The difference between depression and menopause

Depression and menopause have completely different symptoms. Depression is a mental illness that can cause patients to be too depressed, have pessimistic thinking, and even lack initiative. Diet and sleep quality will deteriorate. Patients with menopausal syndrome often feel hot and hot flashes, often sweat easily, feel tired, and experience drowsiness.

Symptoms and signs of depression

Depression is a common mental illness, the main manifestations of which are low mood, decreased interest, pessimism, slow thinking, lack of initiative, self-blame and guilt, poor diet and sleep, worry about suffering from various diseases, feeling discomfort in many parts of the body, and in severe cases, suicidal thoughts and behaviors.

1. Depressed mood

The main manifestations are significant and persistent low mood, depression and pessimism. In mild cases, people feel unhappy, have no sense of pleasure, and have a loss of interest. In severe cases, people feel extremely distressed, pessimistic and hopeless, and feel that each day is like a year worse than death. The depressed mood of typical patients has a rhythmic change from heavier in the morning to lighter at night. On the basis of depressed mood, patients will have lowered self-evaluation, and develop feelings of uselessness, hopelessness, helplessness and worthlessness, often accompanied by self-blame and guilt. In severe cases, they will have delusions of guilt and hypochondria, and some patients may experience hallucinations.

2. Slow thinking

The patient's thinking and association are slow, his reaction is unsuccessful, his train of thought is blocked, and he feels that his "brain is like a rusty machine" and "his brain is like covered with a layer of paste." Clinically, active speech decreases, speech speed slows down significantly, voice becomes deep, and conversation becomes difficult. In severe cases, communication cannot proceed smoothly.

Symptoms and signs of menopause The most typical symptoms of menopausal syndrome are hot flashes and flushes. Menopausal syndrome mostly occurs between the ages of 45 and 55. 90% of women may experience symptoms of varying severity. Some people begin to experience symptoms during the menopausal transition period and the symptoms last for 2 to 3 years after menopause. For a few people, the symptoms may not be alleviated or disappear until 5 to 10 years after menopause. Women who undergo artificial menopause often experience menopausal syndrome 2 weeks after the operation, which peaks 2 months after the operation and lasts for 2 years.

1. Menstrual changes Changes in the menstrual cycle are the earliest clinical symptoms of perimenopause. There are three types:

(1) The menstrual cycle becomes longer, the menstrual volume decreases, and eventually menopause occurs.

(2) Irregular menstrual cycles, prolonged menstrual periods, increased menstrual flow, and even heavy or continuous bleeding, which then gradually decreases and stops.

(3) Sudden cessation of menstruation is less common. Because the ovaries do not ovulate, estrogen levels fluctuate, making endometrial cancer more likely to occur. For patients with abnormal bleeding, a diagnostic curettage should be performed to rule out malignant transformation.

2. Vasomotor symptoms are mainly manifested as hot flashes and sweating, which are manifestations of unstable vasomotor function and the most prominent characteristic symptoms of menopausal syndrome. It can occur in about 3/4 of women who experience natural menopause or artificial menopause. Hot flashes start in the chest, move to the head and neck, and then spread throughout the body. In a few women, hot flashes are only confined to the head, neck, and breasts. Patients experience burning sensation and redness of the skin in the area of ​​the flush, followed by explosive sweating. The duration varies from a few seconds to several minutes, and the frequency of attacks ranges from several times to 30 to 50 times a day. It is easily triggered at night or under stress. This vascular instability can last for 1 year, sometimes up to 5 years or longer.