What is menopause? How to stay comfortable during menopause.

Mood swings during menopause: causes, treatment, prevention

Most women go through menopause without significant mental disorders.
However, menopause is a time of major change, and emotional reactions to it are part of that process. The end of the reproductive period of life can be a pleasant circumstance for some representatives of the fair sex and painful for others. Changes in the body can cause concerns about appearance and attractiveness, and middle age itself often raises big questions for women regarding the meaning of life and their place in it. On the other hand, this may be a time of gaining life wisdom and self-confidence.

All of these feelings are part of the black and white palette of life experience. For some they can be a real challenge, for others - a formality.

Introduction

Almost every fourth woman experiences mood swings during menopause

Menopause has several stages, but each has its own characteristics and symptoms.

Perimenopause is a period when estrogen levels in the body decrease. Some women begin to experience symptoms such as hot flashes and mood swings during this time.

Menopause technically occurs when 12 months have passed since your last menstrual period. The subsequent time is usually called postmenopause. During this period, many women experience emotional symptoms, and they can last from two to ten years.

According to American researchers, approximately 23% of women experience mood swings before, after and during menopause.

For some women, especially those who have taken hormones or had a surgical removal of the uterus, mood swings are the first signs of impending menopause.

The emotional effects of perimenopause and menopause are significant. For some women, they can be as unpleasant as the physical signs.

A list of the most common aspects of mood swings associated with menopause includes the following.

• Irritability: 70% of women report that irritability is their main emotional problem during the early stages of menopause. They indicate that they become less restrained and begin to overreact to factors that they did not notice before.

• Depression: Depression is another common and serious side effect that affects one in five women during menopause.

• Anxiety: Many menopausal women experience tension, worry and panic attacks. Some claim that anxiety symptoms only bother them at the initial stage of menopause, while others say that this condition worsens over time.

• Bouts of sobbing and the urge to cry: This tendency can be exacerbated in menopausal women - they want to cry in situations that have never previously led to tears. It should be noted that tears help reduce stress because they allow a person to release his feelings.

• Insomnia: Insomnia contributes to mood swings, especially if it bothers a woman day after day. This is a common symptom of menopause, experienced by 40 to 50% of women.

Age at menopause

When does menopause occur in women?

Doctors distinguish between several options for the onset of this period:

1. Menopause normally begins at age 50. According to medical statistics, for most women it occurs between the ages of 47 and 52 years.
2. Early or premature menopause occurs before age 40.
3. Late menopause comes to a woman after 60 years. Doctors more precisely determined the window of its onset - from 56 to 65 years.

The options considered relate to natural menopause, which is caused mainly by genetic predisposition and internal factors of the female body.

In medicine, pathological menopause is distinguished, which occurs as a result of surgical removal of the uterus and ovaries, hormonal disease or treatment of cancer.

Phases of menopause.

How can menopause lead to mood swings?

Low estrogen levels in the body lead to many symptoms, including psychological ones.

During the transition to menopause, hormone levels decrease, causing a wide range of changes throughout the body. Many of these changes are directly or indirectly related to mood swings.

For example, a decrease in estrogen affects the production of serotonin and norepinephrine, two substances that are directly linked to depression.

Low estrogen levels lead to irritability, fatigue, stress, forgetfulness, anxiety and difficulty concentrating.

Reduced hormonal levels can not only cause depression, anger and anxiety, but also intensify these feelings if a woman has previously experienced them.

Additionally, the study found that menopausal women may experience high levels of a brain protein known as monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A), which is also associated with depression.

Sometimes reactions overlap one another or develop in parallel. Just like hot flashes during menopause often come to a woman when she is tormented by insomnia.

Attacks of night sweats can be so severe that a woman wakes up and cannot fall asleep. Several of these attacks throughout the night can result in decreased ability to think, irritability and other characteristics that are associated with mood swings during menopause.

Stages of menopause

In women after 45 years (on average), reproductive function declines, but this process occurs in several successive stages. Highlight:

1. Premenopause. The stage lasts approximately 6 years. At this time, irregularities in the menstrual cycle begin: delays appear, and the cycle itself becomes shorter, heavy menstruation is observed less and less often, the volume of discharge decreases, and it becomes scarcer. The volume of discharge in women during menopause generally decreases.
2. Actually menopause. Menstruation stops completely. This is the shortest period in all hormonal changes in the female body after 45 years.
3. Postmenopause. With the onset of this stage, the ovaries stop producing hormones, and estrogen levels drop significantly. All changes are hypotrophic in nature: discharge almost completely stops, the walls of the vagina thicken, lose tone, pubic hair begins to fall out, and the size of the uterus decreases. Active changes occur in a time period from one to two years, then postmenopause continues for the rest of life.

Risk factors

The two most significant risk factors for acute mood swings during menopause are:

• history of severe premenstrual syndrome (PMS);

• history of bouts of depression or other significant mental disorders before menopause.

Additionally, a woman may have an increased risk of emotional problems during menopause if she has experienced:

• unsatisfied relationships with loved ones;

• difficult life situation;

• multiple stresses.

Symptoms of emotional disorders during menopause

During menopause, women may find that they experience unusual emotions during everyday events. Thus, popular songs can make them cry, and careless drivers can make them angry.

Some women may find they have difficulty thinking. They may unexpectedly not remember someone's name or forget why they came into the room.

Symptoms of emotional problems can be different - from funny to frightening, and both the first and second are not uncommon.

Complications

Some women choose to combat negative life changes or mood swings caused by menopause through self-medication, which often includes alcohol and even drugs.

Unfortunately, this choice only makes it more difficult to deal with problems and, by and large, adds to them.

Other mental symptoms of menopause

Some women note that during menopause they experience forgetfulness and difficulty concentrating. One US study found a decline in cognitive ability. However, these problems usually go away when a woman enters postmenopause.

How a woman feels during menopause: myths and reality

The word “menopause” comes from the Greek klimax - “ladder”, expressing symbolic steps leading from the flowering of specific female functions to their gradual extinction. There are many rumors surrounding this period of life.

There is an opinion that during premenopause a woman becomes angry, irritable, develops severe sweating (hot flashes), her appearance deteriorates, wrinkles form very quickly, obesity begins and her figure becomes deformed. Of course, these rumors are largely exaggerated, but there is some truth in them.

Here are the real medical facts about the changes in a woman's life during menopause:

• the size of the uterus decreases;
• the size of the mammary glands decreases;
• changes in the hormonal system can really affect the emotional background;
• hormonal imbalance can lead to hair loss, dry skin (and, as a result, the formation of wrinkles in places where there were none before);
• hot flashes can trigger hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating);
• menopause and sex, sex life and orgasm are not mutually exclusive concepts, and they are possible after menopause;
• some endocrine disorders;
• problems with the functioning of the cardiovascular system.

Due to endocrine disorders and imbalance of sex hormones, fat may begin to be deposited where there was none before. For example, abdominal obesity most often begins in women over the age of forty. To combat this problem, it is necessary to be examined and treat endocrine disorders.

Treatment and prevention of mood swings during menopause

Emotional problems cannot be seen as easily as a broken leg or diagnosed as accurately as heart disease. However, these illnesses sometimes cause no less pain, restrictions on freedom and pose no less threat to life.

Fortunately, with the help of counseling, medication, or comprehensive treatment, it is possible to get rid of or reduce the impact of psychological disorders.

If mood swings or emotional turmoil are preventing a woman from enjoying life during menopause, she should meet with a mental health counselor or talk to a therapist about her next steps.

A psychologist can help ease a woman's struggle with the emotional changes brought on by menopause or perimenopause.

Hormone therapy was previously often recommended to treat the symptoms of menopause, but it was later discovered that this type of treatment carries the threat of serious illness. It is still used today, but very carefully. In the meantime, doctors are exploring other methods of therapy, which not least involve changes in lifestyle.

Biodental hormones are also used to reduce mood swings and other menopausal symptoms. They are made from plants based on doctor's prescriptions, but are not officially recommended drugs in countries with highly developed medicine, including the United States of America.

The effects of biodental hormones have not been studied, but the risks associated with them are likely similar to those faced by women using traditional hormone therapy.

Some types of antidepressants may help women who are depressed and have problems with hot flashes.

Many women indicate that counseling also helps them survive the changes associated with menopause, along with other life problems.

Treatment of symptoms

With the occurrence of unpleasant symptoms, representatives of the fair sex complain about age. Menopause in women, the treatment of which is predominantly hormonal, can be delayed for some time. Estrogen replacement drugs are indicated, for example, Divigel, Svestin, Premarin, Cliogest, Amboisk, Femoston and many others. To improve the emotional state, Belloid, vitamins (intramuscular B1 and B6, as well as oral vitamin E), ATP, and phytoestrogens are used.

Antidepressants, homeopathic remedies, and psychotropic stimulants may be indicated. Herbal medicine and exercise therapy are useful. Physical activity and feasible physical activity are especially necessary. The doctor may recommend exercises that will improve your mood and maintain the tone of the pelvic muscles. To prevent uterine prolapse, for example, you need to do the following exercises:

1. Walk on tiptoes, first retracting the anus.
2. Raise the pelvis from a lying position and retract the anus.
3. While sitting, raise your legs at the knees.
4. Lie down and hold a small object between your feet.
5. Take turns raising your left and right legs from a lying position.

If the process of organ loss is already taking place, then more radical actions are needed. Exercises from yoga or the Bodyflex complex are suitable. This will improve tone, lift sagging organs and strengthen muscles.

When prescribing therapy, the severity of the symptoms of menopause plays a decisive role. Depending on how difficult a woman is experiencing menopause, the doctor will select medications and procedures. This will help relieve symptoms and improve the overall health of the fair sex. Just refrain from self-prescribing medications - only a doctor should select therapy.

The diet during menopause should be rich in all necessary elements, vitamins and minerals. It is advisable to limit salt intake, include canned food, cheese, dairy products, prunes, oatmeal, animal and plant products, vegetables and fruits, as well as freshly squeezed juices in your diet. It is advisable to use the recommendations of a nutritionist.

Lifestyle change

Experts have found that exercise, getting plenty of sleep, diet and support from friends can help a woman cope with the emotional aspects of menopause.

Regular physical exercise is an excellent way to maintain not only physical but also mental health. Being active can help reduce stress, improve your mood, and help you put problems into perspective.

American doctors recommend devoting 2.5 hours a week to moderate-intensity aerobic exercise, such as brisk walks. In addition, twice a week a woman needs to do muscle-strengthening exercises.

The diet can also reduce the frequency of mood swings, especially if it contains plenty of protein and omega-3 fatty acids.

Some people use tai chi, yoga, and meditation to feel more confident and better able to manage stress, irritability, and other psychological symptoms of menopause.

How to Avoid Depression

The mood during menopause will definitely change. The symptoms of manifestations depend on the woman’s temperament, the sensitivity of the nervous system, the well-being of family and personal life. What needs to be done to prevent ordinary swings from turning into persistent depression?

• We need to realize that menopause is a natural process that all women have to go through. A woman can look beautiful at any age if she doesn’t stop taking care of herself. Menopause does not mean old age. This is the moment when a woman has already fulfilled her main purpose - she gave birth, raised children, and she can take care of herself again.

• 
  There is no need to make demands on yourself that were set at a young age, or to blame others for your failures. You need to slightly change your lifestyle - adjust your physical and psychological stress. If a woman has not been involved in physical education up to this point, it’s time to start. Moderate physical activity promotes the production of the happiness hormone.

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• Pay attention to your diet. Some foods and plants contain phytoestrogens, which can not only calm the nervous system, but also relieve the physical symptoms of menopause.
• Tell your loved ones about the difficult stage in your life that has begun. Loving people will help you overcome it without stress. The mood during menopause directly depends on the attitude of others.

What causes mood swings during menopause?

What causes mood swings in women is often unclear. This could be a character trait, the influence of circumstances, or even bad weather. However, women whose periodic irritability is associated with premenstrual syndrome (PMS) can be confident in the connection between hormone levels and emotions.

It has been proven that changes in hormone levels during the menstrual cycle depend on the interaction of the hypothalamus and pituitary gland - parts of the brain that interact with the woman’s reproductive system.

Communication between a woman's brain and reproductive organs during menopause can occur in different ways. While there is no precise understanding of how hormones affect mood, there are several theories, including those that examine how mood-enhancing mechanisms in the brain are related to hormone levels.

For example, women who use patches with female hormones - estrogen, produce more serotonin receptors, which improve mood. Hormones can also influence levels of endorphins, chemicals associated with a “high” feeling. Scientists hypothesize that a woman's decreased hormone levels may also change her overall well-being.

Two other common problems during menopause - insomnia and night sweats - are also associated with mood changes. Night sweats can make it difficult to get good sleep. Therefore, it is not surprising that poor sleep can make a person moody and irritable.

The study, conducted by psychosomatic medicine specialists, found that women aged 45 to 54 who reported severe symptoms of depression also reported more hot flashes, night sweats, trouble sleeping, mood swings and memory problems. Women who did not have depression did not experience such symptoms.

Reasons for changes in emotional background

The female body is a very complex system! The decline of reproductive functions comes from the brain, which transmits impulses through the nervous system. The CNS is an indicator of all this. The unusual operation of a previously well-functioning reproductive system causes stress throughout the entire body. A signal is received about a different amount of necessary hormones. Estrogen, which was responsible for good mood, beauty, sexuality, a surge of strength and confidence, ceases to be produced. Progesterone increases, which always causes irritability, tearfulness, passivity, decreased self-esteem, and decreased libido. Less serotonin is produced, which maintains the nervous system in a stable state; the hormone of happiness is produced in critically small doses. From now on, in order to increase it, you need to try.

Along with menopause comes the awareness of approaching old age. The condition of the skin, hair, figure, and sexual behavior changes. Such changes seriously worry a woman, and the lack of proper support from her beloved man makes her even more nervous. Mood during menopause changes for objective and subjective reasons. Sometimes the situation is so exhausting that you have to visit specialists and take antidepressants.

How can you minimize mood swings?

Making some lifestyle changes can help minimize mood swings. If you have problems sleeping, the following basic rules, which experts call “sleep hygiene,” can help:

1. Don't drink alcohol or caffeine within four hours of bedtime. Alcohol may help you fall asleep faster, but it also wakes you up when its blood levels drop.
2. Try not to nap during the day because it makes it difficult to fall asleep in the evening.
3. Eating heavy, spicy or sweet foods can also affect sleep, so try not to eat at night. While there is no scientific evidence to support this claim, some women report that cutting back on spicy foods, alcohol, and caffeine reduces the number of hot flashes they experience, including night sweats. To see if this will help you or not, try experimenting with removing these foods and drinks from your diet.
4. Make your bedroom more comfortable for sleeping by setting the heat to a comfortable level, blocking out noise and light as much as possible, and avoid turning on your phone right before bed.
5. Many women say that yoga and meditation help improve their mood. Some sections offer yoga classes specifically for women experiencing menopause. Regular exercise also helps you feel better overall.

Nutrition during menopause

During menopause, due to a decrease in the production of sex hormones and an increase in adipose tissue, a woman begins to quickly gain weight, which is very difficult to get rid of.

Excess weight is not only not an ideal appearance, but also a health hazard, because cholesterol plaques clog blood vessels, there is an increased load on the skeletal system, and the likelihood of developing diabetes and other diseases increases.

Therefore, when your age reaches 35-40 years, begin to slowly change your diet, reducing its calorie content. By eating right, you will have a chance to maintain the tone of your skin and mucous membranes for a long time, as well as have a blooming appearance and a healthy complexion.

Proper nutrition during menopause includes:

Dairy

Everyone knows that during menopause, the skeletal system is one of the first to suffer, tissue thinning occurs, which provokes osteoporosis and bone fragility. Therefore, it is extremely important to support it by consuming a sufficient amount of foods high in calcium, namely: fermented milk products, cottage cheese, cheese, milk, yoghurt, broccoli, sea fish, etc.

Protein: fish, meat, eggs, etc.

A large amount of protein and polyunsaturated fatty acids omega-3 and omega-6 are found in fish, but it is better to choose low-fat varieties (pike perch, cod, perch) and not fry them, but bake or stew them, or lightly salted fish (sprat, capelin).

Consumption of fish is an excellent prevention of atherosclerosis; it is advisable to include it in your diet daily. Just try to avoid smoked, fried, salted, dried fish, as they are difficult to digest and generally unhealthy.

Meat is also an excellent source of protein. Among meat products, it is preferable to consume turkey, chicken and rabbit. It is better to eat pork, beef and lamb occasionally, for example, on holidays. Eat meat no more than 2-3 times a week, preferably boiled or stewed.

Eggs are a very healthy product, but it is better to eat them in ready-made dishes (cheesecakes, omelets, salad, etc.). It is recommended to eat nuts, seeds and any legumes in general several times a week.

Bread and cereals

These products are the main source of energy for our body. Most of them contain large amounts of iron, potassium, magnesium, and B vitamins, which are important for the proper functioning of the heart muscle.

Fruits, vegetables and berries

Vegetables and fruits contain a large number of healthy and important vitamins and minerals that are so necessary for women during menopause. They promote the growth and reproduction of beneficial microflora in the intestines, reduce the level of toxins in the body, promote the normal functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, and strengthen the immune system.

The fiber contained in these products is an excellent prevention of constipation and intestinal cancer. It is advisable to consume at least 500 g of fruit during the day. Berries are also very beneficial for the immune system, but blueberries, raspberries and black currants bring the most benefits to the body. You can consume them both raw and in the form of fruit drinks, smoothies, and juices. The berries help strengthen blood vessels and have an anti-anemic effect.

Fats, sweets

Butter contains a lot of cholesterol, so during menopause, when switching to proper nutrition, it is advised to limit its consumption to 1 teaspoon per day. It is better to add vegetable oil to food, mainly olive or flaxseed.

Mayonnaise should be completely removed from the diet. For sweets, it is recommended to eat marshmallows, marshmallows or a little marmalade from time to time. You can’t live without sweets at all, because they contribute to the production of the joy hormone.

What foods should you not eat during menopause?

Nutrition during menopause should not contain fried, spicy, smoked, highly salted, pickled foods, as they further increase hot flashes and clog blood vessels, and also negatively affect intestinal function. Reduce the caloric content of products, because overweight women find it much more difficult to endure menopause.

Also, extra pounds put more strain on your legs, which means they increase the risk of varicose veins. You should not go on strict diets, because eventually the weight will return in double size. It is better to act gradually, gradually giving up flour, sweet, fatty foods, reducing the amount of serving.

Put half as much on your plate as you usually put, but eat more often (up to 5-6 times a day). Try to eat heartier meals before lunch. For dinner, fruit or a light salad is suitable. Excess salt is quite harmful to the body. It increases swelling and also increases blood pressure, which affects a large number of older women.

The dish should not be salted during cooking, but immediately before consumption. Use natural seasonings and spices, herbs in cooking. Soy milk, meat and sauce can reduce some symptoms of menopause. During menopause, it is necessary to reduce the amount of alcohol consumed.

It is better to drink dry red wine from time to time, which contains a large amount of antioxidants that protect the body from the harmful effects of free radicals.

How common is depression during menopause?

Research shows that between 8 and 38 percent of women going through menopause experience mood changes. Premenopausal women are twice as likely to suffer from depression than women who have not yet entered perimenopause.

It is clear that a history of depression makes menopausal women more susceptible to developing it. Women who have experienced PMS or postpartum depression are at greater risk of depression during menopause than women who have not experienced postpartum depression.

It's not surprising that women with a particularly long transition to menopause find themselves more prone to depression than women with a shorter transition, especially if they also experience other unpleasant menopausal symptoms.

How to treat depression during menopause

Severe depression is defined as feeling depressed or losing interests and pleasures for two weeks or more. Signs of depression include: daily low mood for most of the day, significant changes in weight or appetite, changes in sleep patterns, feelings of hopelessness, loss of interest in previous activities, persistent thoughts of death or suicide, inability to concentrate, fatigue or loss of energy.

According to research, if you feel constantly depressed, exercise and talking to an endocrinologist who can prescribe hormone therapy can help.

Keep in mind that yoga and meditation may only reduce stress or anxiety if you have mild depression. If you have severe depression, consult an endocrinologist, as this may require medication.

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What to do? How to deal with menopause?

The fight against menopause is an unequal battle, because the enemy in this fight is nature itself. It is impossible to cheat time. But it’s worthwhile to mitigate the symptoms of menopause and make a woman’s life not so dependent on the negative influence of the hormonal state.

You need to understand that menopause is a natural state. It depends on the production of hormones. If this production decreases, then it is worth receiving estrogens from the outside. This is the basis of sex hormone replacement therapy. Hormonal medications help women resist menopause, but they have a number of contraindications. In particular, such drugs should not be taken by people suffering from thrombosis and at risk of developing cancer.

An alternative to replacement therapy, or rather its milder analogue, are phytoestrogens, that is, estrogens of plant origin. The most well-known source of phytoestrogens is soy. Soy isoflavone is a substance that has a truly miraculous effect on a woman’s body.

Menopause and depression: effective treatment

The menopausal period is accompanied by a restructuring of the entire body, which makes it difficult for a woman to psychologically cope with these changes. During menopause, depression can be caused by both physiological changes and psychological factors.

Of course, not all women suffer from a similar disorder during menopause, but it is still not possible to prevent the consequences of psychological restructuring in advance. An important step here is a timely visit to a specialist, organizing support for the body, as well as knowledge of the causes, main symptoms and methods of combating depression. Using the following information, you can normalize your psycho-emotional state, getting rid of various mood swings and a depressed state.

The influence of menopause on a woman’s psychological state

There is an opinion that already at the premenopausal stage a woman becomes irritated over every trifle, her character becomes unbearable, and it is simply impossible to communicate with her. This is an exaggeration. Here are the real facts about how much an imbalance of sex hormones can affect the psycho-emotional background:

• irritability (but this can be avoided when taking sedatives);
• chronic fatigue;
• constant desire to lie down to rest;
• low vitality.

Thus, a drop in estrogen and progesterone does not make a woman aggressive or angry. Rather, she becomes weak, vulnerable and sensitive. This affects sex life during menopause - in some cases, a woman simply does not have the strength to be active.

Reasons for destabilization of the psycho-emotional background during menopause

According to statistics, mental disorders during menopause occur in 8-15% of women. And this is not strange, given the complex of factors that cause depressive moods:

Physiological influence

Destabilization of hormonal balance and estrogen surges can greatly affect the psychological state. Many doctors are of the opinion that it is precisely such fluctuations that provoke menopausal disorders. The fact is that serotonin is responsible for a good mood, and its production in the brain is directly influenced by estrogen. A decrease in the level of this sex hormone provokes a decrease in serotonin, which causes sudden mood swings and depressive symptoms.

Psychological influence

Many women associate menopause with old age and loss of sexual attractiveness. Self-perception is disrupted, in which all age-related changes are perceived too harshly by a woman. And the unpleasant symptoms of menopause only complicate the situation, weakening the psyche. In addition, many people want to maintain a normal lifestyle, but with severe menopausal syndrome, this is very difficult to do. With constant hot flashes and disturbed sleep patterns, irritability and a sad mood increasingly occur. Even if there were no such disorders during reproductive age, the psyche in menopause still loses its natural protection.

It is important to understand that any treatment cannot be carried out without studying the nature of the disease, its form and characteristics of its course.

Degrees of severity of menopausal syndrome

Each woman’s body reacts to hormonal imbalance individually. The severity of menopausal syndrome is determined by the appearance of painful manifestations and ailments.

Menopausal syndrome refers to a complex of clinical symptoms:

• vegetative-vascular disorders;
• metabolic and endocrine pathologies;
• psychoneurological problems;
• physical ailments;
• genitourinary menopausal syndrome.

The degree of manifestation and combination of various symptomatic groups determines the form of menopausal syndrome:

1. Mild - the woman retains her ability to work and practically does not lose her quality of life. This degree is characterized by the occurrence of 5 to 10 mild hot flashes per day, the manifestation of PMS, and minor sleep disturbances.
2. Moderate - symptoms cause significant discomfort, reduce concentration and performance. There are up to 20 hot flashes per day, which may be accompanied by dizziness, rapid heartbeat and sudden mood swings.
3. Severe - a sharp deterioration in health, in which a woman is forced to reduce her level of social activity. Includes frequent and prolonged attacks of hot flashes, surges in blood pressure, heart pain, urogenital disorders and psychological problems.

Manifestations of menopausal syndrome in women can increase concomitant diseases of the thyroid gland, adrenal glands, diabetes mellitus and other chronic pathologies.

Types of depression during menopause

It is noteworthy that depression during menopause can manifest itself in various forms. Among the main types of depressive disorders it is worth highlighting:

• Climacteric. This type is characterized by apathy towards previously interesting and significant things, systematic tearfulness, increased anxiety and unusual passivity. Against the background of these signs, sexual desire decreases, sleep problems arise, and hot flashes become more frequent.
• Endogenous. Here, hot flashes do not occur more often, but pessimism, apathy and melancholy come to the fore. A woman looks negatively at her past, present, and future. Sometimes appetite disappears and insomnia occurs.
• Involutionary. This type is characterized by a woman exaggerating the severity of her health problems. The patient is constantly worried about her condition and is very afraid of death. In addition, the involutional type of depression is very often accompanied by painful and unpleasant sensations.
• Psychogenic. Very often anxiety manifests itself against the background of difficult and unpleasant thoughts. There is a decrease in self-esteem and a very critical attitude towards one’s personality. Additionally, sleep problems, poor appetite, and sudden weight loss may occur.

Benefits of Phytoestrogens

Plant estrogens have a number of advantages, namely:

• they can replace human estrogens;
• at the same time they act more softly;
• have far fewer side effects than synthetic hormones;
• have an antitumor effect;
• improve vascular tone;
• normalize blood pressure;
• calm and have a positive effect on the nervous system in general.

All soy products contain phytoestrogens, but the concentration of the substance in them varies. Liquid soy isoflavone extract can be considered the most effective.

A course of taking dietary supplements with soy will help prolong youth and reduce the negative manifestations of menopause. offers soy isoflavone as part of the dietary supplement of the same name - “Soy Isoflavone”, as well as capsules containing soy isoflavones and other substances useful during menopause - “Phyto 40”.

Soy isoflavone is a real substitute for hormone replacement therapy; it is a natural alternative to hormones. Soy isoflavone can really fight hot flashes, reduce headaches, and relieve anxiety. Also, soy isoflavones help to stay in good shape and prevent the development of cancer. Soy isoflavone can also help with decreased sexual desire. Isoflavones are obtained from non-genetically modified soybeans. They are absolutely safe.

Main symptoms of depressed mood during menopause

Depressed mood is not always a direct indication for taking medications. Depression during menopause has its own symptoms, but they are taken into account as a whole. Treatment is prescribed based on the following symptoms and their frequency:

• deterioration in performance;
• constant apathy;
• a very critical attitude towards one’s appearance;
• decreased self-esteem;
• tendency to loneliness;
• feeling of restlessness and anxiety;
• the appearance of various phobias;
• reluctance to move on;
• skepticism about the future;
• sudden mood swings;
• unstable emotional state,
• severe headaches,
• loss of appetite,
• fainting and dizziness,
• imbalance in the gastrointestinal tract,
• various pains in the body.

Many of these symptoms can be caused not only by psychological disorders, but also by hormonal imbalance. Therefore, it is very important to accurately establish the cause of such manifestations. If symptoms continue for more than two weeks, gradually intensifying, then a visit to the hospital should not be postponed. The fewer manifestations, the easier it is to return to a normal lifestyle again.

Early menopause

Early menopause is menopause before age 40. The causes of this phenomenon may be hereditary predisposition, certain pathologies (for example, Shereshevsky-Turner syndrome, ovarian dysfunction, female chromosome defect, etc.), gynecological diseases, chemotherapy, obesity or anorexia, and incorrect hormonal contraception. Early menopause is dangerous due to rapid weight gain, the appearance of signs of aging (sagging skin, wrinkles, age spots on the face), and an increased risk of hormonal, metabolic and cancer diseases.

To avoid early menopause, it is necessary to support ovarian function with special drug therapy. However, you need to know that many hereditary disorders cannot be treated. In this case, medical care will be aimed at making menopause invisible, eliminating its symptoms and prolonging the woman’s youth. During menopause (not only early) chest and abdominal pain and headaches may occur.

Features of disease diagnosis

If a woman suspects depression during menopause, it is best to visit the following specialists:

• Therapist. You cannot skip this point, because it is this doctor who will prescribe the necessary diagnostics. Its results will help exclude various pathologies, and will also be useful to other doctors, to whom the therapist also refers.
• Endocrinologist. A woman must visit this specialist regularly, because with his help, she can optimally enter menopause, preventing unpleasant symptoms. Depression can be caused by thyroid and hormonal problems. Therefore, it is the endocrinologist who can exclude such provocateurs for the accuracy of further treatment.
• Cardiologist. The depressive symptom may be associated with the usual changes of menopause, and not with problems of the nervous system. It is important to rule out diseases of the cardiovascular system and find out the causes of surges in blood pressure, and only then choose treatment.
• Neuropathologist. This doctor will examine the patient’s nervous system, study the test results and the nature of the symptoms. After this, treatment is prescribed. If all of the above specialists have not found pathologies that can provoke menopausal disorders, then it is necessary to consult a psychotherapist.

Postponement of menopause

In the early stages of menopause in women, treatment will help delay aging and decline in reproductive function. To do this, use the method of hormone replacement therapy (abbreviated HRT). The action of this method is based on the replenishment of certain hormones. Doctors determine the level of one’s own hormones, the female body’s need for them and other substances, and the compatibility of hormonal medications. HRT is not suitable for all women. This method can be used to a limited extent for certain diseases of the excretory and digestive systems, cardiovascular pathologies, as well as for endometriosis.

HRT increases the vitality of the body as a whole, eliminates depression and other unpleasant manifestations of the nervous system, reduces nervousness and improves sleep quality. In addition, the risk of age-related diseases (stroke, bone fractures, heart attack) is reduced, menstruation is prolonged for some time, and the condition of the skin and mucous membranes is improved. With all these positive aspects, it is strictly forbidden to carry out HRT on your own. Only a gynecologist can accurately calculate the dosage that is suitable for a particular woman. When carrying out HRT, regular visits to the doctor are also necessary.

Treatment of depression during menopause

Where should you start treatment? During menopause, women most often suffer from self-esteem due to the fact that they cannot accept such age-related changes as the next stage of life. Therefore, for starters it’s worth:

1. It is normal to perceive menopause, because with the right approach, unpleasant symptoms will disappear.
2. Provide yourself with a positive psychological attitude.
3. Avoid loneliness, make new connections.
4. Find a new hobby or interest. Quite often, women practice yoga during menopause.
5. Take care of your appearance and wardrobe.
6. Organize interesting and exciting leisure time with pleasant people.
7. Avoid talking about menopause symptoms (with the exception of your doctor).
8. Constantly be on the move, not forgetting about short breaks.
9. To refuse from bad habits.
10. Adhere to a healthy lifestyle.

Every woman can prevent menopausal disorders with these basic tips. In this case, you will not need to take medications or undergo psychotherapy. It has already been proven that the success of the fight against depressive disorders depends almost 90% on the efforts of the patient.

Taking hormonal medications for mild depression

Reviews from doctors indicate that mild forms of depression during menopause can be overcome by eliminating problems with hormonal balance. The doctor may prescribe:

• Tablets (Divina, Klimen, Trisequence)
• Gels (Estrogel, Divigel)
• Plasters (Klimara, Extraderm)
• Candles (Ovestin, Klimaksan)
• Ointments (Klimadinon)

But before starting HRT, it is necessary to undergo hormone tests to determine the exact state of hormonal balance. Only correctly selected hormonal drugs improve the production of serotonin, stabilize the functioning of the nervous system, thereby eliminating depressive disorders.

Antidepressants and their benefits

If depression during menopause goes away after hormonal therapy, then the problem must be solved with antidepressants. In some situations, HRT has a side effect in the form of destabilization of the mental state. Antidepressants for menopause have a number of advantages:

• act softly;
• have no side effects;
• show good performance;
• are normally perceived by the body;
• do not cause drowsiness;
• are not addictive.

Antidepressants help eliminate:

• irritability,
• sense of anxiety,
• passivity,
• apathy,
• problems with appetite,
• insomnia.

It is worth noting that they can only be taken after consultation with a doctor, because only he can accurately determine menopausal disorders. It is also necessary to remember that antidepressants are introduced and discontinued gradually so that the body gets used to their effects.

In this group it is worth highlighting time-tested drugs:

• Paroxetine,
• Fluvoxamine,
• Fluoxetine,
• Finlepsin,
• Depakin,
• Coaxil,
• Ephevelon,
• Poroxetine,
• Velafax,
• Velaxin,
• Fluoxetine.

Harbingers of menopause

The level of female hormones in the body begins to gradually decrease after 30 years. There is a natural change in the hormonal balance, due to which difficulties with conception are observed at a more mature age, the first wrinkles appear, and the skin loses its elasticity. By the age of 40, the number of follicles in a woman’s ovaries decreases, which subsequently causes a stop in the maturation of eggs. But hormones continue to be produced for some time, although their levels gradually decrease. Signs of menopause in women are caused by the disappearance of sex hormones. Each representative of the fair sex experiences this period of life differently, so the duration of menopause and the severity of its manifestations are purely individual.

Conditions during menopause may vary. To determine exactly how this process occurs specifically in your case, you need to consult a doctor. He will not be able to predict the time of decline of reproductive function, but he will help prepare the body for this important stage and determine premenopause.

Among the harbingers of menopause, menstrual irregularities can be listed:

• reduction of the menstrual period;
• absence of menstruation for one to two months;
• irregular menstruation;
• reducing the volume of discharge and the like.

There are also problems with conceiving and bearing a child. After 30 years, it becomes more difficult to get pregnant. It may be characterized by endometriosis, a disease in which the cells of the inner layer of the uterus grow beyond the endometrium. A typical symptom of this gynecological disease is pain in the lower abdomen during menstruation, which can radiate to the lower back or sacrum. Menstruation can be heavy and prolonged, followed by “spotting” vaginal discharge.