The Correlation Between Depression and Hormonal Imbalance in Women

Did you know that women are twice as likely as men to experience depressive symptoms? And that this is partially due to their more frequent hormonal fluctuations? Depression is often caused by hormonal imbalances, and during their childbearing years, most women experience hormonal fluctuations throughout the month due to their menstrual cycle. Hormone levels also fluctuate during pregnancy and after childbirth, as well as during the years surrounding menopause. These events can lead to hormonally triggered depression in women such as premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), perinatal depression, and perimenopausal depression, which are often exacerbated by not practicing self-care. If you’re experiencing symptoms of depression, it’s important to determine the root cause because common medications used to treat depression are not effective for everyone, especially if your depression is due to hormonal issues. And in fact, some anti-depressants can make an existing hormonal issue worse. Read more…