Episode 10: Hormones & Mental Health

Hormones don’t just affect your period, fertility, or hot flashes. They deeply impact your mood, motivation, mental clarity, and resilience. In this episode, we dive into how hormonal changes — from PMS to perimenopause — can influence anxiety, depression, irritability, and more.

We'll talk about:

• How estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone influence neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine, and GABA
• Why so many women are prescribed SSRIs when what they may need is hormone evaluation and support
• The mental health toll of hormonal transitions like PMS, PMDD, PCOS, postpartum, perimenopause, and menopause
• The difference between treating symptoms with medications vs. getting to the root cause
• Treatment options, including progesterone, estradiol, and testosterone — and how they can support mood and cognition
• How to advocate for testing and treatment if you’re feeling dismissed or gaslit about your symptoms

Whether you're 25 or 55, this episode gives you the language, validation, and information to take control of your mental and hormonal health.

Resources & References:

• ACOG: Mental Health Conditions Common in Perimenopause
• JAMA Psychiatry (2020): SSRI Prescriptions in Midlife Women
• NIH: Hormones and Mood in Women
• VHA (2024): HRT and Suicide Risk Reduction in Midlife Women
• Endocrine Society: Hormones and Mental Health
• The Centre for Menstrual Cycle and Ovulation Research
• Postpartum Support International
• PMDD: IAPMD - International Association for Premenstrual Disorders

Want to connect?

• Book a Free Discovery Call or Consult if you're in DE or MD at www.offcoastwellness.com
• IG, FB, TikTok: @offcoastwellness