How Psychedelic Medicine Helped My Menopausal Depression

I turned to psychedelic medicine for treatment of menopausal depression after years of trying antidepressants and hormone therapy. My depression finally lifted.

MENOPAUSAL DEPRESSION TREATMENTMENOPAUSAL DEPRESSION

Kennerly Clay

7/3/20242 min read

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Can psychedelic medicine work for menopause depression?

Menopausal depression is a reality for many women, and traditional treatments don’t always provide relief.

Menopause and mental health issues led me to explore alternative therapies, including psychedelic medicine, which brought profound changes to my mental health. Depression in menopause can be incredibly overwhelming. I know, because I experienced extreme fatigue, irritability, and a deep sense of joylessness which, combined, were often debilitating, affecting my daily life, relationships, friendships and work.

Despite trying various treatments, including antidepressants and therapy, I felt trapped in a cycle of despair that lasted for years, from the onset of perimenopause when I was around 46 years old right up into my early 50s.

If you or someone you know is in crisis, please call 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in the United States.

Discovering psychedelic medicine

My turning point came when I read Michael Pollan’s How to Change Your Mind: : What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression, and Transcendence and learned about the potential of psychedelic medicine for treating depression. Intrigued, I decided to try ketamine therapy through Mindbloom.com. The experience was transformative. As a result of my six-week session, I experienced a deep sense of connection and integration, which helped lift the heavy fog of depression.

Ketamine therapy for menopause depression

Ketamine therapy for depression brought moments of profound connectedness I had been missing as I struggled for so long with existential depression, a daily sense of hopelessness and lack of interest in any aspect of life. (This, in spite of the fact that I had a "great" life - like meaningful work and hobbies, good relationships with my friends and family.) I felt hopeful and experienced creative expansion, which reignited my passion for writing and other pursuits. The therapy helped me reconnect with myself and the world around me, providing a much-needed respite from the existential woe that had plagued me for years.

Psychedelic medicine, particularly ketamine therapy, may be able to offer a new lease on life for those struggling with menopausal depression. Of course, talk with a trusted provider, do your own research, and explore available options to find what works best for you. For me, this journey was about finding hope and reconnecting with the joy of living.

And it worked.

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Ketamine therapy helped me reconnect with myself and the world around me, providing a much-needed respite from the existential woe that had plagued me for years.