All you need to know about women depression symptoms

Depression in women follows a completely different angle when equated with depression in men. Women depression symptoms are affected by the reproductive hormones that are produced in a woman, the pressures and stress exerted by society at large and the ability of the individual woman to cope with these issues. A large number of studies have pointed that depression is more often caused in women than in men and this alarming trend necessitates the need to completely understand the symptoms of depression in women and to find ways to combat it.

Signs of depression in women are reflected by extreme sadness that is compounded with a feeling of low self worth and an inability to perform any task. Depression is most often associated with a disruption of day to day life where the woman is weighed down by hopelessness that never seems to disappear.

Women depression symptoms can range from being mild to moderate, where the women is left feeling extremely low , worthless, with loss of appetite, apathy and partial or complete disinterest in completing any task etc. These feeling may give rise to more severe feelings of loss or guilt that might lead to excessive weight gain or excessive weight loss. The depression symptoms in women may also lead to an inability to concentrate or it might lead to the occurrence of aches and pains that are unexplained. Many women complain of sleeping a lot more than normal or sleeping very little. A characteristic symptom of depression in women is awakening early in the morning and an inability to fall back asleep. Very severe cases of depression symptoms in women could lead to a feeling of suicide or death and such women should be afforded immediate medical help.

Women are at a higher risk than men in falling into depression as they have a lot of hormonal imbalances that can direct to depression in part. Pre-menopausal and postpartum depression are the most commonly studied states during which time a woman is extremely susceptible to depression.

There are many different types of depression that is commonly seen in women. Major depression symptoms in women are characterized by a complete disruption of normal day to day life and the woman would be unable to enjoy life's pleasures. Major depression, if untreated, could last for up to 6 months. Atypical depression symptoms seen in women are another form of major depression where a slight mood elevation is noticed during certain periods like a trip out with close friends. Such mood changes are, however, temporary and the person moves back into major depression. Dysthymia is a mild form of depression that occurs in women and is characterized by low levels of depression that last for a long time. The long period of occurrence of this type of depression might make the affected person feel that this is the way they are and therefore treatment is rarely sought out. However, if the signs of dysthymia are recognised, treatment can be availed and relief from the depression symptoms expected. Another form of depression symptoms that also affects women is the seasonal affective disorder. This type of depression is caused among certain people during dark and gloomy weather like fall or winter. This depression, however, lasts only during those specific climatic conditions and the presence of bright artificial light, also called photo therapy, has been shown to act as a great mood elevator.

Another form of depression also witnessed in women is the bipolar depression. The symptoms of bipolar manic depression include cyclic mood changes that alternate between depression and manic periods during which time the person exhibits excessively rapid speech or is extremely hyper active or has minimum sleep. The manic periods could last from a few days to weeks before the return of the depressive phase. During the manic period the person exhibits enormous amount of energy levels and shows over involvement in the various activities. This form of depression has been found to affect people within the range of 15-25 years and it affects both men and women equally. The treatment to help people exhibiting symptoms of manic bipolar depression involves effort that will prevent the patient from cycling from one phase to another. Antidepressants are not prescribed for symptoms of manic bipolar depression as they have been found to make the condition worse. Doctors concentrate on identifying the situations th at cause the mood disorders and mood elevators are generally provided as a first step to treatment.

Signs of depression in women are recognised not only due to changes in hormonal balance but also during times of stress. Many women are weighed down by the different roles that they have to play as a woman viz a mother, wife and as an employee. Feelings of guilt generally consume working women who do not find time to spend with their children. Other societal pressures that affect and lead to signs of depression in women include abuse or unhappiness over their marital relationships. This dissatisfaction and the woman's inability to control their life could lead to depression.

There are many ways to alleviate symptoms of depression in women and exercise has been shown to be the most effective. Dietary modification and inclusion of specific herbal remedies have also been found to be good at improving the signs of depression in women. These mood elevators are useful for mild forms of depression while more severe cases require therapy and treatment under the care of a specialist.

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