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Risk Factors for Depression During Perimenopause

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Women's Reproductive Mental Health Across the Lifespan

Abstract

Perimenopause is often associated with varying levels of psychological distress. Research has identified this time as a period of increased risk for both depression and psychosis. However, we know that the majority of women do not experience these difficulties during perimenopause. This chapter examines the current research literature looking at the factors associated with mental health difficulties during perimenopause, including both protective factors and those associated with increased risk. Evidence has shown that some women have a hormonal vulnerability to mood disorders. However, this does not fully account for the phenomenon of perimenopausal depression or psychosis in and of itself. Rather, there appears to be a complex interplay between hormonal vulnerability, the psychosocial resources one has (coping skills and social support), their overall well-being (exercise and other lifestyle factors), and the demands on their coping resources (stressful life events). The complexity of the relationship between perimenopause and mental health means that there is a need to look beyond either as a sole explanation for psychiatric illness during midlife. The importance of a biopsychosocial approach to formulation of mental health difficulties in midlife is particularly evident when looking at treatment and prevention.

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  1. Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

    Zoe Gibbs Psy.D. & Jayashri Kulkarni MBBS

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  1. Zoe Gibbs Psy.D.
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  2. Jayashri Kulkarni MBBS
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Correspondence to Zoe Gibbs Psy.D. .

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  1. The Center for Postpartum Health, Sherman Oaks, California, USA

    Diana Lynn Barnes

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Gibbs, Z., Kulkarni, J. (2014). Risk Factors for Depression During Perimenopause. In: Barnes, D. (eds) Women's Reproductive Mental Health Across the Lifespan. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-05116-1_12

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