How Depression Of Women Affects Mental Health

According to studies, there are more or less 17 million Americans who are suffering
from depression annually. Majority of these cases are women. Persistently, it was
stated that women suffer more depression than men in terms of time, duration and
severity. Depression in women or in men affects their mental health and disregards
some of the most important factors in their lives. With increased rates of
depressive behavior in women, it may be concluded that it is because of social and
biological differences.

Depression is not your ordinary blues. Being sad because of some event that
happened in your life is ordinary. You mourn in a burial and that would be
acceptable. After appropriate time, you�ll get over it. But, depression is another
thing. It affects a person totality in terms of life, body mind and work. It drives
a person to NOT do the things he or she normally do, thus affecting the facts of
daily living.

What happens in depression?

Once a person becomes depressed, some chemicals in the brain decreases which may
cause some of the nerve in the brain to work in a slower pace. Reduction of
chemicals inside the brain is the cause of depression. True depression can result
to a stress which may reflect on how a person manipulates his life and the people
around him or her.

Aside from being depressed, women can also be the bearer of associated conditions
like anxiety, stress and eating disorders. In men, they tend to have depression
that can be connected with antisocial behaviors, alcoholism, OC personalities and
self-centeredness.

Why women?

Because of the effects of their premenstrual syndrome. When premenstrual syndrome

occurs, women become depressed within the week of the actual menstrual cycle. There
are about 3-5 percentage of women who experience depression due to the menstrual
due to the regulation in hormones happening inside the women�s body. Women may also
feel depressed because of menopause, infertility and miscarriage. Compared to men,
women, especially those who are already married, tend to suffer increased
depression. Older women can be at risk for danger which can lead to fractures just
because of depression.

What is PMDD?

If the depression becomes severe and anxiety gets involved, it becomes more severe
which may lead to PMDD or premenstrual dysphoric cycle. PMDD is a disorder that can
be debilitating and requires immediate treatment.

Depressive risk-factors

� Sexual or physical abuse during childhood

� Contraceptives especially those that has a very high content in progesterone

� Stress

� Loss of support from family, friends and loved-ones

� Mood disorders in the family

� Parent death before reaching the age of 10

In order to eliminate depression, one must know the symptoms which include:
decreased in attention with the usual activities, moody, feelings of hopelessness,
worthlessness, and guilt, too much or not enough sleep, weight gain or loss,
constant fatigue, disturbances in behavior and thoughts of killing oneself.

The good new is, depression can somehow be treated and has an 80 percent chance of
stability although, when unrecognized, depression will never find its way out of
someone�s system. Some of the most common treatments for depression are hormone
replacement therapy and other medications that can lessen toxins which causes
depressive state. Upon recognizing that you already are being depressed and can no
longer handle it, to attain mental health, you must go to your psychiatrist and ask
for treatment.