--- title: "Psych News Alert: Menopause Not Associated With Universal Risk for Depression, Review Shows" description: "APA’s Good Faith Estimates Survey: Please Respond Today The No Surprises Act requires clinicians to provide patients who are uninsur..." image: https://alert.psychnews.org/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/woman_iStock-1482899565-Jun-24-2025-03-28-40-7255-PM.jpg --- 3/6/24 12:00 AM # Menopause Not Associated With Universal Risk for Depression, Review Shows ![Picture of Psychiatric News Alert](https://alert.psychnews.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Psych%20News%20Email%20Banners/PN-Blue-Box_rgb.png?width=50&name=PN-Blue-Box_rgb.png) [ Psychiatric News Alert ](https://alert.psychnews.org/author/psychiatric-news-alert) Share: [facebook-f icon ](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https://alert.psychnews.org/2024/03/menopause-not-associated-with-universal.html) [linkedin-in icon ](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://alert.psychnews.org/2024/03/menopause-not-associated-with-universal.html) [Twitter icon ](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https://alert.psychnews.org/2024/03/menopause-not-associated-with-universal.html) [pinterest-p icon ](http://pinterest.com/pin/create/link/?url=https://alert.psychnews.org/2024/03/menopause-not-associated-with-universal.html) [envelope icon ](mailto:?body=https://alert.psychnews.org/2024/03/menopause-not-associated-with-universal.html) | **APA’s Good Faith Estimates Survey: Please Respond Today** The No Surprises Act [requires](https://www.psychiatry.org/Psychiatrists/Practice/Practice-Management/No-Surprises-Act-Implementation) clinicians to provide patients who are uninsured or are insured but choose not to submit claims through their health plan with a Good Faith Estimate of the cost of care. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has asked APA for your feedback on efforts to comply with these requirements and any educational support you may need from CMS. The deadline is **Friday, March 8**. [**TAKE SURVEY**](https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/7748033/Good-Faith-Estimates-Member-Survey) | | --- | ![](https://alert.psychnews.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/woman_iStock-1482899565-Jun-24-2025-03-28-39-5237-PM.jpg?width=200&height=133&name=woman_iStock-1482899565-Jun-24-2025-03-28-39-5237-PM.jpg) The transition into menopause by itself does not appear to raise the risk of depression in women, according to a [review](https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(23)02801-5/abstract) in *The Lancet*. However, a subset of women with a history of depression and/or certain menopause-related risk factors may be vulnerable to depressive symptoms during this period. “Clinicians should not assume that psychological symptoms during the menopause transition are always attributable to hormonal changes,” wrote Lydia Brown, Ph.D., M.Psych., of the University of Melbourne and colleagues. “Potential misattribution of psychological distress and psychiatric disorders to menopause could harm women by delaying accurate diagnosis and the initiation of effective psychotropic treatments, and by creating negative expectations for people approaching menopause.” Brown and colleagues analyzed 12 prospective studies reporting depressive symptoms, major depressive disorder, or both for more than 25,000 women during the menopause transition. Only two of the studies, totaling around 600 women, used structured clinical interviews to diagnose major depressive disorder. They found that the risk of first lifetime major depressive disorder is not increased during menopause, but individuals with previous major depressive disorder might be at increased risk of recurrence. Additionally, women are not universally at risk of depressive symptoms during menopause. Vulnerability to depressive symptoms during menopause may be due to menopause-related risk factors including severe vasomotor symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats, sleep disturbance, a long transition, or significant hormone fluctuations. Psychosocial risk factors such as a depression history, stressful life events, or lack of social support can also increase the risk for depressive symptoms. Brown and colleagues offered the following recommendations: - Provide individuals with evidence-based information about menopause, including clear statements that most individuals are not at risk of mental health problems. - Be aware of who is at risk of experiencing depressive symptoms and major depressive disorder; if present, consider treating modifiable risk factors such as severe hot flashes and night sweats and sleep problems. - Be cautious about discontinuing treatments for major depressive disorder during the menopause transition due to the possible increased risk of recurrence. In an [editorial](https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(24)00462-8/fulltext?dgcid=tl.com_carousel1_infocuswomenhealth) accompanying the review, *Lancet* editors wrote: “We need to send a realistic, balanced message to women and to society: menopause does not herald the start of a period of decay and decline but is a developmental life stage that can be negotiated successfully with access to evidence-based information as well as appropriate social and medical support.” (Image: Getty Images/iStock/courtneyk) [depression](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/depression), [women](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/women), [menopause](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/menopause), [The Lancet](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/the-lancet), [hormonal changes](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/hormonal-changes), [depressive symptoms](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/depressive-symptoms), [transition](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/transition) ## Related posts [![](https://alert.psychnews.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/man_legs_iStock-1493903288-Jun-24-2025-10-31-18-0157-PM.jpg?height=200&name=man_legs_iStock-1493903288-Jun-24-2025-10-31-18-0157-PM.jpg) ](https://alert.psychnews.org/2024/03/mirtazapine-and-vitamin-b6-may-be-best.html) [JAMA Network Open](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/jama-network-open), [meta-analysis](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/meta-analysis), [akathisia](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/akathisia), [antipsychotic](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/antipsychotic), [restlessness](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/restlessness), [trazodone](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/trazodone), [vitamin B6](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/vitamin-b6), [mirtazapine](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/mirtazapine) ## [Mirtazapine and Vitamin B6 May Be Best Options for Antipsychotic-Induced Akathisia](https://alert.psychnews.org/2024/03/mirtazapine-and-vitamin-b6-may-be-best.html) ![Picture of Psychiatric News Alert](https://alert.psychnews.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Psych%20News%20Email%20Banners/PN-Blue-Box_rgb.png?width=50&name=PN-Blue-Box_rgb.png) [Psychiatric News Alert](https://alert.psychnews.org/author/psychiatric-news-alert) 3/8/24 12:00 AM APA’s Good Faith Estimates Survey: Please Respond Today The No Surprises Act requires clinicians to... [ Read more ](https://alert.psychnews.org/2024/03/mirtazapine-and-vitamin-b6-may-be-best.html) [![](https://alert.psychnews.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/diversity_abstract_iStock-916197382_edited-Jun-24-2025-03-46-24-6321-PM.jpg?height=200&name=diversity_abstract_iStock-916197382_edited-Jun-24-2025-03-46-24-6321-PM.jpg) ](https://alert.psychnews.org/2023/08/respondents-to-apa-poll-express.html) [ketamine](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/ketamine), [genetic testing](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/genetic-testing), [artificial intelligence](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/artificial-intelligence), [brain imaging](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/brain-imaging), [APA survey](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/apa-survey), [psychedelic drugs](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/psychedelic-drugs), [climate change](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/climate-change), [psychiatric innovation](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/psychiatric-innovation), [gun violence.](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/gun-violence-), [and deep brain stimulation](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/and-deep-brain-stimulation) ## [Respondents to APA Poll Express Confidence in Psychiatry as Innovative Field](https://alert.psychnews.org/2023/08/respondents-to-apa-poll-express.html) ![Picture of Psychiatric News Alert](https://alert.psychnews.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Psych%20News%20Email%20Banners/PN-Blue-Box_rgb.png?width=50&name=PN-Blue-Box_rgb.png) [Psychiatric News Alert](https://alert.psychnews.org/author/psychiatric-news-alert) 6/24/24 11:16 AM [ Read more ](https://alert.psychnews.org/2023/08/respondents-to-apa-poll-express.html) [![](https://alert.psychnews.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/college-book-Jun-24-2025-03-40-19-8777-PM.gif?height=200&name=college-book-Jun-24-2025-03-40-19-8777-PM.gif) ](https://alert.psychnews.org/2015/02/high-numbers-of-students-entering.html) [depression](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/depression), [college mental health](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/college-mental-health), [students](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/students) ## [High Numbers of Students Entering College Report Poor Emotional Health in Previous Year](https://alert.psychnews.org/2015/02/high-numbers-of-students-entering.html) ![Picture of Psychiatric News Alert](https://alert.psychnews.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Psych%20News%20Email%20Banners/PN-Blue-Box_rgb.png?width=50&name=PN-Blue-Box_rgb.png) [Psychiatric News Alert](https://alert.psychnews.org/author/psychiatric-news-alert) 6/24/24 11:16 AM Record numbers of students entering college are self-reporting poor emotional health, according to... 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