Women have increased risk of Bipolar Disorder when headed towards Menopause: Study
Women more susceptible to develop bipolar disorder than men
More number of women are likely to develop bipolar disorder in the years leading up to menopause, according to a recent UK study. The study analysed more than 100,000 women for four years around their menopause years to conclude that their chances of developing bipolar disorder had significantly risen.
There was a 112 per cent increase in bipolar during perimenopause and depressive disorder increased by 30 per cent. Perimenopause is the period when a woman has symptoms of menopause such as anxiety, mood swings and brain fog.
Women have higher chances of developing Bipolar Disorder towards Menopause years
The study was led by Professor Arianna Di Florio, of Cardiff University who said, “During perimenopause, approximately 80 per cent of people develop symptoms, but the impact on the onset of severe mental illness was unknown.”
She added, “I feel a duty towards the women I work with. I wanted to provide them and other women with the answers to why this terrible thing happened to them.”
This study can help women who were previously left in the dark without any conclusive evidence for these sudden body changes. It was published in the journal Nature Mental Health and was conducted in collaboration with the charity Bipolar UK and the UK Biobank.
She added, "Research like this is vital, as women experience these profound changes in their lives and bodies and are currently let down by the lack of detailed understanding of these changes. We have been able to expand our knowledge of the mental health changes associated with perimenopause, which can help provide explanations, diagnoses and support for women who have previously been left in the dark about what is happening to them."
What is Bipolar Disorder?
Bipolar disorder is a mental health condition that affects your moods, which can swing from one extreme to another.
This study will let women understand their bodies and truly get why they fall sick at this time of life. The study suggests that this “knowledge can be life-saving.”
This study is truly important because it is possibly the first time that a large sample has been studied to understand that the menopausal transition has a measurable impact on women's mental health.
