Certain characteristics seem to predispose women to depression, and they are classified into three categories. According to Neel Burton (Author of Growing from Depression), there are a biological, a psychological, and a socio-cultural explanations. From a biological point of view, women have a stronger genetic predisposition. They are subjected to fluctuating hormone levels especially around the time of childbirth, and menopause. From a psychological point, there is the ruminative aspect of women, they tend to overthink things. There is also the relationship aspect, which women are generally more invested into. Therefore they are affected by problems. On the socio-cultural aspect, women are more likely to suffer from stress, which is associated
Depression is the most common mental health disorder; it affects over 17 million American adults each year. Depression is a mood disorder characterized by at least four symptoms such as changes in sleep, appetite, weight, and psychomotor activity; decreased energy, feelings of worthlessness or guilt; difficulty thinking, concentrating, or making decisions; or recurrent thoughts of death or suicidal ideation, thoughts or attempts. “Women are approximately two times more likely than men to suffer from major depression” (Research Agenda for Psychosocial and Behavioral Factors in Women’s Health, 1996) and it has been called the most significant mental health risk for women. Women are more likely to suffer from depression during marriage
Depression is a feeling of severe despondency and dejection according to the google dictionary. It first appeared in Mesopotamia, where they believed that depression was a demonic possession and often used priest to attend to patients with depression. The original word for depression was melancholia and it was seen as a mental or spiritual illness rather than a physical one. With the help of great psychologists and psychiatrists such as Emil Kraepelin, Kurt Schneider, and Sigmund Freud, the science and research of depression was able to advance over time. In terms of African American women, they have higher rates of depression and anxiety compared to White American women. This could be due to many problems such as poverty, resources, emotional resilience, and social support.
However, depression rates for women compared to men are twice as high. Various people and studies believe men will most likely have higher rates for depression just because they keep to themselves. A report stated that women are at greater risk for depression
The female population makes up the other half of the entire human race, how depression affects them should not be glazed over. He touches on the topic very briefly, and makes valid points but not enough to capture all of the knowledge. “And urban North American women, the most affluent demographic of the study, were the most likely to experience depression” (Junger, 20). While he does touch on the topic, this is one of the few quotes that focuses on women and depression in North America, not even regarding that this applies to women in most societies as well. Kastrup wrote an article called Cultural Aspects of Depression: “It is well documented that women run a greater risk in most cultures: overall, women have a 1.5-2 times greater risk of suffering from depression compared with men. In the Cross-National Collaborative Group, women in all countries had a higher prevalence with a female:male ratio varying from 1.6 in Lebanon to 3.1 in West Germany.” Again, Junger did include a brief mention of women, but narrowed it down to North American women, when it clearly expands to other
Depression in itself is caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain that prevents neurons, the cells that compose the brain, from functioning properly. This occurs when the synaptic vesicles and receptor sites of the neurons become blocked, consequently preventing the chemical signals known as neurotransmitters from being transmitted from neuron to neuron. The reduction of this brain impulse activity is commonly seen in depressed patients making it argued that due to the lack of transmitting impulses occurring in the brain results in a hormonal imbalance, which plays a major role in the mood of an individual. As a result of this chemical imbalance in the brain a person may experience what is called clinical depression. However, clinical depression is not the only common type of depression. Environmental depression is another example that is caused by stressful events occurring to or around an individual such as the death of a loved one, divorce, or financial instabilities such as job loss. This kind of depression often leads people to feel powerless in a dire situation. Be that as it may, depression in itself seems to be more commonly seen in women than in men. Countering this is, in its most dramatic aftermath- death by committing suicide- the rates seem to be much higher in men than in women. Regardless of the type of depression or who has it most often, it is imperative to reach these people before they
All of these occurring at the same time may prove to be overwhelming and cause depression in women. Postpartum depression, which is more serious than the baby blues that many new mothers experience, requires treatment and the new mother needs emotional support of family members to get through it. It has been observed that most of these women, who experience postpartum depression, have usually experienced episodes of depression earlier and this is what makes them vulnerable to depression in the post partum period. Of course men may also experience some emotional changes during this period of new fatherhood but it is usually some anxiety and nothing more serious. Women are at an increased risk of depression during their transition into menopause. There is a lot of research being carried out by medical researchers to find out how the increase and decrease of estrogen and other hormones affects the chemical processes of the brain related to depression. It is also a fact that many women suffer from depression due to increased stress because of home and work related
Depression is not just a woman’s illness but according to the National Institute of Mental Health women are diagnosed with depression twice as often as men. Twenty percent of women will have major depression in their lifetime.
One of the most common states people tend to fall into is depression. Depression is where someone has a low mood in which the emotion they are currently in will likely affect their thoughts and behavior. When someone is in that state, they are getting isolated. This means they are at the part where they are losing focus, as well as becoming stressed out. However, if life becomes worse, there is a high risk they are going to take away their own life. This does not happen to everyone who is in depression, but there are some that will end it all. When an individual is depressed, they often become isolated and as a result are more likely to commit suicide.
In individual that suffer from depression, their work, school, eating, and the ability to enjoy life over an extended period are all affected. Depressed patients find it hard to function normally, focus, and participate in once-enjoyable activities. They also lack motivation or energy and may find it difficult making it hard to get through each day (Kroning & Kroning, 2016). All these symptoms are seen in this patient. Hence this is the primary diagnosis
Depression affects many people, “depression basically is feelings of extreme sadness”. Many people are affected by depression. Not all people feel the same way when they are depressed, it affects people in different ways. “Women are more likely to be depressed than men.” Depression can affect anybody no matter race, gender, or age however, the symptoms are different for men and women. I have a friend who battled with depression when she was in middle school.
Women diagnosed with depression in the 1800’s to present are treated very differently. In today's society women are treated with compassion or some may be treated by some types of prescription drugs to keep the hormones balanced in the brain. More is known about the disorder today than was two hundred and seventeen years ago, scientifically depression is more common in women than it is in men. Women have about twice the risk of developing the disorder than men do. Most cases are caused by hormonal disruptions during the fetal stages in the brain. This makes the new coming person vulnerable to more mood disorders. Another advantage woman have who have depression rather than men a woman can understand their emotions and recognize the signs of
Nearly twice as many women (12.0 percent) as men (6.6 percent) are affected by a depressive disorder each year. These figures translate to 12.4 million women and 6.4 million men in the U.S.” (Medicine Net, October 2, 2015).
However Noble(2005) states that the prevalence of depression in women is 21.3% and 12.7% in men , and one of the factors that contribute to the rate being higher in women is pregnancy. Noble (2005) also states other factors that contribute to the high rates of depression in women are single parents, Menopause, divorce,
Depression is currently the fourth most common cause of disability worldwide (Culbertson, 1997). With depression being such a large issue in society, it cannot be looked at as a “one size fits all,” particularly when it comes to examining gender differences associated with mental health disorders (Smith and Jaffe, 2012). There are many social causes prevalent in society, varying by gender, which contributes to the risk of being diagnosed with depression or the rate to which they experience depression. Depression is the leading cause for disability in women and they are roughly twice as likely to experience depression as men. Some reasons for this may be that women tend to dwell on their problems, they experience victimization and they
Depression has long since been the plague of humanity. Whether it is a biochemical disorder or mourning the loss of a loved one, nearly every human being has experienced the blues. However, depression becomes a problem when it persists past the mourning stage. Many people experience it for seemingly no reason. It is that cold sense of apathy that lurks below the surface, siphoning your emotions and your ability to react to your surroundings. Nothing matters anymore when depression has you in its iron grasp. Eventually, you are reduced to staring listlessly at nothing while the world continues without you; a world that, in your opinion, would perhaps be better off if you did not exist. Such thoughts as those often occupy the mind of a