there\u00a0are three distinct\u00a0<\/span>phases of menopause<\/span><\/a>:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Perimenopause\u00a0<\/span><\/b>starts when women begin to become less fertile and the body stops producing as much estrogen and progesterone. At this stage, a woman might start having irregular periods.<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. Menopause\u00a0<\/span><\/b>occurs when a woman hasn\u2019t had a period in at least 12 months. On average, this occurs between the ages of 45 and 55.<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. Postmenopause\u00a0<\/span><\/b>is the final phase of the process and describes women, transgendered men, and nonbinary individuals who have gone through menopause. Due to a lack of hormone production, women at this stage are more likely to develop conditions like heart disease and osteoporosis.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Now that you have a better idea of the process menopausal woman go through, let\u2019s turn our attention to some of the signs that might indicate someone is experiencing menopause.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    What Are the Symptoms of Menopause?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

    The most common symptom of menopause is hot flashes, which affect as\u00a0many\u00a0as 70 percent of those going through the process. These sudden overwhelming feelings of heat can last as long as 10 minutes.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Here are some\u00a0additional symptoms\u00a0menopausal people may experience:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n