Table of contents:
- Women are at twice the risk of developing depression than men
- Why are women more prone to depression than men?
- 1. Genetic factors
- 2. Puberty
- 3. Menstruation
- 4. The period of pregnancy
- 5. The period of perimenopause (before menopause)
- 6. Environmental influences
- How to deal with depression in women?
Almost everyone has been sad. Whether it's because of a conflict with a partner, the death of a family member, to other things that may be more trivial, such as getting bad grades at school. Sadness is a natural emotional response to difficult times. But this is where you have to start to be careful. Continuous and increasing sadness can lead to depression.
Everyone can experience depression, but the unique thing is this mental illness affects women more than men. What causes depression in women?
Women are at twice the risk of developing depression than men
Depression is characterized by a sufferer's deterioration of mood, feelings, stamina, appetite, sleep patterns, and concentration levels that lasts at least six months or more.
Depression can severely limit your functioning as a human being. The mood swings caused by depression are so severe that they create feelings of hopelessness, misery, and helplessness. In fact, depression can trigger the unwillingness to continue living.
Depression is one of the most common mental illnesses in society. However, a woman's risk of experiencing depression can be two times higher than that of men. Depression in women can occur earlier, last longer, and are more likely to recur than depression in men.
Why are women more prone to depression than men?
Anyone can get depressed. However, in women, depression is more likely to be triggered by an event in life that causes severe stress. Studies have also found that hormonal changes are the reason women are prone to depression. In comparison, depression cases in men are generally more often affected by the abuse of alcohol and drugs.
Here are some factors that make women more prone to depression than men:
1. Genetic factors
A family history of depression increases the chances of developing depression in both men and women. However, studies show that the stresses of life that are experienced tend to make women more prone to experiencing stress that leads to depression than men. Certain genetic mutations linked to the development of major depression also occur only in women.
2. Puberty
Puberty is a time when a child experiences changes, both physically and psychologically. When it comes to depression, studies have found that before puberty, boys and girls are equally likely to experience depression. However, after the age of 14, women are twice as likely to experience depression.
3. Menstruation
Hormonal changes before menstruation can cause drastic mood swings (mood swings) that often accompany PMS pain. This is considered normal.
However, there is a more severe form of PMS mood swing, called Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD). Women who are afflicted with PMDD are even more likely to experience depression and even attempt suicide, even after their menstrual cycles have finished.
Reporting from WebMD, women who have this disorder generally have very low levels of the hormone serotonin. In the body, the hormone serotonin controls mood , emotions, sleep patterns, and pain. Hormone levels can indeed become imbalanced before or during menstruation. However, it is not clear why the hormone serotonin in certain women can drop dramatically during menstruation.
4. The period of pregnancy
The period of pregnancy is not easy, because during the process there will be hormonal changes that can trigger changes mood or depression in women.
Hormonal and genetic changes during this time also make women more susceptible to disorders mood, like depression. Even after giving birth, women are also vulnerable baby blues and postpartum depression, which can make it difficult for women to fulfill their new roles as mothers, including caring for their babies.
5. The period of perimenopause (before menopause)
Some women are prone to depression after childbirth or during the transition to menopause. Fluctuating levels of reproductive hormones in the years leading up to or during menopause can trigger depressive symptoms in older women.
6. Environmental influences
Another factor that can make women prone to depression is environmental factors, especially related to the role of women as mothers, wives and children to their parents. Efforts are not playing games to balance these three roles often make women vulnerable to chronic stress that can lead to depression.
Some studies suggest that women may be more likely to reflect on the past, both good and bad, than men. This makes women vulnerable to anxiety disorders.
How to deal with depression in women?
There's no need to be embarrassed about asking for help with your depression. Depression is not a sign of unhappiness or character flaws. Depression is not a natural state to encounter such as stress or panic. Like physical illnesses, mental illnesses also require proper treatment.
To treat depression, you must consult a doctor to find out the cause and the right treatment. Several methods that can be used to treat depression include using antidepressant drugs, or through psychotherapy counseling such as CBT.
Healthy lifestyle changes, one of which is regular exercise, can also help relieve symptoms of depression. You have the right to live a healthy and happy life.
