Research Proposal: Menopause and Depression

Introduction

Menopause is the age at which the menstrual cycle in women stops, and occurs as a result of this change; the ovaries stop producing female hormones (oestrogen and progesterone) as women age. Women during this stage are still able to enjoy their sexuality or social life. The occurrence of menopause in women is encountered between the age of 50 and 51 years in which several anomalies in the menstrual cycle are observed. In this phase, cessation of menstruation is acknowledged due to the gradual diminution in output secretion of oestrogen by the ovaries; moreover, the menstrual cycle is also influenced by decline in ovulary cycles.

There are several side effects associated with menopause. The side effects associated with menopause range from biological to physical. Nonetheless, the psychological side effects associated with menopause has crucial influence on women. Depression is one of the most commonly observed disorder that results in great uneasiness and discomfort among women and men. Anxiety, difficulty in concentrating, exaggerating the slightest problem, being easily irritated, forgetfulness and mood swings are typical psychological problems. There are several symptoms associated with menopause; nonetheless, more commonly observed symptoms are exemplified by hot flushes and night sweats.

In addition, some other symptoms associated with menopause refer to vasomotor symptoms that are experienced by most of the women during the phase of menopause in western cultures. It can be asserted that most of the women effectively cope with the biological and physical symptoms and side effects associated with menopause. However, coping with the psychological side effects is essential and most of the women find it hard to cope with these side effects such as depression. The average duration of the menopause transition, assessed by menstrual changes and hot flushes, is estimated to be four years but there is considerable variation between women.

Problem Statement

Menopause has been related to depression and other similar bodily disorders that develop in women as they go about this major physical transformation. There is several research studies conducted to explore contemporary methods that could assist women to cope with the psychological side effects associated with menopause. Different studies and researches have explored mood swings and substantial change in behaviour of women going through the phase of menopause (Sievert, 89). The behavioural changes encountered by women in this context are associated with enhanced stress and depression encountered by women.

The influence of depression in women experiencing menopause not only influences the health of them but also their families and other around them. In some cases, depression encountered by menopausal women influences their family functioning and also their marital relationship. Therefore, it is of utmost importance that women experiencing depression and other psychological side effects associated with menopause must receive adequate treatment and counselling to cope with the concerns. There are several methods explored that could assist women experiencing depression during menopause through counselling and diverse treatment approaches.

Method of treatment of menopausal depression must be under the guidance of specialists and the need for careful examination and diagnosis, especially ...