Women's Mental Health Across Life Stages
Women's mental health can shift at predictable points in life: puberty, pregnancy and the months after birth, the years around menopause, seasons of caregiving, and later life. Hormone changes and life demands both play a part. Knowing what is common at each stage makes it easier to notice when you need support.
Key points
Depression, anxiety and PTSD are more common in women than in men, according to federal health agencies.
Puberty, pregnancy, the postpartum period and menopause are times when mood can change.
Low mood after childbirth that is severe or lasts longer than 2 weeks is a reason to call a provider.
Caregiving stress is real and affects more women than men.
Symptoms at any age are worth raising with a professional. They are not a personal failing.
How mental health conditions affect women differently
The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) reports that some mental disorders are more common in women than in men, including depression, anxiety disorders and eating disorders. The federal Office on Women's Health (OWH) adds PTSD to that list.
Biology is part of the reason. OWH states that hormonal changes during puberty, pregnancy, after childbirth and menopause can all affect mental health. NIMH describes forms of depression linked to those changes: premenstrual dysphoric disorder around the time of a period, perinatal depression during or after pregnancy, and perimenopausal depression during the transition to menopause.
Life circumstances matter as well. OWH notes that women are more likely than men to be affected by certain risk factors, including poverty, surviving violence, stress at home and being a caregiver.
Mental health in the teen years
Puberty is the first of the hormonal shifts OWH identifies as affecting mental health. It arrives alongside school pressure, changing friendships and a changing body, so it can be hard for a parent to tell ordinary moodiness from something more.
Look at how long a change lasts and how much it gets in the way. A girl who is sad or irritable for weeks, drops activities she loved, or changes how she eats or sleeps deserves a closer look. NIMH notes that some women have depression symptoms around the time of their period, known as premenstrual dysphoric disorder, so a pattern tied to her cycle is worth mentioning to her doctor. If you are concerned, teen counseling offers a private place for her to talk.
Pregnancy and postpartum mental health
Many new mothers have the baby blues. OWH says these feelings usually go away within a few days. Depression during or after pregnancy, which NIMH calls perinatal depression, is different. OWH describes postpartum depression as a serious mental health condition, with symptoms such as feeling sad or hopeless, feeling guilty or worthless, withdrawing from friends and family, and sleeping or eating more or less than usual, that last longer than 2 weeks.
OWH advises calling a doctor, nurse or midwife if baby blues symptoms do not go away after 2 weeks or are very intense, if it is difficult to work or get things done at home, if you cannot care for yourself or your baby, or if you have thoughts about hurting yourself or your baby.
Partners and relatives have a role here. If you notice these changes in a new mother, say what you have seen, offer practical help, and encourage her to call her provider. OWH lists counseling or therapy sessions with a mental health professional among the treatments for postpartum depression. Any decision about medicine during pregnancy or breastfeeding belongs with you and your prescriber.
If you are in crisis
If you have thoughts of harming yourself or your baby, or you are thinking about suicide, call or text 988, or call 911. Our office does not provide emergency services.
You can also ask a partner, relative or friend to stay with you and make the call with you.
Perimenopause, menopause and mood
Perimenopause is the transition to menopause, the stretch when periods are still happening but changing. OWH says you might feel irritable or have crying spells, and that many women in perimenopause and menopause find it hard to sleep through the night.
OWH is careful to separate these mood changes from depression: they are not the same thing. It also states that the risk for depression and anxiety is higher during the time around menopause, and it advises seeing a provider about symptoms of depression or anxiety.
If symptoms bother you, OWH's advice is to talk with your health care provider. Questions about hormone therapy or any other medicine are for that provider. Counseling can run alongside medical care and give you room to work through the other changes midlife often brings, at work, at home and in relationships.
Caregiving stress and mental health
OWH reports that most caregivers are women, and that some care for young children and aging parents at the same time. It defines caregiver stress as the emotional and physical strain of caregiving, and notes that more women caregivers than men caregivers say they have stress and other health problems.
According to OWH, long-term caregiver stress can lead to health problems, including depression and anxiety. The signs it lists are easy to dismiss as just being busy.
Feeling overwhelmed
Feeling alone, isolated or deserted by others
Sleeping too much or too little
Feeling tired most of the time
Losing interest in activities you used to enjoy
Becoming easily irritated or angered
Feeling worried or sad often
Having headaches or body aches often
Mental health in later life
NIMH is clear that mental health is important at every stage of life. Older adults often face changes such as coping with a serious illness or losing a loved one. Many people adjust, but NIMH notes that feelings of grief, isolation or loneliness that persist can lead to conditions such as depression and anxiety.
Symptoms in later life do not always look like sadness. NIMH's list includes difficulty sleeping or sleeping too much, and ongoing headaches, digestive issues or pain. These are worth raising with a provider instead of assuming they are simply part of getting older. After a loss, grief counseling is one place to start.
How Balanced Life can help
Balanced Life Counseling Services offers women's counseling, depression counseling and anxiety therapy in person and by telehealth through our offices in Salisbury and Bethesda, Maryland.
Our team also includes a board-certified psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner for psychiatric medication management when that is part of your care. To ask a question or request an appointment, contact us.
Frequently asked questions
Are mood swings during perimenopause the same as depression?
Not necessarily. The Office on Women's Health says mood changes around menopause, such as irritability or crying spells, are not the same as depression. It also says the risk for depression and anxiety is higher around menopause. If low mood or worry lasts, or gets in the way of daily life, talk with a health care provider.
How do I know if it is the baby blues or postpartum depression?
Timing and intensity are the main clues. The Office on Women's Health says the baby blues usually go away within a few days. Symptoms that are very intense, last longer than 2 weeks, or make it hard to care for yourself or your baby are reasons to call your doctor, nurse or midwife. Only a professional can make a diagnosis.
Can counseling help if my symptoms are related to hormones?
Counseling can be useful whatever is contributing to how you feel. The Office on Women's Health says that treatment options such as therapy, medication, or a combination of both can help. A therapist can work alongside your medical provider, who is the right person for questions about hormones or medicine.
What are warning signs that I should seek help?
NIMH lists signs such as persistent sadness or hopelessness, noticeable changes in mood, energy or appetite, difficulty sleeping or sleeping too much, excessive fear or worry, anger or irritability, and social withdrawal. Our article on signs of depression people often miss describes quieter ones. Thoughts of death or suicide need help right away.
Sources
If you are in crisis or thinking about suicide, call or text 988 (Suicide and Crisis Lifeline). In an emergency, call 911.