I don’t know how to forever banish the voice in my head that tells me I’m a failure. I know who I am. I know what I have to offer the world. On my worst days, none of it matters because I feel like I’m a failure. On my best, I’ll wake with renewed hope and by day’s end am fighting back tears of angst, staring numbly at the wall.

Along with symptoms such as cramps and bloating, getting your period can impact your mental health, whether this is due to hormonal changes or environmental factors. While it might not be possible to eliminate the mental health effects your period can present completely, it is possible to treat them. By being aware of the factors that cause those situational feelings of anxiety, depression and moodiness, you’ll be better equipped to deal with those unwanted feelings when they arrive.

After menopause, there are many emotional and physical conditions that a woman might face. The hormonal changes that occurred during menopause can trigger debilitating emotional and physical conditions after menopause begins. Making lifestyle changes, such as using relaxation techniques, can help to combat any uncomfortable symptoms that occur after menopause. But it is crucial to consult your doctor if postmenopausal symptoms start interfering with your daily tasks or relationships. Read on for seven emotional and physical issues you may experience after menopause.

Tuesday, August 18, will stand as a pink-letter day for women’s sexual health with the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of Addyi (flibanserin), the first drug to treat low sexual desire in women. As one of the investigators who performed studies that ultimately resulted in this action, I am particularly excited about the approval of this medication. I was privileged to be available to present information to the FDA advisory committee that recently voted 18 to 6 to recommend approval to the FDA. The approval of Addyi was a long time coming.

Every Mother, Every Time Suicide is a leading cause of death for women during the first year after childbirth. Currently, care providers, midwives, general and family practitioners are not mandated to screen for symptoms of mental illness, or even family history of mental illness—a known risk factor for developing perinatal (the time around childbirth) mood or anxiety issues. One-in-seven women will experience a mood or anxiety disorder during pregnancy or postpartum, yet nearly 50% remain untreated. In pregnancy, maternal mental illness negatively effects fetal development, and leads to adverse birth outcomes such as low birth weight and premature delivery. Perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs) can impair infant and early childhood cognitive and emotional development. Despite overwhelming empirical evidence, there is no universal mandate for care providers to screen pregnant and postpartum women for depression, anxiety, or family history of mental illness.

It’s true that hormones, like estrogen and progesterone, can and do wreak havoc on women’s mental health. Unfortunately, most of us were never taught the facts of how hormones affect our moods and emotions, facts that can help us take charge of our own mental and emotional health.