It appears that menopause might be characterized by a major feature — change. Research is ongoing in biological, social and psychological areas and hopefully will aid us in achieving a more precise understanding of the characteristics of this subgroup of women at risk for psychiatric morbidity around the time of the menopause. Until the groups surveyed are more stringently defined and we achieve this understanding, it seems reasonable to approach such patients and their experience by individualizing their assessment and management.
References
1.
McKinlayS.M., McKinlayJ.B.Selected studies of the menopause: an annotated bibliography.J Biosoc Sci1973; 5: 553–5.
BrownJ.R.W.Christie, BrownM.E., ChristiePsychiatric disorders associated with the menopause. In: BeardR.J. ed. The menopause.Baltimore: University Park Press,1976.
4.
NeugartenB.L., KrainesR.J.‘Menopausal Symptoms’ in women of various ages.Psychosom Med1965; 27.
5.
KaufertP., SyrotuikJ.Symptom reporting at the menopause.Soc Sci Med1981; 15B: 173–84.
6.
WeissmanM.M., KlermanG.L.Sex differences and the epidemiology of depression.Arch Gen Psychiatry1977; 34: 98–111.
7.
WinokurG.Depression in the menopause.Am J Psychiatry1973; 130(1): 92–3.
8.
WinokurG., CadoretR.The irrelevance of menopause to depressive illness. In: SacharE.J. ed. Topics in psychoneuroendocrinology.New York: Grune and Stratton,1975: 55–66.
9.
AdamopoulosD.A., LoraineJ.A., DoveG.A.Endocrinological studies in women approaching the menopause.The Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology of the British Commonwealth1971; 78: 62–79.
10.
PrangeA.J.Jr, BreeseG.R., WilsonI.C., LiptonM.A.Pituitary and suprapituitary hormones: brain. Behavioural effects. In: SacherE.J. ed. Topics in psychoneuroendocrinology.New York: Grune and Stratton,1975: 105–18.
11.
SacharE.J.Neuroendocrine abnormalities in depressive illness. In: SacharE.J. ed. Topics in psychoneuroendocrinology.New York: Grune and Stratton,1975: 135–56.
12.
CarrollB.J.Psychoendocrine relationships in affective disorders. In: HillO.W. ed. Modern trends in psychosomatic medicine.Boston: Butterworth,1976: 121–53.
13.
EttigiD.G., BrownG.M.Psychoneuroendocrinology of affective disorders: an overview.Am J Psychiatry1977; 134(5): 493–501.
14.
MeltzerH.Y., FangV.S., TricanB.J., RobertsonA., PiyakaS.K.Effect of dexamethasone on plasma proloctin and cortisol levels in psychiatric patients.Am J Psychiatry1982; 139(6): 763–8.
15.
AbramowitzE.S., BakerA.H., FleischerS.F.Onset of depressive psychiatric crisis and the menstrual cycle.Am J Psychiatry1982; 139(4): 475–8.
16.
BirenbaumR.Women reassured when told premenstrual tension is legit.The Medical Post1982; April 20.
17.
CoulamB.Age, estrogens, and the psyche.Clin Obstet Gynecol1981; 24(1): 219–29.
ParleeM.B.Social factors in the psychology of menstruation, birth, and menopause.Primary Care1976; 3(3): 477–90.
20.
RubinL.B.Women of a certain age: the mid-life search for self.New York: Harper and Row,1979.
21.
KaufertP.A.Myth and the menopause.Sociology of Health And Illness1982; 4(2); 141–66.
22.
CarmenE (Hilberman), RussoN.F., MillerJ.B.Inequality and women's mental health: an overview.Am J Psychiatry1981; 138(10): 1319–30.
23.
MunroA.Psychiatric illness in gynecological outpatients: a preliminary study.Br J Psychiatry1969; 115: 807–9.
24.
BallingerC.B.Psychiatric morbidity and the menopause: clinical features.Br Med J1976; 1: 1183–5.
25.
BallingerC.B.Psychiatric morbidity and the menopause: of a gynecological outpatient clinic.Br J Psychiatry1977; 131: 83–9.
26.
MillerJ.B.Toward a new psychology of women.Boston: Beacon Press,1976.
27.
MillerJ.B.Evil women: a consideration of the origins of destructiveness in men and women.Seymour Vestermark Lecture. APA Annual Meeting, May 1982.
28.
TurkelA.R.The power dilemma of women.Am J Psychoanal1980; 40(4): 301–11.
29.
BungayG.T., VesseyM.D., McPhersonC.K.Study of symptoms in middle life with special reference to menopause.Br Med J1980; 281 N6234: 181–3.
30.
JaszmannL.J.B.Epidemiology of the climacteric syndrome. In: CampbellS., ed, The management of the menopause and post menopause years.Baltimore: University Park Press, 1976.
31.
GathD., CooperP., DayA.Hysterectomy and psychiatric disorder: I levels of psychiatric morbidity before and after hysterectomy.Br J Psychiatry1980; 140: 335–42.
32.
GathD., CooperP., BondA., EdmondG.II demographic psychiatric and physical factors in relation to psychiatric outcome.Br J Psychiatry1982; 140: 343–50.
33.
GastelB., Cornoni-HuntleyI., BrodyJ.A.Estrogen use and post-menopausal women: a basis for informed decisions.J Fam Pract1980; 2(6): 851–60.
