Beyond Anxiety and Depression - women depression

Young Women and Depression: What You Should Know

Gloria Goodwin — Tue, 16 Jul 2013 12:27:39 +0000

Young women go through a lot of changes as they approach the years of puberty. Not only will their body be developing and changing, their hormones will also be going wild. All of these changes can mean a girl not understanding quite what to think or what to do, but it can also mean depression. A lot of young women suffer from depression for various reasons, which is why it's important for loved ones to understand more about it.

Why Young Women Develop Depression

There are a lot of different reasons why a young woman develops depression. The hormonal changes are thought of as one of the major causes, as these affect the body's ability to think and process information. Although hormones play a major role with the depression of some women, there are other factors to consider. For example, some women are predisposed to depression through genetics. While not all women who have a family history of depression will develop it, this can be the case with some.

It's also important to consider what is going on in the life of the young woman. A breakup, death in the family or even school could be the trigger that leads to depression. Most young women aren't able to process some situations correctly, especially if their hormones are rapidly adjusting and changing. This lack of understanding and knowledge can lead to a depression spiral, which often needs to be worked out as soon as possible.

From the time a young woman reaches the age of 15 she's two times as more likely to develop depression than a young man. This increased risk means that all parents should be aware of what depression symptoms look like and how to identify them in their own children. While some women won't develop depression even though they are likely to, this isn't the case with them all.

Young Women in Childbearing Years

Postpartum depression is one of the most common types of depression among young women. This occurs after giving birth and can last for a long time if left untreated. Around 25% of women will suffer from this type of depression, but fortunately there is screening available at most hospitals that can determine which women are suffering.

There are also some women that will experience depression while they are pregnant. This is not common, but it does happen with some that feel overwhelmed by the responsibilities they are about to take on. In addition to this, pre-pregnancy depression is common for some women that feel the pressure to get pregnant, but haven't been able to.

Signs of Depression in Young Women

The signs of depression in young women are generally easy to identify, but some individuals may be able to mask theirs well. It's also important to realize that some women may display multiple signs of depression while others only show one or two. The most common symptoms include:

Not being able to sleep/ All she wants to do is sleep
Not being able to concentrate/ Bad memory
Trouble with relationships/ Feeling lonely and isolated
Suicidal thoughts
Feelings of guilt/ Not feeling worthy
Anxious feelings
Feeling angry or in a bad mood constantly

Getting Help For Depression

Young women need to seek help for depression as soon as they realize they are showing symptoms. Tackling this early on can result in finding a solution that makes you feel better and have a healthier outlook on life. Although suicide is not as common with young adults as it is with middle-aged adults; it does happen. It's best to get help quickly to avoid chances of harming yourself.

Seeing your doctor is the first step that you can take, as this will determine if you are depressed and what your options for treatment are. Most doctors are going to offer some sort of therapy, but prescription medications for depression are also commonly given. Seeing a psychiatrist is another great option to consider, as this will provide you with therapy and medication simultaneously.

Since young girls from age 15 can develop depression, it's something that every parent should have on their mind. It does happen and it can be dangerous, so being aware of the loved ones in your life is extremely important. With all the treatments that are available there's no reason women of any age have to suffer!

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Risk Factors for Generalized Anxiety Disorder in Women

Gloria Goodwin — Sat, 13 Jul 2013 00:24:57 +0000

Women who suffer from generalized anxiety disorder don't just suffer from it a few hours of the day; they actually have to deal with it all throughout the day. They think about disasters that might happen, things that might go wrong or problems that could happen. All of this worry causes a lot of anxiety and can affect every aspect of the woman's life. There are risk factors associated with this, which can determine whether or not a woman develops it.

Risk Factor #1: Being a Woman

Unfortunately just being a woman increases the chances of suffering from generalized anxiety disorder. Women are two times as likely to suffer from this as men are, just like they are more likely to suffer from depression. There are a lot of different factors involved in why women are twice as likely to deal with this disorder, which range from being more open about emotions to feeling the need to fulfill other people's needs.

Risk Factor #2: Personality as a Child

Girls who grow up being bullied are generally more likely to have this anxiety disorder as they grow into women. Bullying can make it difficult for a woman to open up and cause her to become extremely shy, which will manifest into anxiety in the future. Most women will also grow up worrying about being teased or bullied, which triggers generalized anxiety as she grows older.

This can first cause anxiety being around other women, but it can also cause problems with dating. All of the worries she has about being bullied will eventually lead her to start worrying about other things and will start to take over her life. This disorder can start as a child, but it will get worse as she grows into a woman.

Risk Factor #3: Genetics

Women who have a family history of generalized anxiety disorder may find that it causes them to have it as an adult. Generally women will develop the same fears or worries as their mother had, but other times they will simply learn it from growing up in a household with them. Girls tend to pay close attention to how to react to certain situations, so if their mother reacts in a worrying or fearful way, then she may do the same when she grows up. So, genetics are important to consider, but so is the environment in which the girl was raised.

Risk Factor #4: Traumatic Situations

Women respond to trauma differently than men do, and generalized anxiety disorder can become the result. For example, many women who grew up being abused end up with this disorder when they grow up because of how they were treated when they were children. This disorder can even occur for women who had a single traumatic experience as a child. Fears for just one thing can manifest themselves and make a female worry more than she should. After some time she will start to worry about other things, which will eventually lead to this disorder.

Risk Factor #5: Social Situations

Women who grew up without a lot of social connections as a child may find it difficult to connect with adults as they grow up. It is also common that women who grow up in very rural areas tend to feel anxiety when they are faced with areas that have larger populations. Even women who are mixed with different races can feel anxiety if they grew up in an area where other kids were predominantly different from them.

Most women will suffer from some sort of anxiety during the course of their life, but generalized anxiety disorder is different. This is where women aren't able to deal with certain situations and they allow their worries to control them all day and all night. This will affect quality of life and can eventually lead a woman down the road of depression, if it remains untreated.

The risk factors above are just a few that doctors will consider when determining treatment. It's important to keep in mind that just because a woman fits in with these risk factors it doesn't mean she will develop this disorder. Some end up not having much anxiety, so there's no true formula that will determine who has it and who doesn't.

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Facts about Depression in Women over 40

Gloria Goodwin — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 05:07:01 +0000

Women over the age of 40 go through a lot of different changes that can result in developing depression. While this isn't the case with all women, there is a higher risk of suffering once this age is reached. If you are nearing 40 and want to learn more about this, then read these facts. These can make you more aware of what your body is going through and what signs to look out for when it comes to depression.

Fact #1: Depression Peaks After 40

From ages 40-64 there's a spike in women who are diagnosed with depression as well as many other mental health issues. In fact, 15% of women in this age group will develop depression, which was found by a study done by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Unfortunately this number is probably higher than this, especially since a lot of women feel that the depression they experience is "normal" and there's no reason for them to report it to a healthcare professional.

The age of women with the highest level of depression is 44, but many women do not realize this. they feel that changes in their hormones is something that is to be expected. Unfortunately this can lead to even further depression, which can quickly put a woman in danger of herself.

Fact #2: Depression After 40 Increases Risk of Suicide

Both women and men ages 45-54 have the highest rate of suicide, which can be a result if undiagnosed and untreated depression. Any woman who feels like she is at risk of being depressed should see her doctor right away to get tested and discuss treatments. There are a lot of ways to get help, so there's no reason women shouldn't take advantage of what's available.

Fact #3: Menopause Can Be to Blame

Menopause affects the hormones of a woman after she is past a certain age, which is when many develop depression. Athough menopause isn't the only reason a woman will develop depression at this age, it's believed to be one of the biggest factors. When the hormones are changing so rapidly and the body is imbalanced, depression can be easy to delve into, especially for women who are going through other issues in their life.

Even though most women don't go through menopause until they reach the age of 50-51, their body is going to start changing several years before that. Her estrogen levels will vary, the chemicals in the brain will begin to change and all of that can lead to depression being developed.

Fact #4: Some Women are at Higher Risk

Women who have a family history of depression or that have a mental illness may be at a higher risk of developing depression when they reach and exceed the age of 40. These things affect the way the brain is balanced with chemicals and further changes can make those problems worse. Most women will be able to tell a difference with their mood, but the majority will brush it off as hormonal changes and nothing more than that.

Fact #5: Stress Increases Risk

Women who are over the age of 40 have a lot of stresses going on in their lives. Not only are they dealing with changes in their body, they are also dealing with children that are turning into adults. These combined with the stress of a job and other things going in life can increase the risk of a woman developing depression. Each woman is different, though, which is why visiting a doctor is important after reaching this age.

Knowing the Signs of Depression

Whether you fear depression for yourself or a loved one, it's important to be able to recognize the signs. Just keep in mind that all women are different and each will display different signs.

Feelings of hopelessness
No desire to get out of bed
Weight loss/gain
Change in mood
Problems sleeping

These are some of the most common symptoms of depression, but there are many others. Remember that just because a woman is over 40 doesn't mean she will automatically become depressed. There are a lot of factors that come into play and it differs for each person. But, if you or someone you know is displaying these signs, then seek professional help as soon as you can.

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Signs of Depression in Women over 50

Gloria Goodwin — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 00:04:42 +0000

A lot of people don't realize that depression can happen to women no matter what age they are. They also don't realize that depression is higher in women who are over the age of 40, especially as they approach menopause in their 50s. If you are a woman or have one in your life, then it's important to understand the signs of depression in women of this age. These do differ from signs of depression in younger women, but each person is different with those that they display.

Symptom #1: Change in Sleep

Change in sleep is common for women who are experiencing depression. This can mean not being able to fall asleep, but it could also mean not being able to sleep all the way through the night. A lot of older women also describe having nightmares when they go to sleep, which is something they didn't experience in the past.

Symptom #2: Keeping up Appearances

Some older women who become depressed don't feel the need to keep up their appearance like they did before. This might mean she stops putting on makeup when she used to, but it could also mean she doesn't get her hair done like she did before. There are also some women that just don't feel the need to get dressed because they want to stay in bed all day long.

Not showering is another sign of a woman who is depressed, especially if she used to shower daily. In addition to this, some depressed women will stop washing their clothes and just throw on anything they can find on the floor. It's easy to see a woman who is depressed, especially if she looks different from how she used to before.

Symptom #3: Lack of Care for Pets, Home and Family

Neglecting to take care of pets, children, family members and even a spouse is another sign that an older woman is depressed. She won't feel the need to take care of things like she used to, and those that she does take care of won't be given a lot of care or thought. This is generally a result of her feeling isolated and like she isn't loved. A lot of loved ones will take this personally, which can trigger conflict and push the woman down even more into depression as a result.

So, if a woman has a dirty home or the animals aren't fed, then she could be showing signs of depression. But, it could also be something as simple as her not washing the clothes for her kids or forgetting to pick them up from soccer practice. There are a lot of ways she can become neglectful of things she used to put care and effort into.

Symptom #4: Mood Swings

Mood swings are common for women due to their hormones, but at this point in life extreme mood changes should be red flags. This means that the woman will be fine one minute and extremely angry or sad the next. These types of mood changes will not be consistent and will occur out of the blue. This is one huge sign of depression for most women, especially after they reach the age of 50.

Symptom #5: Chang in Sexual Desires

A woman's sex drive will generally decrease as she gets older, but if this suddenly changes, then it could be a symptom of depression. This sign generally should only be taken into consideration if other signs of depression are being displayed. Sexual changes are common, so they shouldn't be the only thing that you take into account when determining if someone has depression or not.

Symptom #6: Crying

Not all women who are depressed sit around and cry all day, but this seems to be a common occurrence with women who are older. While she might not cry all day long, you will notice that she cries more in different situations, even those that aren't sad. This could even mean her crying for no reason in particular, but just because she feels sad.

Depression in women over 50 is a complex issue that not even psychiatrists understand completely. It's just important to realize that if you recognize symptoms in yourself or someone else, that you should seek help immediately. Suicide rates are the highest for this age group, which means depressed women over 50 pose a greater risk to themselves.

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