Why is depression more common in women?
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Dr. Michael Roizen answered:Women are twice as likely to have depression as men, although no one knows why. Hypotheses run the gamut. Some researchers believe that women face more discrimination and often have to juggle more social roles. Others see the disparity as stemming from biological (largely hormonal) differences. Approximately 10 percent of women suffer from depression during pregnancy, and many suffer with postpartum depression after giving birth. In addition, women tend to have a higher incidence of hypothyroidism (low function of thyroid), which is also associated with depression.
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Women are twice as likely to have depression as men, although no one knows why. Hypotheses run the gamut. Some researchers believe that women face more discrimination and often have to juggle more social roles. Others see the disparity as... More -
Dr. Celeste Robb-Nicholson answered:Psychiatrists and psychologists have devoted much thought and study to the issue of gender and depression. Although there is general agreement that numerous factors contribute to a higher rate of depression in women, the nature of those components is a subject of ongoing debate. The commonly acknowledged ones include emotional "hard wiring," developmental experiences, and social conditioning.
These factors are interrelated. Women are considered to be more responsive to signals from others and more reliant on external feedback for their sense of self. Women are also more likely than men to repress anger or aggression or to turn those feelings on themselves, rather than to vent them appropriately. Moreover, society expects the "good woman" to subordinate her needs to those of others. All these tendencies contribute to a loss of self-esteem -- a central feature of depression.
The stage for depression during adulthood may be set quite early in life. As girls, many older women were taught that reticence and modesty were traits to be cultivated, and they learned to defer to boys in the classroom and in social situations. Being habitually relegated to the background can erode one's sense of self-worth. The stresses of adolescence -- including the struggle for independence from one's mother, the dawn of awareness of one's sexuality, increased freedom to make one's own decisions, hormonal changes, and, often, a negative body image -- can also play a role.
Although it was once widely believed that depression was a common consequence of menopause, a number of population-based studies have failed to demonstrate an increase in the rate of depression at midlife. When the end of fertility comes at the time that one's children are entering adolescence or leaving home, some women experience a sense of loss; in contrast, many others find the release from the possibility of pregnancy to be a liberating experience. However, more women than men become depressed late in life, when women often have more risk factors for depression, such as social isolation and bereavement.Psychiatrists and psychologists have devoted much thought and study to the issue of gender and depression. Although there is general agreement that numerous factors contribute to a higher rate of depression in women, the nature of those components... More -
RealAge answered:Women are about 70% more likely than men to have depression during their lifetime, and for women between the ages of 25 and 44, the risk is even higher. Experts believe this is due to a combination of hormonal changes, social and cultural problems that affect women, and added stress from work, parenthood, and caregiving.
Women are about 70% more likely than men to have depression during their lifetime, and for women between the ages of 25 and 44, the risk is even higher. Experts believe this is due to a combination of hormonal changes, social and cultural... More
