If you are feeling down and blue and it has been going on for a few weeks you are likely going through depression. Going through menopause can make things even worse for you and may be part of the reason you are depressed. Below is some information about why menopause can cause depression, as well as what you can do to get back to normal.

Menopause and Depression

If you are feeling depressed due to menopause you may be having problems like anxiety, sleep problems, fatigue, irritability, loss of motivation, and an overall sadness. Women that are at the age of menopause may think these symptoms are normal due to their age and the depression will go left untreated.

One reason going through menopause can cause depression is a drop in estrogen levels. Estrogen is important for your body as it increases serotonin, which can help prevent and fight depression. Estrogen also helps you sleep better and raises your endorphins, which can make you feel better.

Not being able to bear children can contribute to depression even if the woman does not want children. If you have children that have left home recently and have a high stress job, these things can make depression symptoms even worse.

Treat Depression

Depression can be treated in many ways, including:

Mental Health Services

Seeing a doctor that works with mental health problems can be very beneficial. This gives you time to talk about what is going on with you. This type of treatment is known as psychotherapy, which is often referred to as talk therapy or counseling.

During talk therapy, the doctor will help you cope with your feelings, as well as your symptoms. They can help you change your behaviors that may be making your depression worse. For example, if you are not getting good exercise it can cause depression symptoms. The doctor will help you set up a daily routine, set small goals for yourself, and set up a healthy eating plan.

The doctor may also use other types of treatments for your depression. They can go over these with you in detail.

Medication

Along with seeing a mental health professional, your doctor may prescribe an antidepressant medication for you. There are chemicals in your brain known as neurotransmitters. Dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin are important neurotransmitters as they control your emotions, behavior, thoughts, and perceptions. When these neurotransmitters are out of balance you can become depressed.

Antidepressants help balance out the neurotransmitters to help you feel like your old self again. Your doctor will determine the best antidepressant for you to take. You should know that it does take time for the medication to start working.

Keep in touch with your doctor and your therapist as you are going through depression treatment.

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