How Menopause Affects Your Mental Health

While menopause can cause numerous physical changes, such as vaginal dryness and weight gain, it can cause mental health issues as well, such as anxiety and depression.

At The Guirguis Obstetrics & Gynecology Group, the compassionate health specialists understand the impact menopause can have in a woman’s life. They offer full evaluations of both physical and mental symptoms and can customize a treatment plan to restore your quality of life.

Disruptive symptoms of menopause

While not all women struggle with life-disrupting symptoms of menopause, many women do. Some of the most common side effects of menopause and perimenopause — the period leading up to menopause — include:

• Hot flashes
• Night sweats
• Vaginal dryness
• Difficulty sleeping
• Unexpected weight gain

The side effects of menopause that are less understood concern mental health. Because hormones control so many functions in your body, a reduction in hormone production can wreak havoc on all of your body’s systems, including the chemical activity in your brain.

When menopause triggers mental issues

Fluctuations in your reproductive hormone levels, primarily estrogen and progesterone, can have an impact on your emotional and mental health.

As your body reduces its production of these hormones as you get older, you may experience a variety of issues, such as:

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Mood swings
• Persistent irritability

In addition, changes in your libido and painful sex can interfere with your self-confidence, self-esteem, and your relationship. These issues can add to your stress and worsen any mental health issues.

Because many women don’t realize these issues may relate to menopause, they often don’t seek medical help.

Finding relief from menopause symptoms

Both the physical and mental side effects of menopause can feel overwhelming. The skilled physicians at The Guirguis Obstetrics & Gynecology Group, who are familiar with all aspects of menopause, offer customized treatment options that can give you relief.

Depending on the severity of your symptoms and your medical history, you may be a candidate for treatment with hormone replacement therapy. The goal of this treatment is to restore and rebalance the hormones you may have lost.

By correcting your hormone levels, you may be able to find short-term and long-term relief of menopause symptoms. The physicians at The Guirguis Obstetrics & Gynecology Group can deliver hormones to your body through a number of methods, including:

• Creams
• Pellets
• Patches
• Oral medications

Your provider will carefully monitor the effectiveness of your hormone replacement therapy and can make adjustments as needed to reduce anxiety, depression, mood swings, and other symptoms. Your provider can also provide you with resources — such as counseling — to help you better manage your symptoms and cope with the changes your body is going through.

To learn more about how you can treat menopause symptoms and get your life back, book an appointment online or over the phone with The Guirguis Obstetrics & Gynecology Group today.