Being sad and feeling down is a perfectly normal part of everyday life. People are not always going to feel their best every day. Sadness and not feeling 100% will go away with time, but depression is different.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), depression affects almost 16 million Americans every year. Depression can seriously affect one’s mood and change how one goes about everyday tasks. It’s often characterized by extreme sadness, irritability, and hopelessness. To top it off, women are exponentially more affected by depression. About twice as many women are suffering from depression as men. To learn more about women and depression with Steps For Change, continue reading.
What Is Depression?
Depression otherwise known as major depressive disorder is a common but severe mood disorder. It can cause people to have trouble working, sleeping, learning, eating, and engaging in everyday activities. Depression can be caused by a handful of environmental and biological factors. Over 12 million Americans experience depression every year.
Different types of depression can include:
- Major depressive disorder
- Dysthymic disorder
- Psychotic depression
- Postpartum depression
- Seasonal affective disorder (SAD)
- Bipolar depression
Additionally, women experience it at a much higher rate than men. The rate at which a boy or girl is diagnosed with depression is fairly the same when growing up. It isn’t until females hit puberty that the risk of having depression dramatically increases.
Signs and symptoms of depression:
- Persistent sad, anxious, empty mood
- Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or hopelessness
- Loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies or activities
- Decreased energy or fatigue
- Moving or talking slowly
- Feeling restless or having trouble sitting still
- Difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions
- Difficulty sleeping, early-morning awakening, or oversleeping
- Appetite or weight changes
- Thoughts of death, suicide, or suicide attempts
- Aches and pains such as headaches, cramps, or digestive problems
Women and Depression
Depression is rarely diagnosed and seen before adolescence. As previously mentioned it’s typically diagnosed at the same rate in girls and boys during their adolescent years. It’s not until women go through puberty and begin developing where it is twice as likely as boys.
In this phase, girls go through hormonal changes and might experience pregnancy and menstrual cycles.
Depression can occur in women due to the following reasons:
- Genetics
- Chemical imbalances
- Environmental issues
- Hormonal imbalance
- Alcohol or drug abuse
Hormonal Changes
Hormonal changes are amongst the most significant factors that lead to depression in women. During puberty, women go through several hormonal changes that increase the risk of developing depression. Puberty is related to many life experiences that are the most prominent in women and depression.
These life experiences can include:
- Sexuality/sexual identity issues
- Conflict with family members
- Pressure from peers to perform well in school and other areas of life
Postpartum Depression
Postpartum depression or perinatal depression is a mood disorder that happens during or after childbirth. Depression that occurs during pregnancy is considered perinatal, while depression occurring after birth is referred to as postpartum.
Similar to depression, mothers might experience feelings of extreme sadness, anxiety, and or fatigue. This causes mothers to struggle to carry our daily tasks.
Not only does it make it difficult to carry out everyday tasks, but it also makes it difficult to care for themselves and others.
Signs and symptoms of perinatal depression include:
- Anxious and empty mood
- Decrease in energy
- Difficulty sleeping
- Feelings restless
- Abnormal appetite trouble bonding with the newborn
- Trouble forming an emotional connection with the newborn
- Persistent double of ability to care for the new baby
- Thoughts about suicide or harming oneself or the baby
Treatment for Depression
The good news about depression is that it is treatable. There are many evidence-based, comprehensive treatments available to improve the symptoms of depression.
Some of the most common treatments for depression are psychotherapy, or “talk therapy,” and medication, such as antidepressants.
Psychotherapy
At Steps For Change, our caring and comprehensive staff utilize psychotherapy to treat symptoms of depression. Many therapists, in one way or another, use a form of psychotherapy in their practice. The ultimate goal of psychotherapy is to improve relationship skills, such as communicating more efficiently with loved ones.
Some of the more popular forms of psychotherapy include cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), and psychodynamic therapy. These types of therapies can focus on current problems you are facing, help you deal with self-defeating thoughts, or talk about past experiences.
Medication
Brain chemistry has a lot to do with depression and could play a huge role in treatment. Antidepressants are commonly prescribed to help the brain use a particular chemical to regulate a person’s moods or stress.
Women may need to try several different options depending on what type of depression they are going through. Although the risk of congenital disabilities and other problems for the baby is low, mothers might want to try other forms of treatment.
Antidepressants take an estimated 6- to 8 weeks to see improvement of symptoms. Symptoms like sleep, appetite, and concentration are some of the problems that improve before mood changes get better.
Get Better with Steps For Change
If you or someone you know is struggling with depression it may be time to see a mental health professional. At Steps For Change, we treat every client with care and create a strong community to help them feel the best version of themselves. Contact us today to learn more about our mental health services in the Minneapolis area.
