Can Menopause Cause Anxiety and Depression?

The symptoms women need to know

If you're suddenly feeling anxious, low, overwhelmed or unlike yourself, it is worth asking whether menopause could be part of the picture.

Menopause is often talked about in terms of hot flushes and night sweats. But the hormonal changes of perimenopause and menopause can affect much more than your temperature.

They can affect your mood, your sleep, your concentration and the way your body feels.

You may find yourself feeling anxious when you've never been an anxious person before. You might feel low, tearful or overwhelmed. Perhaps you're struggling to sleep, finding it difficult to concentrate or feeling as though your confidence has disappeared.

You may also be experiencing physical symptoms that don't immediately seem connected.

Palpitations. Dizziness. Exhaustion. Headaches. Stomach problems. Bloating. Changes in your bowel habits.

And when all of this happens together, it can be frightening.

You might start thinking: "What on earth is happening to me?"

Menopause can affect your mental health too

Around eight in 10 women experience some menopausal symptoms, according to University College London Hospitals, and around one in four find their symptoms severe.

Anxiety, low mood, problems with memory and concentration and sleep difficulties are all recognised symptoms associated with perimenopause and menopause. Palpitations are also a recognised symptom.

For some women, the connection is obvious.

For others, it isn't.

You may not be having hot flushes. Your periods may still be happening. You may not think you're anywhere near menopause.

But perimenopause can begin years before your periods stop and symptoms can change over time.

That means anxiety or low mood can sometimes be one of the things that brings menopause into the picture.

What about your stomach?

This is something that can be particularly confusing.

Anxiety itself can cause physical symptoms including indigestion, stomach cramps, bloating, nausea, constipation and diarrhoea.

Digestive symptoms can also occur alongside menopause, including bloating and changes in bowel movements.

So, if you're experiencing anxiety alongside changes in your digestion, sleep, periods, temperature regulation or other symptoms, it is worth looking at the whole picture rather than assuming each symptom is a separate problem.

The same applies to palpitations.

A racing or noticeably beating heart can be frightening, particularly if you've never experienced it before. Palpitations can have many causes, including stress and anxiety, but they can also occur during menopause.

You shouldn't simply assume they are hormonal. But they are another reason to have a proper conversation about what else is happening in your body.

"I don't feel like myself."

This is something many women struggle to put into words.

You may still be doing everything you've always done. You're working, looking after your family, seeing friends and getting on with life.

But inside, something feels different.

Perhaps you're more anxious than you have ever been.

Perhaps small things suddenly feel overwhelming.

Perhaps you're crying more easily, struggling to sleep or waking with your heart racing.

Perhaps your confidence has taken a knock and you don't understand why.

And perhaps you've started wondering whether you're going mad. You're not.

What you're experiencing is real. The important thing is to understand what may be contributing to it.

Could it be menopause?

This is a question worth asking, particularly if these symptoms are new.

The UK's Women's Health Strategy found that only 9% of respondents said they had enough information about menopause, while 64% said they felt comfortable talking to healthcare professionals about it.

That lack of understanding can make things incredibly difficult for women.

If you go to your GP because you're feeling anxious, depressed, exhausted or simply unlike yourself, there are many things they need to consider.

GPs are under enormous pressure. They see large numbers of patients every day, often with complex and very different health problems, and appointments are short. Menopause is just one area of healthcare among many.

That means a standard GP appointment may not always give you the time you need to explain all the changes you've been experiencing or for the bigger picture to emerge.

And menopause isn't always straightforward.

There isn't one test that can simply tell you that your symptoms are caused by menopause. Symptoms can overlap with other conditions, and they can change over time.

This is why having a conversation with someone who specialises in menopause can be so valuable.

At The Dennison Clinic, menopause and women's hormonal health are our specialist areas. The team spends much longer with women taking the time to understand what has changed, how their symptoms fit together and what may be happening.

So, if you've developed new anxiety, low mood, sleep problems, palpitations, brain fog or other unexplained symptoms, ask yourself:

Could menopause be part of the picture?

And if you want the time and specialist expertise to explore that properly, a menopause consultation can be an important next step.

It's not about replacing your GP.

It's about having access to someone whose particular area of expertise is menopause and women's hormonal health.

What if I've been offered antidepressants?

Antidepressants can be an important and appropriate treatment for some people with depression or other mental health conditions.

But not every episode of low mood or anxiety around menopause is the same.

NICE guidance recognises the importance of considering menopause when assessing depressive symptoms that begin around the same time as other menopause symptoms.

The point isn't that HRT is the answer for every woman.

It isn't.

The point is that the cause and the wider pattern of your symptoms matter.

If your mood has changed at the same time as your periods, sleep, temperature regulation, concentration or other symptoms, your hormones may be part of the picture.

That deserves to be explored.

Sometimes women simply need to be heard

This is one of the most important things we believe at The Dennison Clinic.

Women often come to us after spending months, even years, trying to work out what is happening to them.

They know they don't feel right.

They know something has changed.

But they may not have been able to join all the dots.

And when you're anxious, exhausted, struggling to sleep and feeling unlike yourself, being given a quick answer doesn't always give you what you really need.

You need someone to listen. Someone to look at the whole picture. Someone to give you time to explain what has been happening.

Time to talk about what's really going on

At The Dennison Clinic, an initial consultation can take a good hour.

That gives you time to talk properly about your symptoms, your health and what has changed.

It isn't about assuming everything is menopause.

It's about listening, considering the whole picture and working with you to understand what may be happening and what your options are.

Because you shouldn't have to walk away from an appointment still wondering: "Is this just me?"

If you're experiencing new anxiety, low mood, palpitations, sleep problems, brain fog or other changes and you're wondering whether menopause could be part of the picture, you can book a consultation with The Dennison Clinic.

You don't have to simply put up with feeling unlike yourself.

If menopause symptoms are affecting your confidence, wellbeing or quality of life, support is available.

Book a consultation today and take the first step towards feeling more like yourself again.

This article is for general information and is not a substitute for individual medical advice. New or persistent symptoms should be discussed with an appropriate healthcare professional. Palpitations can have a number of causes and should not automatically be attributed to menopause.