Depression in women
Depression:
Depression can happen to anyone of any age. It afflicts almost 19 million Americans each year, and up to one in five American women will suffer from clinical depression at some point in her life. Women are two to three times more likely than men to suffer from depression. Many women first experience symptoms of depression during their 20s and 30s. The identification of such clinical feelings of overwhelming sadness is important because when left untreated they can lead to dangerous conditions such as osteoporosis and an increased risk of heart attack..
Depression is a common condition amongst many people. Due to its degrees of severity it is often overlooked as a possible indication of ailments that are considerably more severe. Depression in women is more pertinent because women are biologically more susceptible to suffering from depression.
What is depression in women?
Depression in women is defined as a mental state in which the sufferer experiences feelings of extreme despondency and sadness, usually described as: ‘clinical depression’. Whilst temporary bouts of depression in women come and go, clinical depression is considerably more severe. Depressing in women is one of the 34 symptoms of menopause.
What is menopause?
 Menopause is a stage in women’s lives - usually between the ages of 40-50 in which women can be afflicted by a plethora of menopause symptoms due to an imbalance in their hormones. Hormones play a critical role in both the growth and maintenance of women’s body’s and when the hormonal glands lose to ability to reproduce the important chemical. Such an imbalance can wreak havoc on a woman’s body and cause menopause symptoms such as depression in women.
The different types of depression in women
There are different types of depression in women; some of these are listed below:
Major depression: Identifiable by extreme feelings of sadness for a period longer than 2 weeks. Mahor depression in women can cause the sufferer to cut themselves off from friends and family.
Dysthymic disorder: Less serious than major depression in women but with longer lasting effects. Some studies have shown that it can last for up to 2 years.
Adjustment disorder: This form of depression occurs as a direct result of a specific traumatic event and can last for varying periods.
Treatment methods for depression in women
 Different forms of treatment exist for women seeking relief from this potentially dangerous menopause symptom. If the cause of depression in women is identified as being psychological, therapy is usually prescribed. However if the cause is physical than a range of treatments that can rebalance hormone levels are usually the answer. Such treatment methods can come in the form of hormone replacement therapy, which is used by millions of women around the world.
Despite not seeming uncommon or dangerous depression in women can be an indication of more serious problems for those that are suffering from them. The medicinal treatments in this article can include a number of dangerous side effects. For this reason it is important to consider all of the options in the treatment of depression in women.
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