Women and depression: Understanding the gender
gap
(To read the entire article by the mayo staff click on this
link.)
Family. Career. Caring for elderly parents. Coping with menstruation, pregnancy
and menopause. As a woman, you certainly have plenty of issues to handle. But
there's one more you might someday face: depression. Depression affects about
12.4 million women in the United States each year. One in five women develop
depression at some point in her life — double the number of men who do.
Depression
That gender gap goes beyond numbers. Some signs and symptoms of depression are
different in women, too. Women, for instance, tend to have an increased
appetite, weight gain and carbohydrate cravings when they develop depression.
Men tend to lose appetite and weight. Women are also more likely than men to
develop another mental illness along with depression, such as an anxiety or
eating disorder.
What's behind that gender gap in depression? Chalk it up to a variety of
biological, psychosocial and cultural factors unique to women. The interaction
of all these factors can make you more vulnerable than a man to developing
depression.
Biological factors in depression
The role of biology in depression includes genetic factors and mood changes
associated with female sex hormones through various stages of your life. Before
girls and boys enter adolescence, for instance, they have similar rates of
depression. The gender gap doesn't start until puberty. Between the ages of 11
and 13, depression rates for girls jump dramatically. By age 15, girls are
almost twice as likely as boys to develop depression.
Because this gender gap occurs with puberty and disappears after menopause, some
scientists believe hormonal factors can increase a woman's risk for developing
depression.
Premenstrual problems. Millions of women know all too well the changes in mood
that can occur just before menstruation — PMS, or premenstrual syndrome. Twenty
percent to 40 percent of women experience anxiety, irritability and sadness
during PMS. Many women also experience physical symptoms just before
menstruation, such as bloating, breast pain, fatigue, muscle aches or headache.
But a small percentage of women — 3 percent to 5 percent — have such severe
premenstrual symptoms that their lives, jobs and relationships are disrupted.
This condition — which hasn't been classified as a formal psychiatric diagnosis
— is called premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD).
Common symptoms of PMDD:
Markedly depressed mood
Sense of hopelessness
Anxiety, tension and feelings of being keyed up or on edge
Tearfulness
Increased sensitivity to personal rejection
Uncharacteristic anger or irritability and increased conflicts with others
Decreased interest in usual activities
Difficulty concentrating
Lethargy, fatigue or lack of energy
Change in appetite and sleep patterns
Feelings of being overwhelmed or out of control
Talk to your doctor if you experience any of these symptoms. Your doctor might
check for underlying physical problems, such as anemia or fibromyalgia.
Researchers are studying what makes some women susceptible to PMDD. Some say it
might stem from an abnormal response to normal hormonal changes.
A group of antidepressant medications known as selective serotonin reuptake
inhibitors (SSRIs) are often effective in treating symptoms of PMDD. You usually
take these medications daily, but perhaps only during the 2 weeks before
menstruation begins, when PMDD typically occurs. Other treatments for PMDD
include increased exercise, dietary changes, relaxation techniques and
psychotherapy. Your doctor can help determine which option or combination is
best for you.
Menopause and depression. The risk of depression continues as you begin
menopause. Signs and symptoms of menopause generally start while you're still
menstruating and may persist for up to a year after menstruation has stopped.
This transitional time, when hormone levels often fluctuate, is called
perimenopause. During perimenopause, many women experience a variety of changes
in body function and emotions, including hot flashes, sleep difficulties and
mood swings.
Menopause and perimenopause themselves don't cause depression. But women who are
at increased risk of depression because of other biological or life issues —
health problems, divorce, caring for elderly parents, for example — might be
more vulnerable to depression during their menopausal and perimenopausal years.
With help comes hope
Although it might seem as if these biological, social, cultural and
psychological issues all weigh against you, women generally respond well to
treatment for depression. With the right treatment, depression improves in about
eight out of 10 women.
Even severe depression often can be successfully treated — although that can be
hard to believe that when you're depressed. But believing that your condition is
hopeless or incurable is a classic symptom of the depression itself.
Don't let those feelings stop you from getting professional help. You might be
more likely than a man to develop depression, but you don't have to simply learn
to live with it.
