Can Menopause Cause First-Time Anxiety? What SWAN Found (Menopause)
Can you develop anxiety for the first time in perimenopause, when you never had it before? The Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN) suggests yes. Researchers followed 2,956 women for 10 years and measured anxiety as a cluster of four symptoms: irritability, tension, fearfulness and a racing heart. Women with low anxiety at premenopause were more likely to report high anxiety at early or late perimenopause or postmenopause than at premenopause (odds ratios 1.56 to 1.61), and the finding held after accounting for upsetting life events, financial strain, perceived health and vasomotor symptoms. The women who were already highly anxious stayed anxious but were not at increased risk at any particular stage, which is what makes first-onset the distinct signature. The study authors concluded that women with low anxiety before menopause may be more susceptible to high anxiety during and after the transition.
Where this fits: I Was Never an Anxious Person: Why Now? (First-Time Anxiety Explainer)
Claims this source supports
- In the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN), 2,956 women were followed for 10 years; anxiety was measured as a cluster of four symptoms (irritability, tension, fearfulness, racing heart).
- Women with low anxiety at baseline were more likely to report high anxiety symptoms at early or late perimenopause or postmenopause than at premenopause (odds ratio 1.56-1.61), independent of upsetting life events, financial strain, perceived health, and vasomotor symptoms.
- Women with high anxiety at baseline remained anxious but were not at increased risk at specific transition stages – the first-onset pattern is the distinct signature.
- Conclusion (study authors): women with low anxiety at premenopause may be more susceptible to high anxiety during and after the menopausal transition.