A: From what we have seen in the stories of real women treated for PMDD, post-partum depression & post-partum psychosis as well as the frequent anxiety, depression, even bipolarity associated with the years surrounding the menopause, both estrogen and low dose testosterone are powerful anti-depressants in their own right, although only when administered expertly.  Tossing a patient crudely on a few estradiol oral pills in standard dosage isn't going to help however. And remember, these hormones, while avoiding the risks & side-effects of psychoactive drugs, are at the same time protecting you from dementia, heart disease & so forth.

I remember some years ago looking up the definition of major depressive disorder (MDD).  The book described major depression as a "psychiatric disorder" characterized by a set of typical symptoms, which it went on to describe in some detail.

Twice as common in hormonally normal women as in men, unipolar depression is triggered by hormonal shifts, is sex-hormone sensitive & hormone-responsive.