Statistics reveal that close to 19 million people in America suffer from depressive disorders. An eye-opener to those statistics is the fact that women are twice more likely to be prone to depression than men. More worrisome is the fact that doctors have not been able to decide the cause of depression in women based on their behavioral trends. Therefore, it sometimes becomes difficult to decide when one should contact a mental health treatment center for help
Causes of Depression in Women
Women and men are characteristically different, and it brings out the difference in behavioral patterns across them in different situations. The study of depressive behaviors by women in different situations has thrown up some interesting observations on the causes of women and depression.
Depression During Menopause
Menopause is a period occurring monthly in women after a certain age. This period is accompanied by hormonal changes in the woman’s body. Depressive behavior of women is attributed to the woman’s ability to cope with the hormonal changes in the body due to menopause.
Adolescence Issues
It has been found that girls between the age of 11 and 13 are prone to depression. The statistic goes on to prove that by the age of 15, girls would have had one major depressive episode. This is attributed to changing roles, forming an identity, and emerging sexuality of the girls.
Depression in Adulthood
Adulthood brings along with it responsibilities that women must have to fulfill. These include responsibilities at work and home, responsibilities of parenthood including caring for the child, caring for children and parents. Many women cope with these responsibilities admirably well, but there is a cross-section of women who have reported depressive episodes in them.
Reproductive Changes
Menopause and depression have been attributed as one major cause of depression. This includes the PMS (Pre-Menstrual Syndrome), pregnancy, post-pregnancy, and infertility. Each of these accompanies certain physiological changes in a woman’s body. Scientists are studying the rise and the fall of estrogen, whose presence is important in a woman’s body to control depressive disorders.
Abuse
The fact that women are vulnerable to physical abuse like molestation and sexual assaults makes them prone to depressive behavior. Studies have revealed that close to 30% of women who report depressive behavior have a history of abuse. Of all the factors contributing to depression in women, this is one that can be controlled by women as well as society.
Poverty
Women form close to 50% of the population in the United States of America considered poor. Low economic status brings with it many effects like isolation, uncertainty, and negligible access to resources.
There are many other causes of depression in women, which possibly makes it a difficult case to solve. Doctors could do well by analyzing the correct cause of depression in women and prescribing a treatment accordingly.
Treatment for depression is very important to cure these maladies. Doctors often recommend sedatives as a treatment for depression. It is widely believed that sleep is important for patients with depression as it relaxes the patient’s mind. Antidepressive tablets, such as Restil, are a suitable treatment; however, antidepressive tablets must be taken under medical supervision.
