Menopause and Your Mental Health

Why do so many women feel like their mental health suddenly changes in their forties and fifties, often without any obvious trigger? In this episode, Dr Georgina Standen applies everything this series has built so far — hormone sensitivity, DASH-MC, reproductive depression — to perimenopause specifically, and explains why this transition is so often missed, dismissed, or misdiagnosed.In this episode:The clinical pattern that shows up again and again: a history of PMS, PMDD, postnatal depression or a rocky relationship with the pill, now resurfacing in a new formWhy perimenopause isn't simply hormonal decline, but volatility — and why that's what actually destabilises a sensitive brainThe real numbers: a 30% rise in major depressive disorder, a doubling of bipolar incidence, and higher anxiety rates during perimenopause specifically"Diagnostic overshadowing" — why menopausal symptoms so often get treated as a purely psychological problemWhy sleep is so often the hidden driver behind anxiety at this life stageWhy standard HRT isn't a universal fix, and what a properly personalised approach actually looks likeSirona Health Podcast is hosted by Dr Georgina Standen, GP and founder of Sirona Health (sironahealth.co.uk), a specialist women's health practice covering menopause, PMS/PMDD and teen health. Book a consultation at sironahealth.co.uk.This podcast is for general information only and doesn't replace individual medical advice — please speak to your GP or a specialist about your own symptoms. If you're struggling, please reach out for support.