Psychological Symptoms of Menopause

A causal relationship between menopause and physical changes in women's bodies is established without difficulty. However, the conditions capable of affecting psychological changes exist throughout a woman's lifespan, making the connection to the specific set of circumstances relating to menopause highly improbable.

Mood Swings

• Diminished estrogen production as the result of fluctuating hormonal changes naturally occurring during menopause can foster episodes of moodiness, irritability and anxiety (see Resources).

Difficulty Sleeping

• Night sweats due to decreased hormonal function can interfere with sleep and result in irritability and a lack of energy (see Resources).

Cognitive Problems

• Memory problems and difficulty concentrating are additional menopausal symptoms that can result from a decline in estrogen and its corresponding affect upon serotonin levels (see Resources).

Crying

• Sudden feelings of unexplained sadness, crying without cause and the helplessness one feels due to the inability to understand why this is happening can also be attributed to fluctuating hormonal levels (see Resources).

Weight Gain

• Fluctuations in estrogen, testosterone and androgen levels play a major role in causing weight gain during menopause, which often generates feelings of low self-esteem (see Resources).