Like you, I have never been a big meat eater. That might have been a factor in me needing to be treated, twice in my life, for anemia. You need to be concerned about getting enough Vitamin B12, which is not obtainable from any fruits or vegetables. Lack of B12 can cause anemia that does not respond to iron supplements.

It might not be a bad idea to start taking a multivitamin on a daily basis. Doctors seem to generally support that. I think it provides some insurance that I get things that might not be in my diet in sufficient quantities. I just get the store's generic version, which is inexpensive. Since taking a daily vitamin tablet, I have not needed to be treated for anemia.

It is very difficult to tell what is due to what. I've had emotional turmoil since childhood, but it does seem that it got worse when I became peri-menopausal. I have no idea if they are related. Taking hormones did help tremendously with the hot flashes, but did nothing for me otherwise. I've even read that HRT can exacerbate depression. Plus, they are expensive.

Mainly, I think you really need to get the anemia resolved. It might not be the cause of your mental state, but it certainly could make it worse. Not having insurance is tough, but I hope you can afford to get your blood checked to tell if you need to continue the iron, or not. Too much iron can nourish bad bacteria in the gut and be toxic in other ways. I hope you get to feeling better.