Carys Davies went from being ‘outgoing, funny and social’ to anxious and stresses during menopause
Kirstie McCrum and Bryana Francis
08:30, 27 Apr 2026Updated 08:31, 27 Apr 2026
Paul has raised money for The Menopause Charity at this year’s London Marathon(Image: Davies family)
A woman who was ‘outgoing, funny and social’ in life suffered a dramatic decline in her mental health during menopause and took her own life.
Carys Davies has been referred to by her heartbroken family as ‘supermum’ as they share her story in the hope of helping other women who may be experiencing similar struggles. The 63-year-old environmental health officer from Nantgaredig in Carmarthenshire is fondly remembered by her loved ones as an outgoing, sociable woman with a wonderfully daft sense of humour.
The mother-of-three passed away in May 2025. Her family revealed she took her own life following a deterioration in her mental health during the menopause, reports Wales Online.
Her daughter Alys said: “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 lived. Her family cherish memories of her warmth, her caring nature, and her 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,” said Alys.
Paul Davies and his wife Carys Davies who died in May last year(Image: Davies family)
“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.”
Sadly, as is the case for many women, when Carys entered the menopause, the anxieties and worries that had previously been manageable began to overwhelm her entirely. She struggled to sleep, found herself overthinking, and her anxiety worsened considerably. “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 added.
“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 believes earlier management of her mum’s symptoms could have made a difference. She feels there needs to be greater awareness from the peri to menopausal stage, and that GPs require better education around the distinctions between the ageing woman and the ageing man.
She continued: “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.”
Sadly, research demonstrates that Carys’ story is far from isolated. Approximately one in six women experience suicidal thoughts during this phase of life, with suicide rates reaching their peak amongst women aged 45 to 50.
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.
“It’s about brushing off the stigma of both mental health and the menopause, and encouraging people to talk about both those things.”
The Davies family are raising awareness of menopause and mental health(Image: Davies family)
In a remarkable show of determination, Carys’ husband has taken on a monumental challenge – tackling the London Marathon to raise funds for The Menopause Charity.
Paul Davies, 69, has always been a keen runner, though his daughter Alys admitted he had never pushed himself quite like this before, describing running in honour of his late wife as an entirely new undertaking.
Paul added: “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 offers trusted information and guidance. The charity is eager for more people across Wales and the wider UK to grasp how the menopause can impact mental health, and to help women and their partners feel more at ease discussing the menopause and supporting each other.
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.”
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