Family shares story of 'supermum' after tragic menopause mental health decline
Paul has raised money for The Menopause Charity at this year's London Marathon(Image: Davies family)The family of Carys Davies are speaking out to support other women who might be experiencing similar struggles. The 63-year-old environmental health officer from Nantgaredig in Carmarthenshire is fondly remembered by loved ones as sociable and outgoing with a silly sense of humour.The mother-of-three passed away in May 2025. Her family said she took her own life after her mental health deteriorated during the menopause, reports Wales Online.Her daughter Alys explained: "If you break your leg or have a heart attack there are treatments in place. There are less obvious symptoms with your mental health but it should be treated in the same way because it is an illness."Carys spent her entire life in Carmarthenshire, where her parents also resided. Relatives recall her warmth, compassionate character, and infectious laughter."My mum was a very outgoing person, funny, social, very silly sense of humour, always incredibly stylish and I'd say her biggest trait was her care," Alys reflected."Her passion was being a mum and that's the thing she cherished the most. She had this great nature of putting others ahead of her and effortlessly being an absolute supermum."Paul Davies and his wife Carys Davies who died in May last year(Image: Davies family)Yet, like countless women, when Carys entered the menopause, anxieties and concerns that had once been controllable spiralled out of control. She found herself unable to sleep properly, overthinking constantly, and her anxiety intensified dramatically."My mum felt isolated with it and even with us, who aren't suffering with the same anxiety, it's hard to feel like you aren't alone sometimes," Alys said."Women can often carry a lot of anxiety and tend to worry and stress about things. She was always known to be a worrier and I think the menopause around that time it's with a shift of hormonal change, the symptoms worsened and were far more heightened and became unmanageable."Alys is convinced that earlier management of her mum's symptoms could have made a difference. She argues there needs to be greater awareness from the peri-menopausal stage onwards, and GPs require better training on the distinctions between ageing in women and men.She went on: "I think for my mum's case and many other women it's two things with women - they either say nothing and carry their weight silently, or they try and express it and we get tarnished with the menopausal women who complain."My mum's death was not something we ever expected, ever worried about, ever feared for the future and it just shows the depths of which mental health can take over and become unmanageable for the normal folk."Did you know you can make ChronicleLive a preferred source... Here's more information about what this means and how to do it - you can also do it straight away by clicking here.Sadly, research indicates that Carys' experience is far from isolated. Approximately one in six women experience suicidal thoughts during this life stage, with suicide rates peaking amongst women between 45 and 50 years old.Alys added: "I see it as my mum being incredibly brave because it's unimaginable she could do that and would never have wanted to do that. We are a lovely family and it shows the depth that your suffering can take you.The Davies family are raising awareness of menopause and mental health(Image: Davies family)"It's about brushing off the stigma of both mental health and the menopause, and encouraging people to talk about both those things."In a remarkable tribute to his late wife, Carys' husband Paul Davies, 69, has taken on the challenge of running the London Marathon to raise funds for The Menopause Charity. A keen runner, Paul has never tackled anything quite so demanding before, according to daughter Alys, who acknowledged that competing in honour of her mother represented an entirely new test for him.Paul said: "This is not an easy story to tell. But if sharing what happened to Carys helps another woman or another family, then it is the right thing to do. We miss her every day."The Menopause Charity works to raise awareness and deliver reliable information and support, with the aim of helping more people across Wales and the wider UK to understand the impact menopause can have on mental health, while encouraging open conversations between women and their loved ones.Alys said: "The charity allows women to feel there's a platform they can symptom check that is evidence-based because they are doing the research to back it up."There's a lot of differing information when it comes to HRT for example so it's having that one place and platform people can get their information safely."This is something I felt reached to many woman and not just my mum."If you're struggling and need to talk, the Samaritans operate a free helpline open 24/7 on 116 123. Alternatively, you can email jo@samaritans.org or visit their site to find your local branch
