March is Women’s History Month, so it is appropriate to honor the occasion with a post about women and depression. After all, we women are more likely to develop depression than men are, and three types of depression (postpartum depression, premenstrual dysphoric disorder, and perimenopausal depression) affect us exclusively. Our physiology and our social roles as nurturers of others (often without taking care of ourselves) contribute to our increased risk for depression. Research continues so we can discover more about how depression affects women and why we are at a higher risk for it.
Women with depression show some different symptoms than depressed men. Women are more likely to cry and sleep too much when they are depressed than men are, and we are less prone to angry outbursts.
Mental Health America and the National Institute of Mental Health discuss women and depression, including risk factors, types of depression exclusive to women, symptoms, and treatments.
THE DEPRESSIVE DIVA 