A heartbroken husband has issued an emotive tribute to his beloved wife after she took her own life amid struggles with perimenopause. Danielle Moore, frontwoman of the band Crazy P, was struck by a train in Kings Heath, Birmingham.
The 52-year-old died by suicide on August 30 last year after the perimenopause, including sleep troubles, had a “more than minimal impact” on her mental health. The musician was also ‘exhausted’ from a summer of intense work that saw her perform across Europe and worldwide, Birmingham Coroner’s Court heard today, January 16.
Her partner of a decade, James Ensell described her as a “unique and remarkable woman” who captivated her fans during her performances over the years. In a statement released after the inquest, Mr Ensell took the opportunity to raise awareness of the devastating impact the “little talked about” symptoms can have on women.
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Reacting to the coroner’s conclusion of suicide, he said: “Although the conclusion was expected, it is still confronting. We are still reeling from her loss and cannot comprehend that she is gone. Whilst we will never fully understand why Danielle took her life, we know that how she died bears no relation to who she was in life.
“Danielle cared deeply about the well-being of others and the world in which she lived. She was pained by social injustice and the impact of consumerism. She was an empath, instinctively compassionate and loyal, nurturing the truest of connections with the people in her life. The image of human kindness and generosity of spirit.”
There was an outpouring of love from Danielle’s fans after her unexpected death
(Image: John Myers)
Danielle had a history of suicide attempts dating back to the late 90s and 2010, but had overcome her mental health issues and “wanted to keep living,” her partner continued. He said: “We also know that Danielle would never have wanted her outcome for anyone else. She overcame two periods of significant mental ill-health in the distant past and was so grateful that she did.
“With support and treatment, Danielle came through what had seemed, at those times, to be intolerable and wanted to keep on living.” Danielle’s cause of death was recorded as multiple injuries as the court heard she would have died “instantly” from the train strike.
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Mr Ensell added: “We would like to take this opportunity to highlight the prevalence of neurological and psychiatric symptoms during the perimenopause; something which is well known within the scientific community, but is little talked about. They say that to be forewarned is to be forearmed, so if any good can come from Danielle’s death, perhaps it will be increased awareness and understanding of the impact that the perimenopause can have on women’s mental health.”
Menopause and perimenopause symptoms can have a big impact on your daily life, including relationships, social life, family life and work. It can feel different for everyone. You may have a number of symptoms or none.
Symptoms usually start months or years before your periods stop. This is called the perimenopause, the NHS website says
Mental health symptoms
Common mental health symptoms of menopause and perimenopause include:
- changes to your mood, like low mood, anxiety, mood swings and low self-esteem
- problems with memory or concentration (brain fog)
Physical symptoms
Common physical symptoms of menopause and perimenopause include:
- hot flushes, when you have sudden feelings of hot or cold in your face, neck and chest which can make you dizzy
- difficulty sleeping, which may be a result of night sweats and make you feel tired and irritable during the day
- palpitations, when your heartbeats suddenly become more noticeable
- headaches and migraines that are worse than usual
- muscle aches and joint pains
- changed body shape and weight gain
- skin changes including dry and itchy skin
- reduced sex drive
- vaginal dryness and pain, itching or discomfort during sex
- recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs)
- sensitive teeth, painful gums or other mouth problems
He also thanked the many fans who came to see her perform over the years, enabling her to “do what she loved.” Addressing her fans, he continued: “She was as captivated by you as you were by her. We would also like to thank everyone for their words of kindness since Danielle’s death. The outpouring of love and support has been overwhelming.
He added: “We will never get over a loss as significant, shocking and sudden as Danielle’s. We won’t move on after such a loss, but we must move with. Some things in life are broken and cannot be fixed, they can only be carried.
“As we continue to grieve for this unique and remarkable woman, we try to remind ourselves that our love came first. We grieve because of love. And we couldn’t have loved her more.”