Looking After Someone Who Has Depression
If you’re close to someone with depression, their condition can affect you too. Your relationship, and family life in general, can be strained, and you might not know what to do or how to help.
Talking about the situation can help. Finding a support group, or talking to other people in a similar situation, can make it easier to cope. If the condition is causing difficulties in your relationship with your partner, you could contact a relationship counsellor who can talk things through with both of you.
When suffering from depression, men are less likely to ask for help than women. They’re also more likely to turn to drugs and alcohol to cope with the symptoms.
What Increases The Chances Of Depression In Women
Several factors increase the risk of depression in women including biological, interpersonal, personality and psychological factors.
Some experts believe women have an increased chance of depression due to hormonal changes that occur throughout their lives. From puberty to pregnancy, menstruation and menopause, women face many hormone fluctuations that could contribute to the development of depression.
Women who juggle work with raising a family, those who are single parents or women who suffer more stress as a result of their daily lives are at a heightened risk of developing depression.
Other factors that may contribute to the development of depression in women include:
- History of mood disorders in early reproductive years
- Family history of mood disorders
- Ongoing social or psychological stress
- Loss of a parent before the age of 10
- Use of certain medications
Tip : Eat A Healthy Depression
What you eat has a direct impact on the way you feel. Some women find dietary modifications, nutritional supplements and herbal remedies can help aid in the relief of depression symptoms. These include:
Cutting back on salt, unhealthy fats, caffeine, sugar/refined carbs, and alcohol can help improve depression symptoms.
Not skipping meals. Going too long between meals can make you feel irritable and tired, so aim to eat something at least every three to four hours.
Boosting your B vitamins. Deficiencies in B vitamins such as folic acid and B-12 can trigger depression. To increase your intake, eat more citrus fruit, leafy greens, beans, chicken, and eggs. Vitamin B-6 along with calcium, magnesium, Vitamin E, and tryptophan have all been shown to benefit women suffering from PMDD.
Eating foods with Omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids play an essential role in stabilizing mood. The best sources are fatty fish such as salmon, herring, mackerel, anchovies, sardines, and tuna, or vegetarian options such as seaweed, flaxseed, and walnuts.
Making sure youre getting enough iron. Low iron levels can produce common depression symptoms like irritability, fatigue, and difficulty concentrating. Iron rich foods to add to your diet include red meat, beans, leafy greens and dried fruit.
Adding herbal supplements may be helpful. Primrose oil and chaste tree berry have both been found to be effective in the treatment of PMDD.
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Most People With Depression Need Treatment To Feel Better
If you think you may have depression, start by making an appointment to see your health care provider. This could be your primary doctor or a health provider who specializes in diagnosing and treating mental health conditions . Certain medications, and some medical conditions, such as viruses or a thyroid disorder, can cause the same symptoms as depression. A health care provider can rule out these possibilities by doing a physical exam, interview, and lab tests. Your health care provider will examine you and talk to you about treatment options and next steps.
Talking to Your Health Care Provider About Your Mental Health
Communicating well with your health care provider can improve your care and help you both make good choices about your health. Read about tips to help prepare and get the most out of your visit. For additional resources, including questions to ask your health care provider, visit the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
Differences Between Women And Men
While people of any gender can experience the depression symptoms above, some research suggests that women are more likely to report or display some symptoms over others.
For example, a 2020 study notes that women are more likely to have sadness or to cry than men. By contrast, men with depression are more likely to report anger.
The authors note that this may be due to traditional gender roles. In many cultures, it is more socially acceptable for women to express vulnerability, whereas for men, there is pressure to appear strong.
This is the indirect result of sexism, which perpetuates the idea that women are weaker and more emotional than men. In order to live up to rigid standards of masculinity, men may be more likely to conceal their feelings or to self-medicate in order to cope with them.
This does not mean women never express anger, hide how they feel, or try to cope using substances, though. It only means there is a lower likelihood.
Yes statistics suggest that depression is nearly twice as common among women than men.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , of women over the age of 20 had depression in a given 2 week period between 20132016, compared with 5.5% of men.
There are several theories about why this gender difference exists.
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Seeing A Doctor About Depression
Big changes in your life, like bereavement, losing a job, or even having a baby, can cause symptoms of depression. You’re also more likely to experience depression if you have a family history of depression. However, it’s also possible to become depressed without there being an obvious reason.
You can learn more about depression causes here.
How Is Postpartum Depression In Women Treated
Sometimes postpartum depression, or depression after childbirth, can be treated like other forms of depression. That means using medicines and psychotherapy. If a woman is breastfeeding, the decision to take an antidepressant should be made with the pediatrician along with their own psychiatrist after a discussion of risks and benefits. Most antidepressants are expressed in very small amounts in breast milk and their possible effects on a nursing infant, if any, are not well-understood.
A drug called brexanolone was approved specifically to treat postpartum depression. Given through an IV over a course of 3 days, it has been found to bring relief to most women.
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How Can I Cope With Symptoms Of Menopause
There are many ways you can ease menopause symptoms and maintain your health. These tips include ways to cope with mood swings, fears, and depression:
- Eat healthfully, and exercise regularly.
- Engage in a creative outlet or hobby that fosters a sense of achievement.
- Find a self-calming skill to practice such as yoga, meditation, or slow, deep breathing.
- Keep your bedroom cool to prevent night sweats and disturbed sleep.
- Seek emotional support from friends, family members, or a professional counselor when needed.
- Stay connected with your family and community, and nurture your friendships.
- Take medicines, vitamins, and minerals as prescribed by your doctor.
- Take steps, such as wearing loose clothing, to stay cool during hot flashes.
You Can Play A Role In Research By Joining A Clinical Trial
Clinical trials are research studies that look at new ways to prevent, detect, or treat diseases and conditions. The goal of clinical trials is to determine if a new test or treatment works and is safe. Although individuals may benefit from being part of a clinical trial, participants should be aware that the primary purpose of a clinical trial is to gain new scientific knowledge so that others may be better helped in the future.
In addition to volunteer research opportunities for the patient groups listed above, research opportunities for healthy volunteers are also available. Healthy volunteers play a critical role in our studies.
For more information about clinical research and how to find clinical trials being conducted around the country, visit NIMH’s clinical trials webpage.
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Severe Anxiety And Restlessness
It is not unusual for a woman with depression to experience severe physical symptoms like fatigue. But she may also feel extremely jittery or nervous when it seems theres no reason for her feelings of unease. The stress of these emotions can take an even greater toll on her body and make it difficult to concentrate or relax.
Women Tend To Be More Emotional Than Men
The psychological causes of depression are more prevalent in women, as women tend to be more emotional than men and are more likely to rehash negative thoughts and feelings. This rumination on depression symptoms can cause a bout of depression to evolve into clinical depression, lengthening the timespan in a depressed state and make symptoms worse.
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Who Is At Risk For Depression
Depression can affect anyone, no matter their age, gender or circumstances. About 16 million Americans experience depression each year.
Women may experience depression more often than men. And your genetics or other health conditions can increase the likelihood that youll have at least one depressive episode in your lifetime.
Helping A Suicidal Friend Or Relative
If you see any of the above warning signs:
- get professional help for the person
- let them know they’re not alone and that you care about them
- offer your support in finding other solutions to their problems
If you feel there is an immediate danger, stay with the person or have someone else stay with them, and remove all available means of committing suicide, such as medication.
Over-the-counter drugs such as painkillers can be just as dangerous as prescription medication.
Also, remove sharp objects and poisonous household chemicals such as bleach.
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Life Events And Depression
Research suggests that continuing difficulties, such as long-term unemployment, living in an abusive or uncaring relationship, long-term isolation or loneliness or prolonged exposure to stress at work can increase the risk of depression.
Significant adverse life events, such as losing a job, going through a separation or divorce, or being diagnosed with a serious illness, may also trigger depression, particularly among people who are already at risk because of genetic, developmental or other personal factors.
Symptoms And Causes Of Depression
Symptoms of depression can be very different from person to person. However, as a general rule, if you are depressed you feel hopeless, sad and lacking interest in things that used to make you feel happy.
Depression symptoms are bad enough to interfere with work, social life and family life, and can persist for weeks or months.
Doctors describe depression in one of three ways, depending on how serious it is:
- mild depression it has some impact on daily life
- moderate depression it has a significant impact on your daily life
- severe depression this makes it nearly impossible to get through your life day to day
A few people with severe depression may have symptoms of psychotic depression.
Below is a list of depression symptoms it’s unlikely that one person would have all of them.
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Womens Attitudes Toward Depression:
According to a Mental Health America survey on public attitudes and beliefs about clinical depression:
- More than one-half of women believe it is normal for a woman to be depressed during menopause and that treatment is not necessary.
- More than one-half of women believe depression is a normal part of aging.
- More than one-half believe it is normal for a mother to feel depressed for at least two weeks after giving birth.
- More than one-half of women cited denial as a barrier to treatment while 41% of women surveyed cited embarrassment or shame as barriers to treatment.
- In general, over one-half of the women said they think they know more about depression than men do.
What Is Depression In Women
Depression in women is a mental health disorder. It means that it can be treated and controlled if diagnosed properly. Depression is the most common mood disorder among adults.
The depressive disorder affects both men and women. But research shows that about twice as many women have been found to experience depression at some time in their lives.
The symptoms of depression are different for everyone, but they can include:
- Feeling sad or down most of the time
- Losing interest in things you used to enjoy
- Having problems concentrating
- Eating more or less than usual
- Sleeping too much or not enough
- Feeling tired or having little energy
- Thinking about death or suicide
- Attempting to commit suicide
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Tip : Support Your Health
In order to overcome depression, you have to do things that relax and energize you. This includes following a healthy lifestyle, learning how to better manage stress, setting limits on what you’re able to do, and scheduling fun activities into your day.
Aim for eight hours of sleep. Depression typically involves sleep problems whether you’re sleeping too little or too much, your mood suffers. But you can get on a better sleep schedule by adopting healthy sleep habits.
Keep stress in check. Not only does stress prolong and worsen depression, but it can also trigger it. Figure out all the things in your life that stress you out, such as work overload, money problems, or unsupportive relationships, and find ways to relieve the pressure and regain control.
Practice relaxation techniques.A daily relaxation practice can help relieve symptoms of depression, reduce stress, and boost feelings of joy and well-being. Try yoga, deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, or meditation.
Care for a pet. While nothing can replace the human connection, pets can bring joy and companionship into your life and help you feel less isolated. Caring for a pet can also get you outside of yourself and give you a sense of being neededboth powerful antidotes to depression.
Develop a “wellness toolbox” to deal with depression
Risk Factors For Depression
Depression can affect anyoneeven a person who appears to live in relatively ideal circumstances.
Several factors can play a role in depression:
- Biochemistry: Differences in certain chemicals in the brain may contribute to symptoms of depression.
- Genetics: Depression can run in families. For example, if one identical twin has depression, the other has a 70 percent chance of having the illness sometime in life.
- Personality: People with low self-esteem, who are easily overwhelmed by stress, or who are generally pessimistic appear to be more likely to experience depression.
- Environmental factors: Continuous exposure to violence, neglect, abuse or poverty may make some people more vulnerable to depression.
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A Note About Sex And Gender
Sex and gender exist on spectrums. This article will use the terms male, female, or both to refer to sex assigned at birth. .
Depression is a mental health condition that affects mood. It can cause intense emotions, including sadness, low self-esteem, low motivation, or feelings of guilt and worthlessness. It can also cause a lack of emotion or numbness.
There is no depression symptom that is unique to women and not men. Symptoms of depression can be very similar across genders and sexes.
Changes In Appetite And Weight Changes
Depression can lead to either increased or decreased food intake. But most women experience a loss of interest in their usual favorite foods that they used to enjoy. Concentration problems are another symptom associated with severe depression. This may make it difficult for her to prepare healthy meals at home or to eat at social events.
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Psychological Causes Of Depression In Females
psychological causes of depression in women include body dissatisfaction, pondering, stress overdose:
- self image concerns: the depression due to gender begins in teenage. the appearance of sex differences at the time of puberty probably plays a role. according to studies the body dissatisfaction causes depression that increases in girls during puberty.
- mulling over the negative feelings: when in depression women are more likely to ponder. it involves crying to relieve emotional stress, conversing with friends about the depression, trying to figure out the reason for being depressed. however, pondering can either help to maintain depression or make it worse. whereas men tend to distract themselves while they are depressed. distraction can decrease depression, unlike pondering.
- crushing stress at home, college or office: in accordance with studies women are more likely to develop depression due to stress. moreover, the physiological response to stress is different from males. in comparison to men, women are likely to produce more stress hormones. the female sex hormone progesterone thwarts the system of stress hormone from turning off as it acts with men.
Depression Treatment For Women
Whether youre a woman or a man, the good news is that depression is treatable and you dont have to struggle on your own. The most important thing you can do is seek help. At Priory, we are able to provide expert depression treatment at our hospitals and wellbeing centres, helping you get back on track. For more information on how we treat depression at Priory, you can visit our treatment programmes page.
Get in Touch Today
For details of how Priory can provide you with assistance regarding mental health and wellbeing, please call 0800 840 3219 or . For professionals looking to make a referral, please click here
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How Are Pms And Pmdd Related To Depression In Women
As many as 3 out of every 4 menstruating women have premenstrual syndrome or PMS, which is marked by emotional and physical symptoms that change in intensity from one menstrual cycle to the next. Women in their 20s or 30s are usually affected.
About 3% to 5% of menstruating women have PMDD, a severe form of PMS, marked by emotional symptoms such as sadness, anxiety, mood swings, crankiness, and loss of interest in things.
Women with PMS and PMDD usually get symptoms 7 to 10 days before menstruation and then have dramatic relief once their menstrual flow is underway.
In the past decade, these conditions have become recognized as important causes of discomfort and behavioral change in women. Though the precise link between PMS, PMDD, and depression is still unclear, abnormalities in the functioning of brain circuits that regulate mood, along with fluctuating hormone levels, are thought to contribute.