Could Recent Mood Shifts Signify Perimenopause?

New changes in mood can indicate perimenopause for women entering life’s middle years. Does that sound like what’s currently happening in your life? Let’s talk about it.

How to Identify Perimenopause

The North American Menopause Society superbly explains this life stage on its website. Here are some crucial details:

• Perimenopause lasts between four and eight years.
• This transitional phase may begin anytime between a woman’s mid-30s and mid-50s.
• Perimenopause starts when periods become irregular.
• Menopause starts 12 months after a woman’s final menstrual period.
• On average, women reach full menopause around the age of 51.

How Are Perimenopause and Mood Connected?

Early in perimenopause, it may be difficult to notice a change in the length of time between periods. In addition to experiencing hot flashes and other commonly known symptoms, women entering this life stage may notice significant mood changes.

A 2021 study published in Focus, a journal of the American Psychiatric Association, shined a light on the often profound connection between perimenopause and mood. This study found the following:

• “The research has indicated a relationship between perimenopause and first-onset mood disorders.”
• “Major depressive disorder can be attributed to the changing hormonal milieu during this vulnerable period among women with no history of previous psychiatric illness.”
• “Treatment options for this population need to consider psychosocial stressors and other perimenopausal symptoms.”

What Can You Do When Perimenopause Negatively Impacts Your Mood?

If you see yourself described above, remember that you are not alone and that a wide range of treatment options exists:

• Hormone therapies
• Non-pharmaceutical interventions
• Lifestyle changes
• Talk therapy

The expert team at American Behavioral Clinics can help you navigate perimenopause’s mood changes. We listen, so talk to us today.