madman
Super Moderator
SUMMARY
The transition to menopause and early postmenopausal years may be quite challenging for some women, with the increased risk for developing depressive symptoms (new, recurrent) and anxiety, along with vasomotor complaints, sleep problems, and other menopause-related health conditions. It is fundamental that health professionals providing care for women during midlife years are prepared to recognize this window of vulnerability and to manage it accordingly. Importantly, neither depression nor anxiety during midlife years should be managed in isolation. Sleep problems, cognitive complaints, sexual dysfunction as well as the occurrence of context-related life stressors should be taken into consideration for the development of comprehensive, effective treatment plans.
It is now well established that estrogen plays an important neuromodulatory role— on the one hand, E2 fluctuations may contribute to the emergence of depression and anxiety symptoms; on the other hand, E2-based therapies may in fact alleviate these conditions, particularly when administered to symptomatic women in the menopausal transition and early postmenopausal years and/or experiencing increasing anxiety and stress during times of intense E2 fluctuations.
Antidepressants and behavioral therapies remain, however, the treatments of choice for depression and anxiety across the life span, including midlife years.
The transition to menopause and early postmenopausal years may be quite challenging for some women, with the increased risk for developing depressive symptoms (new, recurrent) and anxiety, along with vasomotor complaints, sleep problems, and other menopause-related health conditions. It is fundamental that health professionals providing care for women during midlife years are prepared to recognize this window of vulnerability and to manage it accordingly. Importantly, neither depression nor anxiety during midlife years should be managed in isolation. Sleep problems, cognitive complaints, sexual dysfunction as well as the occurrence of context-related life stressors should be taken into consideration for the development of comprehensive, effective treatment plans.
It is now well established that estrogen plays an important neuromodulatory role— on the one hand, E2 fluctuations may contribute to the emergence of depression and anxiety symptoms; on the other hand, E2-based therapies may in fact alleviate these conditions, particularly when administered to symptomatic women in the menopausal transition and early postmenopausal years and/or experiencing increasing anxiety and stress during times of intense E2 fluctuations.
Antidepressants and behavioral therapies remain, however, the treatments of choice for depression and anxiety across the life span, including midlife years.
