Majority of women unaware menopause can trigger new mental illness

Four in five adults do not know menopause can trigger a new mental illness, a poll has revealed.

A YouGov poll, commissioned by the Royal College of Psychiatrists to highlight the lack of awareness and stigma associated with the menopause, also revealed that only 21% of adult women in the UK know a new mental illness can be linked to the menopause.

That’s in comparison to 81% of people associating the menopause with hot flushes, 74% with mood changes and 64% with a reduced sex drive.

Just over one in four women (28%) said they feel comfortable speaking to a male boss about menopause.

This lack of knowledge has meant many women are not seeking or receiving the vital help they need.

Royal College of Psychiatrists president Dr Lade Smith said: “Menopause can have a significant yet often overlooked impact on women’s mental health and wellbeing. Women account for 51 per cent of the population, and all will experience menopause at some point. This is a societal issue for everyone. Simply put, we must do better.”

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Source: The Independent, 2 March 2026

Further reading on the hub:

• Menopause and mental health: Implications for clinical practice, services and policy (RCPYSCH, March 2026)
• “It’s not menopause, you’re too young and don’t have the right symptoms"—the difficulties accessing menopause support and treatment
• Raising awareness of surgical menopause