Women, Hormones, and Mental Health

Are you experiencing mood swings, food cravings, fatigue, irritability, depression and or anxiety? If you are a woman these can be signs and symptoms of PMS or changes in your hormones. Women are more likely to have mental health issues because they linked to hormonal changes. Dr. Allyce K. Jones, is a psychiatric/mental health nurse practitioner specializing in women’s mental health. She is especially interested in treating women during reproductive transitions including with mental health symptoms premenstrually, in pregnancy and the postpartum period, and during perimenopause. Dr. Jones will address the significant mental health challenges for women through the life cycle of changes in hormones from puberty to menopause. She reports that changes in hormones can be a "high stakes" time women's mental health. During puberty young women have double the rates of depression as young men. Dr. Jones states this is because during hormonal fluctuation the brain is more sensitive. She will talk about connections between hormonal changes and rates of depression and anxiety. Dr. Jones shares how important it is to track symptoms, cycles, and sleep. She reports that many women she their mental health issues as a weakness that is part of changes in hormones. Dr. Jones reports there is hope with hormonal treatments, psychotropic medications, and counseling on the risks and benefits of medication during these challenging times. She will share with us interventions to improve mental health including; diet, sleep, light therapy, self-care, and support networks. It is important for each woman to make a plan for her own personal mental wellness. As a psychiatric nurse practitioner she will share how the brain reacts to hormonal changes and what we can do about to address areas of physical, emotional, and social well-being through all the seasons of a woman's life. Dr. Jones owns Felicity Women's Center in South Jordan, Utah and offers psychiatric diagnostic exams, medication management, and brief psychotherapy for women throughout Utah and Wyoming via telehealth.

You can listen to Women, Hormones, and Mental Health online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

Women, Hormones, and Mental Health is an episode from Wellness Wisdom by Camille Kennard.

This episode is 50:50 long.

This episode was published on Apr 5, 2020.

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