It is estimated that 15% of women going through menopause also experience depression to some degree. Depression may actually begin during the years leading up to menopause, in a time period called perimenopause.

The onset of perimenopause and menopause are often associated with a range of emotional symptoms, including depression and an overall lack of energy. In conjunction with physical changes related to menopause, these emotions can make coping with ordinary life seem difficult.

Very often, a hormonal imbalance is the root of the problem. Hormonal imbalances can often be corrected with hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Hormone replacement therapy for women is a safe and effective way to eliminate depression in women going through menopause.

If you’re experiencing symptoms of depression due to a hormonal imbalance, Global Life Rejuvenation can help you get your life back. Treatment plans are monitored and administered by our professionals in order to balance hormone levels in women and alleviate depression. Contact us to meet a physician and get started today.

Perimenopause, Depression & How to Recognize Symptoms

Studies show that depression affects nearly 20 million American adults. Depression is not a weakness or a character flaw, it is a common emotional experience with a variety of causes.

Pinpointing the root cause of an individual’s depression provides physicians with the key to successful treatment. If you are going through perimenopause or menopause, depression may be likely if you have recently experienced several of the following symptoms:

  • Depressed mood (irritability, mood swings)
  • Loss of interest or pleasure in life (lack of joy)
  • Change in appetite (either up or down)
  • Changes in sleep patterns (too much, too little)
  • Chronic fatigue or lack of energy
  • Feelings of worthlessness or inappropriate guilt
  • Inability to concentrate
  • Indecisiveness or feeling easily overwhelmed
  • Thoughts of death and/or suicide

The Role of Hormones in Menopausal Depression

Some of the primary hormones that are known to play a role in menopausal depression include:

Estrogen

Low estrogen levels are often found in menopausal women and may cause feelings of sadness and hopelessness. Having a hysterectomy also increases the risk of developing depression because of the drastic, rather than gradual, drop in the body’s estrogen levels.

Proper estrogen levels boost serotonin levels, promoting sleep as well as preventing depression. Maintaining estrogen levels also increases GABA, the neurotransmitter that raises endorphin levels, helping you feel good, calm, and positive.

Progesterone

The hormone progesterone helps balance estrogen levels and promotes restful sleep. Progesterone has a naturally calming effect and also normalizes the libido. Progesterone is a natural diuretic and anti-depressant. Abnormal levels of progesterone are often found in women experiencing menopause and may cause insomnia as well as contribute to change in mood.

Cortisol

Cortisol imbalance in women experiencing menopause can cause depression. High levels of cortisol can enable feelings of agitation, increase belly fat, trigger insomnia and drive sugar cravings. Low levels of cortisol are often associated with difficulty handling stress, chronic fatigue, low libido and mood swings.

Hormone Replacement Therapy for Hormonal Depression

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is one of the most effective treatments for depression associated with menopause.

Many women ask their physicians about antidepressants or antianxiety medications. However, we believe that HRT for women is a more effective and more natural approach to menopausal depression.

At Global Life Rejuvenation, our physicians explore the underlying cause of symptoms to determine whether a woman is experiencing depression as a result of a hormonal imbalance, adrenal fatigue brought on by stress, or as a result of a situational circumstance.

If depression is found to be the result of a hormonal imbalance, your Global Life Rejuvenation physician will create a tailored HRT program that will not only balance hormones, but will get you on the road to feeling like yourself again.

Is HRT Safe?

It’s important to remember that even though it’s called hormone replacement therapy, the goal of this treatment is not to replace someone’s hormone level to once had. Our process is to give a very small amount of hormones to supplement or to help your body naturally produce hormones that it no longer makes as a result of aging. By doing this, we alleviate symptoms associated with hormone imbalance and help you feel better.

HRT for women is completely safe when taken under the guidance of an expert practitioner. Among women, HRT has been proven to prevent heart disease and osteoporosis as well as lower the risk of developing diabetes. We don’t want anyone to suffer from depression when targeted treatment options are available.

Hormone replacement therapy is one of the most effective treatments for menopausal depression. Contact Global Life Rejuvenation online or call us at (866) 793-9933 and learn more about how hormone therapy can treat depression associated with menopause.

For more information, please see the Prescriber’s Digital Reference guide.

Your results may vary. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration.