Most women in Britain are unaware that menopause can affect mental health. A 2026 YouGov survey found that only 28% of British women know that menopause can cause new mental health conditions such as depression or anxiety. However, research across Europe shows that 55% of women report psychological symptoms during the menopause, with Swedish and German data showing similarly high rates of moderate to severe symptoms. Perimenopause can increase the risk of first major depression by 30% and increase the likelihood of manic episodes in people with bipolar disorder.
Meanwhile, personal stories like Sonja Rincho’s underscore how hormonal shifts are often misdiagnosed as standard depression or lifestyle stress, leading to years of ineffective use of antidepressants. The education gap is especially wide among minority groups; 88% of black women in a UCL survey reported not receiving menopause education at school.
Nearly 1 in 12 women feel discriminated against at work due to menopausal symptoms. More than a third of employees report negative impacts on their professional lives, but only 24% feel comfortable discussing this topic with their managers.
The creation of AI tools like Menotracker allows women to track hormonal symptoms and generate data-driven reports for their doctors to ensure a more accurate diagnosis.
Training on menopause and mental health risks is needed for all medical and psychiatric professionals. Nevertheless, improved workplace policies to support menopausal workers underscore a cultural shift to destigmatize the conversation and move away from outdated medical research that historically ignored women’s unique biology.
