Dr. Carla Marie Manly, a private practice clinical psychologist, has been treating depressed women for 15 years.
One of the most widespread misconceptions regarding depression, according to Manly, is that it is a “natural part of being a woman.” This perception may stem from the prevalence of depression among women.
Approximately one in eight American women may experience clinical depression over the course of her lifetime. In addition, women are about twice as prone as men to have depressive symptoms, which may be attributable to cultural, hormonal, and biological variables unique to women.
Here are six things that Manly wants depressed women to know.
The crucial indicators are not always clear.
Some symptoms of depression in women, such as changes in food or sleeping patterns, irritability, and feelings of hopelessness, are simpler to recognize.
However, according to Manly, you and your loved ones may overlook or overlook other critical indicators. These symptoms consist of:
Anhedonia refers to the inability to get pleasure from activities that formerly intrigued or uplifted you. “Because so many women deal with feeling weary and overworked, this essential indication of melancholy is sometimes misunderstood with burnout or sleep deprivation,” adds Manly.
According to Manly, low libido might be caused by natural hormonal fluctuations, weariness, or stress, or it can be an indication of depression.
According to Manly, excessive alcohol consumption can be both a cause and a coping method for depression. Excessive drinking can be used to cover or dull unpleasant emotions. In addition, because using alcohol while socializing or unwinding is socially acceptable, you may not instantly identify when your drinking habits have changed.
Isolation: According to Manly, both extroverts and introverts with depression may avoid even little social contacts and seek out more solitary hobbies, such as watching television alone rather than attending a weekly movie night with friends. “Although it is common and good to scale down on activities when restorative time is required, many women are unaware that depression can present as a gradual or sudden change in the desire to interact with others,” she says.
A 2015 study discovered that making shopping decisions helps decrease depression by restoring a sense of personal control over one’s environment. According to Manly, some depressed women may indulge in obsessive buying in an effort to improve their disposition.
It will not necessary utterly derail your life.
“Many people believe that depressed women wallow in bed or are largely useless,” adds Manly.
According to Manly, many women suffer from “high-functioning depression,” which is more difficult to identify. You can have depression even though you can still perform well at work, care for your children, and smile in social situations.
“Many depressed women deliberately put on a façade of happiness and keep themselves extremely busy,” adds Manly.
Depression may be triggered by your circumstances.
According to Manly, while depression does not always have a precise cause, a variety of physical, mental, and social or societal factors can provoke sadness in women.
For instance, women are more likely to live in poverty, which can result in emotions of insecurity, lack of control, and low self-esteem, all of which contribute to depression.
Other prevalent causes of female depression include:
Depression can develop during specific life phases.
Various varieties of depression can arise at various times of life, frequently in reaction to certain bodily changes.
Disorder premenstrual dysphoria
As part of premenstrual syndrome, it’s usual to experience depression and even weeping bouts in the week or two preceding your period (PMS).
However, between 5% and 10% of menstruating women encounter a more severe type known as premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), which can lead to a more severe sad mood, feelings of hopelessness, and suicidal thoughts.
Prenatal depression
The uncomfortable bodily changes, hormonal upheavals, and obsessive planning that accompany pregnancy can be daunting for expecting mothers, especially when compounded with relationship issues, job changes, a lack of social support, or other life stresses.
Prenatal depression typically affects women just prior to child, although it can occur at any time during pregnancy, making it difficult to care for oneself or others.
Self-care is particularly essential during pregnancy. Finding a support network for expecting parents and requesting therapy advice from your doctor will help you manage and cope with prenatal depression symptoms.
Postpartum depression
Approximately one in seven women experience postpartum depression (PPD), which tends to last longer than prenatal depression and is characterized by more severe symptoms, such as feelings of guilt, low self-esteem, and suicide ideation.
Importance: If you are having suicidal thoughts, help is accessible immediately. Calling 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or texting “HOME” to 741741 to access the Crisis Text Line will connect you with compassionate crisis counselors who will offer free, confidential support.
Due to stigma and a general fear of abandoning or losing support, many women with PDD do not report their depression to their family members. However, without therapy, symptoms may worsen and impact your relationship with your child.
Among the risk factors for PPD are:
A personal or familial history of mental family
Birth or infant problems
insufficient social support
Perimenopausal depression
Perimenopause, the transition into menopause, is characterized by the greatest hormone fluctuations. Numerous perimenopausal women report fast mood swings, despair, and anxiety.
If you have menopause at a younger age or have your ovaries surgically removed, you are more prone to experience perimenopausal depression.
5. Changing habits that exacerbate depression might be difficult.
According to Manly, one of the greatest obstacles in assisting depressed women is changing the behaviors that perpetuate their condition. Depression can have a detrimental impact on your energy and motivation.
“Although a depressed woman may have a strong desire to recover, she typically struggles to find the energy and motivation to adopt mood-boosting behaviors,” adds Manly. “She may come to realize exactly what would help her manage her depression, such as quitting a toxic employment or engaging in more physical activity, but such actions are typically onerous.”
Anxiety and worry can sometimes impede women from moving forward. For instance, according to Manly, a woman may recognize that her connection with a difficult or violent spouse is the cause of her melancholy, yet she may be reluctant to leave the relationship out of fear of change or loneliness.
Other reasons for staying in an abusive relationship may include financial uncertainty, dependence on a spouse owing to a physical impairment, and concerns about maintaining the family unit, all of which may also contribute to depression.
Depression is very amenable to treatment.
Manly’s main piece of advice for depressed or depressed-suspected ladies is to get support from a competent therapist.
She also recommended locating a local women’s depression support group. Not only do support groups provide a safe environment for sharing emotional experiences, but they can also serve as a vital reminder that you are not alone.
However, when it comes to antidepressants, Manly recommends adjusting expectations: These drugs may alleviate depression, but they are unlikely to eradicate it completely. They can potentially take weeks to become effective.
“If depression feels like a 100-pound burden, an antidepressant may make it feel like a 60-pound burden,” adds Manly.
Important: despite the fact that antidepressants can alleviate some symptoms of depression, they do not treat the underlying reasons of depression. Because of this, a combination of psychotherapy and medicine may be more beneficial than either treatment alone.
Using one of the following searchable databases, you can locate a therapist who treats depression.
Insider’s takeaway
Depression is more prevalent among women due to both biological and social reasons.
Depression can be triggered by major life events such as pregnancy, divorce, menopause, or the death of a loved one, but it can also be caused by everyday stressors or occur without a specific cause.
Some signals, such as drinking a little more alcohol, spending a little more money, or wanting a little more alone time, may be simple to overlook.
“Remember that you are not defective if you deal with depression,” Manly advises. “Numerous individuals have struggled with and overcame or learnt to manage the dark cloud. Therefore, do not give up, as depression is a treatable mental health condition.”