Mental Health of Women in Midlife and Beyond

Of all the ontogenetic periods in a woman's life, the premenopausal and postmenopausal periods are characterized by multitasking and duration. The period of hormonal changes is characterized by stable dynamics, which increases the vulnerability of women to stressful events and causes the development of mental and somatic disorders. This chapter presents the results of a study of the sociopsychological and clinical features of the formation of nonpsychotic mental disorders in women aged 40–65 years living in the region of Western Siberia. The factors determining the subjective well-being of women and the dynamics of their mental health are analyzed. It has been shown that the most vulnerable to stress are patients who are fixated on age-related changes and are overly immersed in pessimistic thoughts regarding lost appearance, the futility of the future, and the pointlessness of doing anything to improve the situation (study I). Three types of response to psychogenia in menopausal women with hysterical manifestations are described: anxious-depressive, somato-hypochondriacal, and psychopathic (study II). The presence of a chronic mood disorder in the form of bipolar affective disorder aggravates the social adaptation of women at menopausal age; in 44.6% of cases, this is facilitated by comorbid mental disorders (study III). A comparative study shows gender differences in adverse effects (metabolic syndrome, hyperprolactinemia) when prescribing antipsychotic therapy for schizophrenia (study IV). The differences and consequences of alcohol dependence in women of two populations – Russian and Tuvan nationalities – are shown, confirming the higher prevalence of psychotic forms of alcoholism during the first five years and negative social consequences in patients of Tuvan nationality (study VI). A clinical and psychological multilevel (individual, family, and social) model is presented, based on the interaction of mentally ill individuals, their families, individuals from the general population, and mental health, reflecting the main factors influencing the formation of anti-relapse behavior (study V). Its implementation will improve psychological literacy, develop new behavioral competencies of patients and their families, reduce the possibility of relapse of mental illness, and improve the quality of life of mentally ill patients and their families, as well as reduce the risk of developing mental health problems among the population as a whole. Public health serves as a crucial indicator of a society's well-being and is closely tied to its overall quality. In evaluating public health, demographic indicators are coupled with measures of illness and disability. Of notable significance is the examination of incidence rates within specific age groups and the prevalence of socially significant mental disorders.