Generally, women experienced depressions twice as often as men and they often experience it earlier, longer, and more severely. This high rate of depression in women from men may be linked to their biological and social differences.
Genuine depression is more than just the occasional "blues" and “moods” that most people encounter now and then in their every day lives. It also affects the whole person in you – your mind, body, personal life, and even career life.
When a person is depressed some brain chemicals are too low which causes the brain's nerve cells to work slower. Depression is the result of this brain chemicals’ reduction and sometimes results following extremely stressful times in person’s life.

Women’s chances to experience depression are larger than men. Simply because, women are more associated with various conditions such as eating disorders, anxieties, and stresses. However, men are also likely to have depression associated with alcoholism, anti-social behaviors, obsessive and compulsive personalities and self-centered behaviors.
Women often become depressed during the week preceding their periods. Three to five percent of women severely experience menstrual-related depression and anxiety which is classified as premenstrual dysphonic disorder. Women may also feel depressed as a result of infertility, miscarriage, and surgical menopause.

Married women are prone to suffer greater depression than married men especially mothers who have more children. Women who have been victims of rape or domestic violence are at high risk of acquiring major depressive illnesses and should seek counseling from the time the incident occurs. Older women who are depressed may be at a greater risk for falls that may result in bone fractures.

Women are also more exposed than men to attempt suicide as a result of depression. However men are proven more successful in their suicidal attempts than women. Seventy percent of suicide attempts by women are by self-poisoning, while men more often choose a more violent method.

All suicide threats or attempts should be taken seriously and shouldn’t be ignored. Contact a mental health worker or medical professional immediately if you know someone who makes such actions.

There are several risk factors for depression among women. And among these factors are listed below:

• Birth-control contraceptives--particularly those with high progesterone content.
• Physical/sexual abused during childhood.
• Infertility treatments involving the use of gonadotropin stimulants.
• Stress.
• Loss or threat of loss of social support system.
• Death of a parent or loved one before the age of 10.
• Family history of mood disorders.
• Personal history of mood disorders, particularly during the early reproductive years.

There are also symptoms associated with women if they are depressed. These are enumerated below:

• Depressed mood.
• Decrease of interest or pleasure in activities.
• Loss of interest in sex.
• Feelings of guilt, hopelessness, and worthlessness.
• Recurrent suicidal thoughts.
• Not being able to sleep or sleeping too much (insomnia or hypersomia).
• Changes in appetite including weight loss or weight gain.
• Difficulty concentrating or maintaining attention.
• Lack of energy or constant fatigue.
• Other psychomotor disturbances.

Reality is eighty percent of all depressions are curable. However, only one-third of depressed people ever seek treatment. With this there are a lot of cases of untreated depression.

Treatment for depression should start after seeking confirmation from a health professional. Assurance that depression is not caused by other medications such as birth control pills or hormone replacement therapy is required before treatment starts. At the beginning of the treatment, women should be tested for thyroid dysfunction which is one of the symptoms of depression. Among the treatments included are talk therapy, medications such as antidepressant medications, and in severe cases electroconvulsive therapy (ECT).

Women usually experienced effects from antidepressant medications possibly because ratio of body fat to muscle and hormonal effects in women are different. They are required to take a lower dose of antidepressant to lessen unwanted side effects.

Duration of treatment varies among patients. Generally, women who are first-time taking prescribed antidepressants required to take them for 6 months. If you have taken antidepressants previously it may require a year for your second time to several years of medication for subsequent depressions.
Seeking help from physician or professional health worker is advisable if depression is being felt for more than two weeks already.

Written by: Jingky Lascuna