Emotional & Mental support
Welcome to the
Women’s Wellness Hub
Women going through the menopausal transition are at a higher risk of mood changes and symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Common physical, emotional and cognitive issues related to menopause can complicate and overlap with mental health symptoms.
Stress related to life circumstances can also complicate understanding whether changes in mood and mental health are related to menopause.
Having an open discussion about your symptoms, life circumstances and mental health history can assist your doctor in offering suitable treatment options and lifestyle changes.
Therapies proven for the broader population are also suitable for mental health symptoms related to menopause – medication, psychological therapy and lifestyle changes.
While not a problem for everyone transitioning through menopause, the risk of mood changes and symptoms of depression and anxiety are higher during perimenopause, even in women without a history of major depression.
While the risk is higher for women in the age-related and natural menopausal transition, women might also have a higher risk of mood changes after menopause caused by surgery such as hysterectomy or if the ovaries have been removed. Depression also occurs at a higher rate in women with a lack of oestrogen caused by primary ovarian insufficiency.
Mental health symptoms related to menopause
Mental health symptoms related to menopause can include feeling:
irritable, sad, anxious, hopeless
stuggling to focus, concentrate, forgetful,
tired, unmotivated
Some women might experience these symptoms in a mild form which others unfortunately may suffer more severe symptoms of depression (including thoughts of suicide) lasting for at least two weeks. This is known as a major depressive episode and is more likely in women who have a history of major depression during their pre-menopausal years.
While many women do not have mental health issues during the menopausal transition, unstable oestrogen levels can have an impact on the brain, predisposing some women to feelings of depression and anxiety.
Some of the common physical, memory and thinking symptoms related to menopause (hot flushes, night sweats, sleep and sexual disturbances, weight changes and “brain fog”) can complicate and overlap with mental health symptoms.
Another complicating factor is stress related to life circumstances. Feeling stress is common during middle age as personal and environmental changes take place. This can have a strong effect on mood in some women. Life circumstances that can impact mental health include caring for children, teen issues, carers for elderly family members, career changes, body changes, illnesses, pre-existing ADHD, relatonships, pain levels, medication.
The menopause transition is an ideal time to look at your health and consider lifestyle and other changes so that you can live the healthiest possible lifestyle.
Untangling physical and mental health symptoms related to menopause
For some women, mental health issues and other changes can begin to affect how they live their lives. Your doctor can take a holistic approach to your health to help you untangle the web of symptoms around physical and mental health changes.
Understanding mental health during perimenopausal and postmenopausal changes can include:
identifying your stage of perimenopause / menopause and any physical and cognitive symptoms
discussing your history of mental health symptoms
discussing your current mental health symptoms
understanding any lifestyle factors that could affect your mood – for example, lack of sleep and exercise understanding other stressful life circumstances contributing to your symptoms – for example, caring for children and parents, career and relationship changes, body changes and illness.
When you see your GP/specialist it is important to explain the realm of menopausal symptoms you are experiencing as well as your life circumstances and clinical history so that they can help them to recommend the best treatment options and lifestyle and behavioural changes for your situation.
Treatment options for mental health symptoms
Lifestyle changes to assist with managing mental health are similar to those recommended for menopause-related physical changes. Changes that can help with mental health symptoms include:
ensuring healthy levels of physical activity
improving sleep
considering changes to decrease stress associated with life circumstances
limit alcohol intake
Psychological therapies and social supports can be beneficial to women with mental health symptoms.
Women should have an individualised assessment with their doctor in order to discuss the most appropriate treatment pathway. Options may include lifestyle changes, psychological therapies and medications such as menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) or antidepressants.
While some international guidelines do not recommend MHT as firstline therapy, many doctors have seen a positive effect on mood with the use of MHT in the first instance.
There is evidence that oestrogen has antidepressant effects, particularly in perimenopausal women. We emphasise an individualised approach with treatment tailored to the individual patient.
Oestrogen is not recommended for women with a history of breast cancer.
At this stage, there is no evidence to recommend alternative or complementary therapies for treatment of perimenopausal depression.
Where can you find more information?
If your mental health or other symptoms are bothering you, your doctor can help. Your doctor can help you understand physical and mental health changes and offer options for managing your sympt
Help for depression and mood changes?
If you have severe mental health symptoms or symptoms of depression and have thoughts of suicide, help is available.
Lifeline – Phone 13 11 14
beyondblue – Phone 1300 22 4636
Menopause Support Centre
Your step by step guide to the PAUSE!
We hear you, we understand, we are here to support you.
What to ask at the doctors
Women's Wellness Hub Directory
Physical and Emotional Health & Wellness
Peri Menopause & Menopause
Social Wellness
WWW: Women's Wellness Warrior Events Retreats
Join our FREE
Konnect online bookclub
Financial, Legal and Safety wellness
Separation and Co-parenting assist
Women's Wellness Blog
Economic Abuse Awareness Day
Economic and financial abuse is a form of domestic abuse in Australia.
It often occurs in the context of intimate partner violence, and involves the control of a partner or ex-partner’s money and finances, as well as the things that money can buy.
Economic abuse and financial abuse involve similar behaviours, but it can financial abuse is often thought of as a subcategory of economic abuse. Economic abuse encompasses the many ways that an abuser may control someone’s economic situation, including employment, food, basic necessities, medication, transport and housing, for example. Financial abuse can often be thought of as controlling the actual money by stealing, gambling, coercing someone into taking on debt, controlling their allowance each week,
1 in 6 women in the Australia have reportedly experienced economic abuse by a current or former partner.
Economic abuse can include exerting control over income, spending, bank accounts, bills and borrowing. It can also include controlling access to and use of things like transport and technology, which allow a person to work and stay connected, as well as property and daily essentials like food and clothing. It can include destroying items and refusing to contribute to household costs. Gambling away your financial security and destroying your credit rating.
Refusing to pay child support and not financially disclosing assets and debts during financial property settlements are also a way of economically abusing a person and intentionally controlling them.
This type of abuse is a form of coercive and controlling behaviour. Economic abuse rarely happens in isolation and usually occurs alongside other forms of abuse, including physical, sexual and psychological abuse. 95% of cases of domestic abuse involve economic abuse. It can continue long after a leaving and can have lifelong effects
This type of abuse is designed to create economic instability and/or make one partner economically dependent, which limits their freedom. Without access to money and the things that money can buy, it is difficult to leave an abuser and access safety. Someone experiencing this type of abuse can become trapped in a relationship with the abuser, unable to resist the abuser’s control and at risk of further harm. In this way, economic safety underpins physical safety.
The impact of economic abuse makes leaving and rebuilding lives more challenging for survivors and their family. Many victim-survivors leave with large amounts of debt and poor credit ratings, affecting their long-term economic stability.
Red Flag (warnings) of economic/financial abuse
Economic abuse can take many forms. The perpetrator/abuser:
Sabotages your income and access to money:
prevent you from being in education or employment
limit your working hours
takes your pay
refuse to let you claim government payments/ benefits or take all the benefits
take children’s savings or birthday money
refuse to let you access a bank account
making you work in a family business without pay
give you a small allowance for necessities only
takes any windfall you get such as an inheritance
Restrict how you use money and the things that you own:
control when and how money is spent
dictate what you can buy
make you ask for money
give you a small allowance to cover necessities only
check your receipts
make you keep a spending diary
make you justify every purchase made
control the use of property, such as a mobile phone or car
insist all economic assets (eg savings, house) are in their name
keep financial information secret
Exploits your economic situation:
steal your money or property
steal your identity or inheritance
cause damage to your property
refuse to contribute to household costs
spend money needed for household items and bills
misuse money in joint bank accounts
insist all bills, credit cards and loans are in your name and make you pay them
build up debt in your name, sometimes without your knowledge
destroying your credit rating affecting your future financing ability
There is help
If you have experienced economic or financial abuse, you are not alone. There are people and organisations that can help .Refer to www.dvsupporthub.com for information on various services that can help as well as ways to help you financially get back on your feet.
Call 1800RESPECT for immediate assistance
This site is brought to you by Family Counselling Support Network
Book in directly with one of our professionals today
We are here to help
We are committed to protecting your personal information and respecting your privacy. This website uses cookies to analyze website traffic and optimise your website experience. By accepting our use of cookies, your data will be aggregated with all other user data.
DISCLAIMER: The material contained on this website is for general educational and information purposes only and is not a substitute for professional legal, financial, medical or psychological advice or care. While every care has been taken in the information provided, no legal responsibility or liability is accepted, warranted or implied by the authors or Family Counselling Support Network and any liability is hereby expressly disclaimed. For specific advice please contact us at [email protected]. All information contained on the website remains the intellectual property of Family Counselling Support Network and is for your personal educational use only. The information must not be reproduced or distributed without the express permission of Family Counselling Support Network.
Family Counselling Support Network acknowledges and respects the First Nations Custodians of the land where our offices stand, and where we work to help Australians. We pay respects to their Elders, past present and emerging, lore, customs and creation spirits. We recognise that these lands have always been places of ceremony, teaching, research and learning, and we acknowledge the important role Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples play in our community.
We are committed to providing an inclusive and accessible environment where people and communities of all identities and backgrounds are accepted, safe and celebrated.
Privacy Policy | Terms and Conditions