BJPsych Bulletin article ‘Severe mental illness and the perimenopause’
The BJPsych Bulletin has published an open access special article by Sophie Behrman and Claire Crockett discussing the physical and psychological symptoms caused by the hormonal fluctuations during perimenopause, and what that means for those with pre-existing mental disorders – including risk of poorer long-term outcomes in menopause.
Chair of the Royal College of Psychiatrist’s Women and Mental Health Special Interest Group (WMHSIG), Dr Stella Kingett is in support of the special article and says:
“Severe mental illness and the menopause is an important topic and both as WMHSIG Chair and a community psychiatrist in Assertive Outreach I am very pleased that this article has received well-deserved attention. Women’s needs are still often ‘invisible’ due to the data and knowledge gap and assumptions that the standard model for a person is male.
“Patients with severe mental illness and particularly women with severe mental illness can be similarly overlooked. There are biological and psychological aspects to the menopause that may be more complicated for women with severe mental illness. And yet, to quote Germaine Greer, ‘the climacteric marks the end of apologising. The chrysalis of conditioning has once and for all to break and the female woman finally to emerge’.
“Successfully navigating the menopause may have positive aspects for all women, including our patients, but to help our patients navigate it we need to remember that it happens and to be aware of the evidence base.”
As we celebrate International Women’s Day and #InspireInclusion we must consider how we can include all women and the complexities of wellbeing.
Look at our BJPsych portfolio free access collection of articles relating to women’s health.