Women are three times more likely than men to struggle with depression. “Historically, there has been a tendency to minimize women’s depression and explain it away as women’s troubles, but it’s actually not that simple,” says researcher Gerri Lasiuk. She’s a nursing professor at the University of Alberta who studies the causes of depression in women. Specifically, Laiuk is interested in the effect of estrogen in female mood disorders.
Physical Causes of Depression in Women
Physical causes of depression in women include a lack of serotonin and – more recently researched – estrogen. Estrogen is used to treat mood disorders in women, and the interplay between estrogen, serotonin and mood is just now being researched.
Other Causes of Depression in Women
Violence. Some experts say that women live with a higher degree of violence than men. Depression in women can become a learned response that isn’t easily unlearned.
Childhood abuse. Childhood sexual abuse, neglect, physical abuse and emotional abuse can trigger depression in women either in childhood or adulthood.
Stressful events. Depression in women can be caused by divorce, death, job loss, or illness. Any stressful event, especially if it isn’t dealt with properly, can trigger depression in women.
See Physical Causes of Depression for a full summary of depression in women and men. Also, The Effects of Child Abuse reveals the effect of childhood trauma on depression in women.
Treating Depression in Women
Only a relatively small percentage of women (33%) seek treatment for depression. The stigma of mental illness, mood disorders, or psychological disorders is still prevalent in most societies.
Treating depression in women depends on the cause of depression. If depression is caused by a lack of serotonin in the brain, then antidepressants may be the most effective treatment. If it’s caused by a death in the family, then counseling and lifestyle changes may be the most effective treatment for depression in women.
3 Steps to Treating Depression in Women:
- Be honest. Tell you doctor exactly how you feel, how long you’ve been feeling that way, and how you want to feel instead. Treating depression in women is much easier when you’re clear about your feelings and moods.
- Try something different. Treating depression in women can involve light therapy, a change in diet, more exercise, antidepressants, natural treatments or a depression support group. Though it may be the last thing on your mind, be willing to try something different or make a significant lifestyle change when you’re struggling with depression. Treating depression could change your life.
- Be patient. It takes weeks for an antidepressant or lifestyle change to kick in – whether it’s treating depression in women, men, or children – so be patient. If a couple of months has passed and the depression hasn’t lifted, consider a different approach to treating depression.
If you found Causes of Depression in Women helpful, try:
 |
