Mental Health Aspects

Abstract

In a review of mental health aspects of menopause, emphasis is laid on the psychiatric morbidity that precedes any somatic menopausal symptoms. Only sweating and hot flushes are directly related to the menopause. Complaints such as irritability, headaches, fatigue, depression, and ''mental imbalance'' increase prior to the menopause and decrease after it. Various situational factors have been considered as possible precipitants of emotional disturbances: a child marrying, or having 3 or more children. However, studies indicate that women in the year of the menopause were less likely to develop an episode of mental illness requiring admission to a hospital than at other times. Estrogens do improve symptoms of flushes, dryness and sweats. Changes in emotional imbalance are less clear. Women who come for treatment of menopausal symptoms may frequently be suffering from depression which makes toleration of these symptoms more difficult.