'I had no idea': The hidden mental health struggles many women face during menopause | Euronews

## Summary
By&nbsp Theo Farrant Published on 15/03/2026 - 7:30 GMT+1 Share Comments Share Facebook Twitter Flipboard Send Reddit Linkedin Messenger Telegram VK Bluesky Threads Whatsapp Most women in the UK are unaware that menopause can affect mental health - a new survey finds only 28 percent knew it could trigger conditions like depression or anxiety. A large European study found that 55 percent of women report psychological symptoms such as mood swings, anxiety or depression during menopause. It was only much later that she discovered the concept of perimenopause. "I had no clue perimenopause existed,” Rincón said. "I only came across the whole topic myself two and a half years ago." After researching the condition herself, she realised many of her symptoms aligned with hormonal changes."In the end, I basically diagnosed myself,” she said. “Then I went to the doctor demanding hormone replacement therapy." Life after diagnosis Receiving the diagnosis was both validating and frustrating. "I was relieved,” she said. "But you don’t get back all of those years you spent struggling." The experience also gave her insight into the mental health crisis some women face during this transition. "When you’re dismissed so many times and everybody tells you it’s just depression, but the medication isn’t really working properly, it’s incredibly stressful," she said. "I can really relate to why suicide rates are higher. Go to accessibility shortcuts Share Comments Read more Health news This ovarian cancer risk test may help delay surgical menopause Health news ‘Cougar puberty’: Why is perimenopause going viral on social media? wellbeing The hidden mental health crisis many women face during menopause pregnancy Mental health menopause Women's Health

## Article Content
By&nbsp
Theo Farrant
Published on
15/03/2026 - 7:30 GMT+1
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Most women in the UK are unaware that menopause can affect mental health - a new survey finds only 28 percent knew it could trigger conditions like depression or anxiety.
Menopause is an almost universal experience for women, but across Europe, its mental health risks remain poorly understood, unevenly treated, and rarely addressed in policy.
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In the United Kingdom, a recent survey carried out by YouGov and commissioned by the Royal College of Psychiatrists found that only 28 percent of women knew menopause could trigger a new mental illness.
According to the RCPsych's report, this knowledge gap means countless women are missing out on crucial care.
Part of the confusion stems from the fact that many symptoms begin years before menopause itself. The transitional phase known as
perimenopause
can start in a woman's 40s - and sometimes earlier - when hormone levels begin to fluctuate unpredictably.
During this period, shifts in oestrogen and progesterone can trigger not only physical symptoms such as hot flushes and sleep disruption, but also significant changes in mood and mental health.
Related
Perimenopause: What are the symptoms, and why are women calling it ‘cougar puberty?’
Menopause itself marks the end of a woman’s reproductive years and is defined as 12 consecutive months without a menstrual period. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), it typically occurs between the ages of 45 and 55.
A separate study by
University College London
, published in the Post Reproductive Health journal, found that 88 percent of Black women received no menopause education at school, while over half (58 percent) felt completely uninformed before the age of 40.
A widespread but under-recognised burden
Research suggests the scale of the issue is significant. A large European
study
found that 55 percent of women report psychological symptoms such as mood swings, anxiety or
depression
during menopause.
In Sweden, a 2021
national health report
found 60 percent of women experience moderate or severe menopausal symptoms. In Germany, roughly one in three menopausal women reports depressive symptoms.
Perimenopause symptoms include hot flushes and fatigue.
Credit: Canva Images
Other
research
indicates perimenopause can raise the risk of first-time major depression by around 30 percent and significantly increase the likelihood of manic episodes among women vulnerable to bipolar disorder.
Perhaps most concerningly, around 1 in 6 (16.6%) women are experiencing
suicidal thoughts
during perimenopause and menopause that are not being identified or treated effectively, according to a 2026 clinical research study published by Liverpool John Moores University and Newson Clinic.
Pooja Saini, Professor in Suicide and Self-Harm Prevention at Liverpool John Moores University, said: “Too many women are being assessed with tools that do not fully capture the hormonal drivers of suicidal thoughts, leaving gaps in care that are both avoidable and dangerous."
When menopause symptoms are dismissed
For Sonja Rincón, founder and CEO of Menotracker, an AI-powered menopause tracking app, the topic is deeply personal. Looking back as she approaches 44-years-old this month, she says her symptoms began in her mid-thirties, but they were initially misdiagnosed as depression.
“I got diagnosed with depression around the age of 35 or 36,” she told Euronews Health. “I could barely get out of bed. It was really horrible and I had no idea what was happening.”
At the time, she was a single mother working and studying law in the evenings, and was repeatedly told that stress and overwork were to blame. "Everyone was telling me it’s just because you’re a single mum, you’re overworked," she said. "The answer from my doctor was prescribing medication."
She spent years cycling through antidepressants that never fully addressed the underlying cause. It was only much later that she discovered the concept of perimenopause. "I had no clue perimenopause existed,” Rincón said. "I only came across the whole topic myself two and a half years ago."
After researching the condition herself, she realised many of her symptoms aligned with hormonal changes."In the end, I basically diagnosed myself,” she said. “Then I went to the doctor demanding hormone replacement therapy."
Life after diagnosis
Receiving the diagnosis was both validating and frustrating. "I was relieved,” she said. "But you don’t get back all of those years you spent struggling."
The experience also gave her insight into the mental health crisis some women face during this transition. "When you’re dismissed so many times and everybody tells you it’s just depression, but the medication isn’t really working properly, it’s incredibly stressful," she said. "I can really relate to why suicide rates are higher. I d

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## Expert Analysis

### Merits
- During this period, shifts in oestrogen and progesterone can trigger not only physical symptoms such as hot flushes and sleep disruption, but also significant changes in mood and mental health.
- A widespread but under-recognised burden Research suggests the scale of the issue is significant.

### Areas for Consideration
- According to the RCPsych's report, this knowledge gap means countless women are missing out on crucial care.
- A widespread but under-recognised burden Research suggests the scale of the issue is significant.
- Credit: Canva Images Other research indicates perimenopause can raise the risk of first-time major depression by around 30 percent and significantly increase the likelihood of manic episodes among women vulnerable to bipolar disorder.

### Implications
- By&nbsp Theo Farrant Published on 15/03/2026 - 7:30 GMT+1 Share Comments Share Facebook Twitter Flipboard Send Reddit Linkedin Messenger Telegram VK Bluesky Threads Whatsapp Most women in the UK are unaware that menopause can affect mental health - a new survey finds only 28 percent knew it could trigger conditions like depression or anxiety.
- Menopause is an almost universal experience for women, but across Europe, its mental health risks remain poorly understood, unevenly treated, and rarely addressed in policy.
- ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT In the United Kingdom, a recent survey carried out by YouGov and commissioned by the Royal College of Psychiatrists found that only 28 percent of women knew menopause could trigger a new mental illness.
- Looking back as she approaches 44-years-old this month, she says her symptoms began in her mid-thirties, but they were initially misdiagnosed as depression. “I got diagnosed with depression around the age of 35 or 36,” she told Euronews Health. “I could barely get out of bed.

### Expert Commentary
This article covers women, menopause, health topics. Notable strengths include discussion of women. Areas of concern are also raised. Readability: Flesch-Kincaid grade 0.0. Word count: 1131.