Menopause Mental Health Level 1 Certified
By: Sarah Schufreider, LCSW, Bria Better Health Menopause Mental Health Certified provider
The menopause transition can contribute to the onset of depressed feelings. Sarah Schufreider, LCSW helps explain how menopause can impact mood and depressive symptoms.
You notice that you just feel kind of blue a lot of the time. It is like this cloud above your head just won’t lift. You begin to wonder whether this is “just hormones” or is something going on with them related to menopause and depression. Many women who I see in my practice are curious if the perimenopause transition is causing them to feel sad and depressed. There is often some uncertainty about whether this overwhelming sadness is a “normal” part of this experience.
They are right to wonder, especially because 1 in 5 women experience a clinically significant episode of depression in their lifetime.
Specific to menopause, observed rates of depression during the perimenopause transition can vary between 20% to 40% of women.
So, what can be done about this? As mentioned in the previous blog about mood, anxiety, and emotional health, perimenopause and menopause can have wide and varying impacts on a woman’s physical and emotional well-being. In this post, we will explore more about the link between depression and menopause.
The Link Between Menopause and Depression
The perimenopause transition can raise vulnerability to depression, especially for women with prior depression and/or postpartum history. But you may wonder: “Can menopause actually cause depression?” The answer is: Yes, menopause can contribute to depression. Hormone shifts during perimenopause, poor sleep from night sweats, and life stress can raise depression risk, especially if you've had depression before. There are a number of risk factors that can contribute to an increased risk of depression in menopause.
Fluctuating Hormones: Hormones, especially estrogen and progesterone, fluctuate wildly during perimenopause. This can impact mood because estrogen affects levels of serotonin in the brain. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that promotes feel-good and happy feelings. Additionally, lower levels of progesterone may contribute to increased irritability, mood swings, and anxiety. Source: Can Menopause Cause Depression? | Johns Hopkins Medicine
History of Depression: While menopausal onset of depression is possible. The
found that women with a history of depression prior to perimenopause have a higher occurrence of depression during the menopause transition.
Age of Perimenopause Onset: A meta-analysis of 14 studies showed that women who reach menopause earlier have a higher risk of depression compared to their peers who reach it later. Source: Earlier Age at Menopause Increases Risk of Depression - MGH Center for Women's Mental Health
Vasomotor Symptoms (Hot Flashes and Night Sweats): During sessions, one of the most common complaints that my clients mention when it comes to menopause is disrupted sleep due to hot flashes and/or night sweats. In fact, up to 80% of women report at least one incidence of vasomotor symptoms during menopause. An Australian study found that women who reported moderate to severe vasomotor symptoms had a 3x higher risk of developing depression. Source: Essential Reads: Who is at Risk for Depression During the Perimenopause? - MGH Center for Women's Mental Health
Other risk factors: social problems such as financial difficulties, decreased social supports, history of childhood trauma; poorer physical health.
What Depression Can Look Like During Menopause and Midlife
So, what should women be looking out for? Some common symptoms of depression include:
Increased feelings of Irritability
Numbness
Persistent feelings of sadness and/or hopelessness
Loss of motivation
Changes in appetite: either a loss of appetite or overeating
Changes in sleep patterns: Oversleeping or insomnia
Overwhelming fatigue and exhaustion
Loss of interest in activities previously enjoyed
Brain fog which might look like difficulty making decisions and processing information
Thoughts of suicide or hurting someone else***
***Safety note: If you have any thoughts or concerns about harming yourself or someone else, reach out for support. Call or text 988, call 911, or go to your nearest emergency room immediately.***
When To Reach Out for Support for Depression During Menopause
Depression risk can increase during menopause. You can get the support you need by searching for online therapy for menopause in Illinois.
There is never a bad time to reach out for support. You don’t need to meet all the criteria for a depression diagnosis to seek help. Everyone is deserving of support managing the challenges of their lives. However, there are some signs that indicate that support is needed in the immediate future:
If any of the above symptoms are present for more than 2 weeks
Your symptoms are affecting your daily functioning regardless of how long you have been experiencing the symptoms.
Any thoughts of harm to yourself or others (NEEDS immediate attention).
Who Can Help You Manage Depression During Menopause?
Therapist for the emotional side: A mental health professional can help you develop coping skills to manage stressors related to menopause and midlife challenges such as work dissatisfaction, dealing with aging parents, and managing changing family dynamics. Additionally, a therapist can help you manage some of the physical symptoms such as insomnia utilizing interventions such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I). Psychotherapy can offer a supportive place to process all the change that is happening in your life.
Doctor or Psychiatric Prescriber for medical options: Sometimes it makes sense for medical interventions to be explored to help manage depression symptoms. Only a prescribing provider such as doctor, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant can prescribe medications such as antidepressants. They may also explore prescribing menopause hormone therapy (MHT) to help alleviate menopause symptoms that may affect mood in some women.
Combined approach: Many women benefit from a combined approach to treatment and see both a therapist and a menopause-informed medical provider. Ideally, you want both providers to be able to communicate with one another so that you are all on the same page about treatment goals and approaches.
Finding Support for Menopause and Depression in Chicago and Across Illinois
Now that you know how to identify some depression symptoms and which professional can help you, let’s talk about how to find the support that you need. You begin exploring for support by looking at directories of providers that specialize in menopause care including the Menopause Society and Bria Better Health’s provider directory. For therapists, you can look to therapy directories such as Psychology Today. Additionally, I’m an online therapist in Chicago offering menopause therapy to women across Illinois.
No matter where you choose to get support, know that you are not alone and supports exist.
***This post is for general education and isn’t a substitute for medical advice. Talk with your doctor about symptoms, medications, and hormone therapy.***
Feeling like yourself again is possible. Reach out today to book a consultation for online menopause therapy across Illinois.
Frequently Asked Questions About Menopause and Depression
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Yes, it can contribute. Hormone shifts during perimenopause, poor sleep from night sweats, and life stress can raise depression risk, especially if you've had depression before. Support is available.
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Menopause mood changes often come and go. Depression usually means low mood, hopelessness, or loss of interest most days for two weeks or more. They can overlap, so a professional can help sort it out.
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Common signs include persistent sadness, irritability, numbness, loss of interest, sleep or appetite changes, fatigue, and trouble concentrating. If symptoms last two weeks or affect daily life, consider reaching out.
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Reach out if symptoms last more than two weeks or interfere with daily life. If you have thoughts of harming yourself, call or text 988 right away.
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Often both. A therapist supports coping and emotional health, while a doctor or psychiatric prescriber can discuss medical options. Many women benefit from combined care.
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Yes. Therapy can help you build coping skills, manage stress and sleep problems, and process the changes of midlife. Many women pair it with medical care.
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Yes. I'm an online therapist based in Chicago, offering menopause therapy to women across Illinois. I hold a Level 1 Menopause Mental Health Certificate from Bria Better Health.
Sarah Schufreider, LCSW, is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (Illinois license # 149016639) based in Chicago, IL and the founder of Six Hearts Counseling PLLC. She has a Menopause Mental Health certification from Bria Better Health. She focuses on mid-life transitions including menopause, parenting special needs and medically complex children, SPACE (Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions), grief, and postpartum depression. Sarah’s goal is to help her clients feel like they can take control of their life again through identifying their values, learning concrete skills to manage and regulate their emotions, and work to challenge mental obstacles that are creating stuck points to change. Learn more about her work at About Sarah.
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Last updated: November 9, 2026