Dr. Bergink, a leading expert in women's mental health, joins the podcast to unpack the complex links between perimenopause and mental health, including new-onset or worsening depression, anxiety, panic attacks, brain fog, sleep disruption, and irritability driven by hormone fluctuations rather than simply low estrogen. Discussion surrounds evidence-based insights on distinguishing hot flashes from panic, the real benefits and limits of hormone therapy (HRT) versus SSRIs or CBT-I, myths about testosterone and surgical menopause, elevated risks in bipolar disorder, and why cognitive changes are usually temporary.