A recent study published in the Journal of Affective Disorders raises alarm about the widespread prescription of antidepressants for post-menopausal women between the ages of 45 and 64.
The research, led by Dana Alsugeir, highlights that women in this age group are more likely than men to be diagnosed with depression and anxietyāand more likely to be prescribed selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs). Despite recommendations favoring menopausal hormone therapy (MHT), antidepressants remain the most commonly prescribed treatment for mental health disorders in post-menopausal women. The findings have renewed concerns about the physical risks associated with these drugs.
The authors write:
“Only a small percentage of women were prescribed MHT after a diagnosis of depression or anxiety. We found that MHT was prescribed for 2.94 % of women aged 45ā54 years old who had a record of CMHD. Women in this age group may experience mood symptoms arising from or coinciding with the menopausal transition. NICE guidelines recommend the prescribing of MHT for mood symptoms during menopausal transition and do not recommend the prescribing of SSRIs/SNRIs medications unless there is an underlying depressive disorder.”
Given the physical challenges that accompany menopause, critics argue that antidepressants may do more harm than good for many women, urging healthcare providers to consider alternative treatments. The study’s findings fuel ongoing debates about the over-medicalization of mental health, particularly for women, and the failure to adequately address underlying hormonal and contextual factors in their care.
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Canāt argue that taking antidepressants can be risky. Unfortunately hormonal therapy also has risks.
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As an older woman, I’ve found that when asked unnecessarily by some random doctor in a hospital, “Are you depressed,” for no reason (aside from medical / psychiatric averice). I was at the hospital because of a pulled muscle above my heart, which had to do with regular moderate exercise, but nothing to do with “depression.”
It’s best to tell that random hospital doctor, “No,” and then say, “and I’m allergic to the anticholinergic drugs.” This does have a tendency to embarrass the unnecessarily intrusive – and off point – doctor, and cause him to just leave you alone.
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The issue of medications is one of the controversial ones.
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What is CMHD?
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