As women, we’re often masters of juggling. Careers, caring for family, managing households, and nurturing relationships — we do it all. But when perimenopause enters the picture, the challenges can deepen, and for many, so can feelings of anxiety, sadness, or overwhelm.
Perimenopause is the natural transition leading up to menopause, when the body gradually winds down its reproductive hormones. While this is a normal life phase, it can bring about not just physical changes, but also a wave of emotional and mental health shifts that often catch women by surprise.
The hidden toll on mental health
Recent research highlights a sobering truth: women going through perimenopause are significantly more likely to experience mental health challenges compared to women not in this life stage. In fact, two out of three women who are dealing with mental health struggles during perimenopause are also battling anxiety or depression specific to this hormonal transition.
This is more than just mood swings. Perimenopausal anxiety and depression are real, medically-recognised conditions, closely tied to the hormonal changes occurring in the body. These fluctuations — along with poor sleep, changes in identity, and the stresses of midlife — can deeply affect emotional well-being.
What’s more, conditions such as ADHD or autism spectrum disorder (ASD), which have often gone unrecognised in women, may become more apparent or feel worse during this time. The hormonal shifts can magnify symptoms, creating even more emotional distress and confusion.
Why support matters
Despite how common and disruptive these experiences are, too many women are facing them alone. According to the Liptember Foundation, only two in five women seek help for their perimenopausal mental health issues. That means most are coping in silence, possibly thinking it's “just part of getting older” or something they need to push through.
But here’s the truth: you don’t have to suffer quietly. And help is available — and effective.
Most women who do seek support start by talking to their GP, with many trying medication as part of their treatment. While these can be helpful, many women also report that exercise and connection with close friends or loved ones have made the biggest positive impact.
You deserve to feel like yourself again
Perimenopause is a biological process, but that doesn’t mean you have to just endure it. If you’re feeling more anxious, more low, or just not quite like yourself — that matters. And it’s valid.
Mental health is health. Just as you’d see a doctor for a broken bone or a persistent cough, reaching out for support with your mental well-being is a sign of strength, not weakness.
Whether it’s speaking with your GP, connecting with a counsellor, joining a support group, moving your body, or leaning on trusted friends — you are not alone, and there are pathways to feeling better.
Let’s change the conversation
It’s time we normalised talking about perimenopause and mental health — with our friends, families, workplaces, and especially our healthcare providers. When we open up, we not only help ourselves — we give permission to other women to do the same.
Your mental health matters. You are not “just hormonal.” You are going through a real, complex, and deeply personal transformation. And you deserve to be supported through it.
Find out more about our mental health programs: Mental health services – St John of God Health Care.
Source
Beyond the Surface: Investigating the Mental Health Realities for Australian Women in 2025, Liptember Foundation
