Depression in Women

Depression in women is much more common than depression in men. The symptoms of which can range from something as little as no longer taking pleasure in an activity that you enjoyed before, to something as serious as having thoughts of doing harm to yourself. Other symptoms may include problems with your sleep schedule, a gradual loss of appetite, or just feeling sad a good deal of the time. There are any number of things that can cause these types of feelings: a loss of someone close, switching jobs, or just the stress of everyday life in general can all play a role in depression. There may even be a chemical imbalance that can cause these feelings of depression, through no fault of your own. Women commonly feel the added pressure of being the one who manages more of the day to day happenings of their family, and this alone can cause a considerable amount of stress.

How can women help alleviate some of these issues? Sometimes changes as simple as getting more rest or asking a friend or spouse for help with everyday activities may be enough to lift some of the weight from their shoulders and release some of that pressure. Eating right and getting exercise can be an outlet as well. These are all simple fixes that may help with some of the lesser forms of depression. However, if you are feeling like there may not be a way out and have even considered suicide, then you are going to need to seek the help of a doctor or suicide help center as soon as possible. Sometimes you just need someone to listen, and those very people may have had similar feelings at a time in their own life and can help talk you through them.

Women may also have a harder time dealing with depression than men because of not being able to take certain medications both during and after pregnancy due to the possible complications and or side effects that may arise because of it. If choosing to breastfeed, these medications can make their way through a mother’s system and be passed to the child through the breast milk. On top of this restriction from medicine, can be the very prospect of motherhood itself, which can cause many new mothers to have fear and anxiety, compounding the depression. The best thing you can do is to speak with your doctor and find out the risks that are involved, and determine what the best and safest possible solution may be.