DEPRESSION & CRYING JAGS

Anyone who has had the unfortunate experience of depression knows this isn't just another mood swing. It is most common for those with induced menopause due to surgery, but is no more common among women going through menopause naturally than among the female population as a whole. However, if menopausal symptoms happen to coincide with your last child heading off to college or the death of a beloved parent, you'll be more likely to be sucked into the black hole.

Before trying to 'treat' depression, consider staying with it for a short time to let those emotions of grief and sadness pass through you. Taking a day or two off to do nothing but lie in the grass, go for walks and dig in the garden may be all that's needed for occasional bouts of depression. Staying with the feelings is the best way to get through them.

Depression can be an indicator of hypothyroidism, or can be caused by steroids, HRT (hormone replacement therapy), or drugs used to treat high blood pressure. Depleted adrenal glands from excessive stress can also contribute to depression. However, it most often stems from anger or grief that is blocked or turned inward, or from the belief that nothing you do makes a difference. It is wise to avoid HRT if you already feel depressed during your premenopausal years. Two studies assessing the effectiveness of HRT (especially ERT) on premenopausal depression, found it strongly associated with an increase in suicide attempts.

Anti-depressant drugs are used frequently to relieve (control?) menopausal women's feelings, but adverse reactions to them are much more frequent in women than in men. Women taking lithium can gradually switch over to skullcap tincture with the guidance of their health care practitioner.
Is it depression or just moodiness? If you feel like you're consistently in a black hole emotionally for two weeks or more, it's likely to be depression. It's important to get help if you are depressed for more than two weeks.

QUICK TIPS

• Black cohosh is an herb I reach for when someone needs to dig out of that black hole of depression - with or without premenopausal symptoms.
• A congested liver is often involved with depression; milk thistle can help increase the functioning of your liver.
• Ask your health care practitioner to do some testing to learn if you're deficient in essential minerals. Magnesium is a common culprit and explains why premenstrual women crave chocolate which has quite a bit of magnesium in it. Ahhhh…..

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