All Episodes

May 27, 2025 22 mins

Mood swings, brain fog, and burnout? It might not just be stress—it could be perimenopause. In this episode, Dr. Stephanie Hack, MD, MPH explores the connection between hormonal changes and depression during the menopausal transition. Backed by clinical evidence and national research studies, she breaks down why this critical phase is so often misunderstood, how to recognize real warning signs, and what steps you can take to protect your mental health. Because yes—healthcare is self-care, and knowledge is power.

References:

1.       Kessler RC, McGonagle KA, Zhao S et al. Lifetime and 12-month prevalence of DSM-III-R psychiatric disorders in the United States. Arch Gen Psychiatry 1994;51:8–19. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

2.   Freeman EW, Sammel MD, Liu L, Gracia CR, Nelson DB, Hollander L. Hormones and menopausal status as predictors of depression in women in transition to menopause. Arch Gen Psychiatry 2004;61:62–70. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

3.   Bromberger JT, Epperson CN. Depression During and After the Perimenopause: Impact of Hormones, Genetics, and Environmental Determinants of Disease. Obstet Gynecol Clin North Am. 2018 Dec;45(4):663-678. doi: 10.1016/j.ogc.2018.07.007. Epub 2018 Oct 25. PMID: 30401549; PMCID: PMC6226029. (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6226029/#R4)

4.   Behrman S, Crockett C. Severe mental illness and the perimenopause. BJPsych Bull. 2023 Nov 13;48(6):1-7. doi: 10.1192/bjb.2023.89. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37955045; PMCID: PMC11669460. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11669460/#:~:text=Fluctuations%20of%20hormone%20levels%20and,episodes%20of%20mental%20illness%2C%20including

5.   https://www.health.harvard.edu/womens-health/perimenopause-rocky-road-to-menopause

6.   https://www.swanstudy.org/womens-health-info/depression-menopause/

7.   https://www.swanstudy.org/wps/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/SWAN-Fact-Sheets-Depression.pdf

8.   Santoro N, Epperson CN, Mathews SB. Menopausal Symptoms and Their Management. Endocrinol Metab Clin North Am. 2015 Sep;44(3):497-515. doi: 10.1016/j.ecl.2015.05.001. PMID: 26316239; PMCID: PMC4890704. (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4890704/)

9.   Kravitz HM, Colvin AB, Avis NE, Joffe H, Chen Y, Bromberger JT. Risk of high depressive symptoms after the final menstrual period: the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN). Menopause. 2022 Jul 1;29(7):805-815. doi: 10.1097/GME.0000000000001988. PMID: 35796553; PMCID: PMC9268212. { https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35796553/ )



10. Gibbs Z, Lee S, Kulkarni J. What factors determine whether a woman becomes depressed during the perimenopause? Arch Womens Ment Health 2012;15:323–332.

Mark as Played

Advertise With Us

Popular Podcasts

Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang

Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang

Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.

The Joe Rogan Experience

The Joe Rogan Experience

The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.

Stuff You Should Know

Stuff You Should Know

If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.

Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2025 iHeartMedia, Inc.