Content advisory: this episode contains themes of suicide 

In this moving conversation, Dr Louise Newson speaks with Samantha Wade about the powerful but often misunderstood link between hormones and mental health.

Samantha shares her story of sudden anxiety, insomnia and depression at 49, and how years of treatment focused only on medication left her struggling to understand what was really happening. After a suicide attempt and time spent in psychiatric care, she finally discovered the hormonal connection that had been missed all along.

Dr Louise and Samantha discuss how perimenopause can deeply affect emotional wellbeing, why these symptoms are still so often dismissed and what happens when women start to advocate for themselves.

It’s an honest, eye-opening conversation that challenges long-held assumptions and shines a light on the role of hormones in mental health.

In the UK, you can contact Samaritans 24/7 at 116 123 or visit samaritans.org. If you're outside the UK, please reach out to a local crisis support service or emergency medical help.

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