The phrase "gender gap" is often used in economics and politics to refer to the difference between men and women in earnings or voting behavior. But one of the best documented gender gaps involves a mood disorder — Depression.

As women, we have many life roles. Mother, Wife, Employee, Friend, Healer, Caregiver, and the list goes on. The complexity of all of these roles can cause ups and downs throughout our lives.

As a result women are about twice as likely as men to develop depression. We also have higher rates of seasonal affective disorder, depressive symptoms in bipolar disorder, and dysthymia (chronic depression).

It remains unclear why a gender gap exists in depression. Some experts believe that both genders are affected by depression in equal numbers, but women are more likely to be diagnosed with this disorder, because men are less likely to talk about their feelings and seek help for mood problems. 

Depression is almost twice as likely to affect women than men and tends to have different contributing causes in women than it does in men.

Contributing factors for depression in women include:

• Reproductive hormones

• A differing female response to stress

• Social pressures that are unique to a woman’s life experiences.

Some of the distinguishing factors on how depression differs between women and men are:b

1. Women feel anxious and scared. / Men feel guarded.

2. Women blame themselves for the depression. / Men blame others.

3. Women commonly feel sad, worthless, and apathetic when depressed. / Men tend to feel irritable and angry

4. Women are more likely to avoid conflicts when depressed. / Men are more likely to create conflicts

5. Women turn to food and friends to self-medication. / Men turn to alcohol, TV, sex, or sports to self-medication

What Causes Depression in Women?

There are a multiple factors like:

Genetic, Hormons, Psychological, and social factors that are instruemental for women being depressed.

Biology and Hormones

Biologically speaking, depression runs in families – with scientific evidence that some genetic makeups are more prone to depression, whereas some genetic makeups are more resistant to it.

Other biological and hormonal factors like Pregnancy, Fertility, Peri-menopause, Menopause, and Menstrual cycles increase women’s risk factors of developing depression.

Most of these are due to hormonal imbalances and rapid fluctuations in reproductive hormones.

Other health concerns like, chronic illness or disability can create depression in women.

Frequent dieting or often changing diets and smoking also adds on to the factors for depression in women.

Psychological Causes

Women are more prone to psychological causes of depression than men. With a tendency to be more emotional, women are more likely to rehash negative thoughts during bouts of depression.

It is a normal response to cry, talk with friends, and share why we are feeling upset, sad or depressed. However, research has shown that thinking deeply or talkibg in length about depression can cause it to last longer and even make it worse.

In contrast, men tend to distract themselves from their depressive state – which has shown to reduce the duration of symptoms.

Additional psychological factors that tend to affect women over men are negative body images and stress-induced depression. Women are more prone to stress than men because in men increased levels of progesterone prevents stress hormones from leveling out.

Negative body image concerns usually begin in adolescence and seem to be correlated with the onset of puberty in women.

Social Causes

Coping skills, choice of relationships, and lifestyle choices affect women differently than men. As a woman, we are more likely to develop depression from marital or relationship problems, work-life balance issues, financial troubles, and stressful life events, including the loss of a loved one.

In addition to the biological, psychological, and social causes of depression mentioned above, the National Institutes of Health indicate the following are also increased risk factors of depression in women:

• Death of a parent before age 10

• Job loss, relationship problems, divorce

• Physical or sexual abuse during childhood and later stage including marriage

• History of mood disorders in the family

• Use of certain medications

Signs and Symptoms of Depression

Signs and symptoms of depression vary from woman to woman. Some of the most common signs and symptoms are listed below:

• Feelings of emptiness, hopelessness, despair, and sadness

• Irritability, anxiousness, and guilt

• Exhaustion and severe tiredness

• Loss of interest in previously pleasurable activities

• Inability to concentrate or remember details

• Suicidal thoughts or attempts of suicide

• Sleep disturbances - sleeping too much or too little

• Change in appetite – eating too much or too little

• Physical symptoms – Body aches and pains, cramps, headaches, digestive issues, breast tenderness, bloating

• Lack of energy snd fatigue

• Feeling out of control

• Mood swings and feelings of tearfulness

• Panic attacks

• Feelings of tension

• Disinterest in daily activities and relationships

Treatment Options

If you are a woman and suffering from depression, it is best to seek treatment right away to improve your quality of life.

Your first course of action should be a visit your doctor.

1. The doctor will ask you a series of questions and perform tests to rule out an underlying medical condition causing your depression.

2. The doctor will determine if certain medications might be to blame for your depressed mental state.

3. Your primary care doctor will also ask you a number of questions about your symptoms –

• How long they have lasted?

• When did they start?

• The severity of your symptoms

• How persistent they are (re-occurrence rate)?

• Your family history of depression.

If your doctor suspects you may be suffering from depression, he or she will refer you to a mental health specialist who can formally diagnose your condition and make recommendations for treatment.

The most common treatment options for women suffering from depression include 

Medications and Therapy or both.

It is imperative, you tell your doctor if you are pregnant or may become pregnant during treatment, as certain medications to treat depression may affect the baby.

If you are depressed, your doctor may prescribe you antidepressants to help you cope and to lessen the symptoms of your depression.

If you take antidepressants for your depressed mood, it is important that you monitor your symptoms and note any side effects.

More common side effects include:

• Nausea

• Headaches

• Sleep disturbances

• Agitation

• Sexual problems

Usually, These problems decrease over time.

Therapy has also been shown to be a very effective method of treatment if you are suffering from depression.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is one of the most common forms of talk therapy, or psychotherapy, in the treatment of depression. This method of therapy focuses on teaching new ways of thinking and coping mechanisms when feelings of depression hit.

In addition, this therapy is helpful in

• Understanding difficult relationships

• How to improve them

• How to change habits that might be contributing to depression. 

In addition to one-on-one therapy, group therapy or family therapy is a helpful method to treat depression if family stress is a contributing factor to your depressed state.

Conclusion

Unfortunately, depression in women can have misdiagnosis rates as high as 50% and fewer than half of women who experience depression will ever seek treatment.

Fortunately, more than 80% of women with depression who seek help are treated successfully through antidepressants, therapy, or a combination of both.

In addition to medications and therapy, the self-help techniques below can help enhance your mood if you are upset, low or depressed:

• Don’t keep your feelings bottled up – find a support group or a person you trust you can share your feeling.

• Stay engaged in social activities and social functions

• Exercise regularly

• Get enough sleep – 8 hours per night is ideal

• Meditate, try yoga, or practice other relaxation techniques

If you or a loved one are suffering from depression, you are not alone. Seek help for your depressed mood to elevate your quality of life. If you are unsure who to contact, try the following resources:

• Family doctors

• Employee assistance programs

• Mental health centers

• Social agencies

• Mental health specialists (psychiatrists, social workers, mental health counselors)

• Private clinics

• State hospital outpatient clinics

• Health maintenance organizations