Depression In Women: 5 Things You Should Know
Being sad is a normal reaction to difficult times in life. But usually, the sadness goes away with a little time. Depression is differentit is a mood disorder that may cause severe symptoms that can affect how you feel, think, and handle daily activities such as sleeping, eating, or working. Depression is more common among women than men, likely due to certain biological, hormonal, and social factors that are unique to women.
This brochure contains an overview of five things that everyone should know about depression in women.
Coping With Low Moods
Whether youre depressed or feeling low, there are lots of things you can do to cope:
- Keep talking Whatevers happening, keep talking to the people trust about it. Remember that you can always talk to Childline.
- Express yourself Let your feelings out through writing, art or however you feel comfortable. Or you can use the Calm Zone to get ideas.
- Make a bedtime routine Try to go to bed at the same time each night, and take some time before bed to relax and stop doing anything. And try our tips to help you get to sleep.
- Eat healthily and keep activeGentle exercise and eating healthily can help to improve your mood and feel better over time.
- Do something positive Try and do one small thing each day. You could do something to express yourself, feel good or help someone else. Weve got lots of ideas to get you started.
Things guys dont talk about
It can be tough to talk about how youre feeling. But youre not alone and we can help you get through it.
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Olly Alexander from Years & Years talks about opening up
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Researchers At The National Institute Of Mental Health And Across The Country Are Dedicated To Womens Mental Health Research
Researchers continue to study depression to improve the way this medical condition is diagnosed and treated. For example, NIMH researchers are currently working to understand how and why changes in reproductive hormones trigger mood disorders, including postpartum depression, premenstrual dysphoric disorder, and perimenopausal depression.
NIMH scientists are conducting a large number of research studies with patients and healthy volunteers to better understand why some women are at higher risk than others, and how they can translate these findings into new treatments or new uses of existing treatments.
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Different Types Of Depression
There are different types of depression, and there are some conditions where depression is a symptom. These conditions include:
- Bipolar disorder people with bipolar disorder, which is also known as “manic depression”, experience times of depression, where the symptoms are similar to clinical depression. They also go through phases when they have excessively high moods . Bouts of mania can include harmful behaviour like unsafe sex, spending sprees and gambling.
- Seasonal affective disorder is also called “winter depression”. It’s depression that is related to weather, usually winter, so it happens seasonally.
- Postnatal depression happens to some women after they’ve had a baby. It’s treated similarly to other types of depression, with antidepressant medication and talking therapy.
Learn more about how depression is diagnosed here.
Mild And Moderate Depression
These are the most common types. More than simply feeling blue, the symptoms of mild depression can interfere with your daily life, robbing you of joy and motivation. Those symptoms become amplified in moderate depression and can lead to a decline in confidence and self-esteem.
Recurrent, mild depression
Dysthymia is a type of chronic low-grade depression. More days than not, you feel mildly or moderately depressed, although you may have brief periods of normal mood.
- The symptoms of dysthymia are not as strong as the symptoms of major depression, but they last a long time .
- Some people also experience major depressive episodes on top of dysthymia, a condition known as double depression.
- If you suffer from dysthymia, you may feel like youve always been depressed. Or you may think that your continuous low mood is just the way you are.
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How Are Depression And Anxiety Diagnosed
There are no specific tests but your GP may perform some blood tests for other health conditions that share similar symptoms with depression or anxiety.
Your GP will need to get a good picture of the way youre feeling mentally and physically. They will ask you lots of questions about your symptoms and the changes youve noticed.
It can be difficult to think about specific answers on-the-spot but the following suggestions might help you plan ahead for your appointment.
- Make a list of all your symptoms, whether they are worse at certain times of the day or on particular occasions, how long youve had them and their effect on your day-to-day life and relationship with others.
- Explain any circumstances that could be contributing to these symptoms and the way you feel.
- Take a list of all medications you currently take, including any supplements or non-prescription medication.
- Be as open and honest as you can remember anything you say is confidential.
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What To Do When You Feel Sad
When you’re in a sad mood, it can seem like it will last forever. But most of the time, sad feelings don’t last very long.
Everyone feels sad sometimes. Its good to know how to help yourself feel better when youre ready. So here are some things every kid should know:
- You can deal with sad things when they happen.
- A positive attitude helps you figure out how to feel better.
- When youre sad, it helps to tell someone how you feel.
- You can do things to help yourself feel better.
- If you feel depressed , you should talk to an adult so they can help you.
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Is Light Therapy Safe
Light therapy is typically safe and well-tolerated. But you may need to avoid light therapy if you:
- Have diabetes or retinopathies: If you have diabetes or a retina condition, theres a potential risk of damaging the retina, the back of your eye.
- Take some medications: Certain antibiotics and anti-inflammatories can make you more sensitive to sunlight. Light therapy can then cause harm.
- Have bipolar disorder: Bright light therapy and antidepressants can trigger hypomania or mania, uncontrolled boosts in mood and energy level. If you have bipolar disorder, let your provider know. This will play a role in your treatment plan.
Whats The Difference Between Grief And Depression
Given that the primary symptom associated with depression is sadness, it can be easy to think of grief or bereavement as depression. But grief is a natural response to specific experiences, such as the end of a relationship or the death of a loved one. While you might feel regret or remorse, and you might withdraw from usual activities if you are experiencing grief, youre unlikely to feel the overwhelming sense of worthlessness, thoughts of self-harm or suicide, and other symptoms of depression. Another important difference is that in grief, painful feelings usually come in waves and are often mixed with positive memories.
American Family Physician
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Other Causes Of Depression
There are a number of things that can lead to developing depression.
- Stressful events big changes in your life, like bereavement, the end of a relationship or the loss of a job, can be difficult to deal with. When these things happen, it’s important to keep seeing friends and family instead of trying to deal with problems alone this increases your risk of developing depression.
- Giving birth pregnancy and birth can make some people vulnerable to depression. Postnatal depression can happen as the result of physical changes, hormonal changes, and the responsibility of taking care of a new baby.
- Loneliness your risk of depression gets higher if you aren’t in contact or spending time with family and friends.
- Personality some personality traits can put you at a higher risk of developing depression. These include low-self esteem or a habit of criticising yourself too much. These personality traits can come from your genes, which you get from your parents, or they can be as a result of experiences in your early life.
- Family history it’s more likely for someone to develop depression if a family member, like a sibling or parent, has experienced it before.
You Cant Just Snap Out Of Depression
Well-meaning friends or family members may try to tell someone with depression to snap out of it, just be positive, or you can be happier if you just try harder. But depression is not a sign of a persons weakness or a character flaw. The truth is that most people who experience depression need treatment to get better.
If you are a friend or family member of a woman with depression, you can offer emotional support, understanding, patience, and encouragement. But never dismiss her feelings. Encourage her to talk to her health care provider, and remind her that, with time and treatment, she can feel better.
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Causes And Treatments Of Depression
Steven Gans, MD is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital.
Depression can have many causes, all of which are complex and can be difficult to understand. In some cases, feelings of depression can be clearly connected to an experience in someones life, such as a tragic loss or a violent event. Other people may be aware they have a family history of mental illness and, as a result, may not be caught off guard by a diagnosis of depression.
However, some people become depressed and dont know why. They may feel they do not have a reason to be depressedespecially if they perceive their life as being good or easy compared to others.
The pressure to explain or justify how they feel can make depression worse and may prevent people from getting necessary treatment.
Suddenly Letting Work Take Over Your Life
Work, work, work. If that is all you live and breathe, you are likely trying to fill some unpleasant or hard to handle part of your life.
Depression is funny that way.
Sometimes it might make you feel like you cannot get up out of bed to work. Other times you might feel like you cant do anything but work. Work tends to work as a great distraction from any life struggles or emotional pain you might be feeling.
But it is not how you should deal with it.
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Withdrawal From Activities Work Or School
Withdrawal from activities is one of the key signs of depression this occurs because the disorder takes up all of the persons time and energy. Depression makes it very difficult to carry on with daily life, aside from what is absolutely necessary, because the pain becomes too great. Those who suffer silently might start dropping one or two activities from their schedule in hopes that no one will notice. Many who suffer dont want to admit they have a problem and dont want others to know about it.
If you notice that a loved one is starting to miss out on life, then this is a sign of silent depression.
Am I Depressed Or Just Sad
Anyone who has experienced a loss of any type will know what it feels like to be sad. Losing a game, a favorite jacket, or even an irreplaceable family heirloom can make anyone feel sad for a time. More traumatic experiences, however, such as the loss of a loved one, may trigger deeper and more persistent negative feelings.
Depression can look different for each person experiencing it, but there are key factors that can be an indicator that its time to seek a depression treatment program. These symptoms include:
- Persistent, intense feelings of hopelessness or worthlessness
- Feeling as if life is not worth living
- Thoughts of self-harm or suicide
- Loss of interest in hobbies and daily activities
- Sleep problems, including insomnia and hypersomnia
- Difficulty focusing on tasks
- Changes in appetite and libido
When someone is dealing with depression, the symptoms will interfere significantly with their daily life. Sadness might make someone feel upset for a day or so, but depression can be overwhelming to the point of taking over your life. Find out more about depression treatment programs today, and how you can access life-saving treatments with Sunstone Recovery.
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Sadness Before Your Menstrual Cycle During Pregnancy Or After Childbirth
Reproductive hormones can also play a part in depression symptoms, so tracking what time of the month symptoms show up can offer some important clues.
- Symptoms of premenstrual dysphoric disorder generally show up a week or so before your period starts. Along with depression symptoms, you might experience anxiety or nervousness, paranoia, or panic. Some people also have a sense of general overwhelm, or feel as if theyre losing control.
- Perinatal depression involves episodes of depression that might begin during pregnancy or anytime in the first year after childbirth. It can involve worries about your ability to care for your child and intrusive thoughts about harming yourself or your child. You might also struggle to bond with your child.
- Depression symptoms can also develop along with perimenopause, or the transitional period before menopause. You might feel very tearful, lose interest in your usual activities, and find it difficult to manage ordinary stressors.
I Feel Happy: Is It High
Whats the difference between high functioning depression and feeling happy when living with depression?
High-functioning depression is a common term that refers to individuals with a more persistent type of depression, which isnt debilitating or incapacitating, explains Goldman. These folks are able to go to work, have relationships, and function relatively well in society.
She notes that this can differ from someone with major depressive disorder or clinical depression who, among other symptoms, may experience:
- days without being able to get out of bed
- having a hard time maintaining personal hygiene
- being unable to perform work or school-related tasks
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Could It Be Depression
While not everyone with depression will feel sad, unexplainable sadness you cant seem to shake is one of the primary signs of depression.
If your sadness does relate to depression, youll likely feel sad nearly all of the time almost every day, for most of each day, for a period of 2 weeks or longer. Sadness, in other words, seems to become a constant companion.
With depression, youll experience other symptoms, too. If several of the signs below accompany your sad or tearful mood, theres a good chance youre dealing with depression:
- feelings of anxiety or emptiness
- a sense of pessimism and hopelessness about the future
- appetite changes
Chronic sadness, especially when related to depression, might also prompt regular thoughts of death or suicide. Even if you dont have a plan to act on these thoughts, its always best to talk to someone you trust and get support right away .
You might begin to notice your feelings of sadness, along with any other symptoms you experience, follow a specific pattern. Depression can take different forms, and various underlying factors can have an impact on the way your symptoms show up.
A few things to look for:
Signs And Symptoms: How To Identify Depression
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disordersdiagnosed with major depressive disorder
Do you:
- Constantly feel tearful, empty, or worthless?
- Have little interest or pleasure in your work, hobbies, friends, family, and other things you once enjoyed?
- Notice dramatic changes up or down in your appetite or your weight not related to dieting?
- Often feel listless or fatigued for no obvious reason?
- Have trouble concentrating or making decisions?
- Find yourself wringing your hands, pacing, or showing other signs of anxious restlessness or the opposite, moving or speaking more slowly than usual?
- Struggle with insomnia or sleep too much?
- Have recurrent thoughts of suicide or death?
To be diagnosed with MDD, one of your symptoms must be a persistent low mood or a loss of interest or pleasure, the DSM-5 states. Your symptoms must also not be due to substance abuse or a medical condition, such as thyroid problems, a brain tumor, or a nutritional deficiency.
Of course, its normal to have any or all of these symptoms temporarily from time to time. The difference with depression is that the symptoms persist and make it difficult to function normally.
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Diagnosing And Treating Depression
There’s no physical test for depression.
If you experience depression symptoms most of the day, every day, for more than two weeks, you should visit your GP. This is especially important if:
- you have symptoms of depression that aren’t getting any better
- you have thoughts of self-harm or suicide
- your work, relationships with friends and family, or interests are affected by your mood
It can be hard for people with depression to imagine that anything can help them but the sooner you seek help, the sooner the symptoms start to get better.
Your GP may examine you and perform blood or urine tests to make sure there isn’t another condition causing your depression symptoms, like an underactive thyroid.
When you see your GP, they’ll try to find out if you have depression by asking you questions. These are likely to be about your health, how you’re feeling, and how that is affecting you mentally and physically.
Telling your doctor your symptoms and the affect they are having on you will help your GP to tell if you have depression, and how severe the condition is. It’s important to be as open as possible.
Your conversation with your GP will be confidential. This rule can only be broken if your GP thinks there is a significant risk of harm to you or others, and that telling a family member or carer would make that risk lower.