What are the Signs and Symptoms of Depression in Women?
Does depression manifest differently in women than in men? Yes, it can.
Women experience hormonal fluctuations that can exacerbate depressive symptoms. The presence of these hormones can result in depression-related mental health conditions like postpartum depression, premenstrual dysphoric disorder, and perimenopausal depression. These types of depression are specific to women. According to hopkinsmedicine.org, women are twice as likely to be diagnosed with depression.
Women are also at higher risk for developing depression related to financial concerns, marital problems, and issues with work-life balance.
This article will detail some of the signs and symptoms of depression in women.
Signs of Depression
There are a few initial signs of depression to look out for. They are listed below:
Feelings of sadness that last all day, consistently for two weeks.
A noticeable loss of interest in work, your friends, or things that you once enjoyed doing.
Getting caught up in negative thought cycles
This involves replaying negative experiences, blaming oneself, and negative self-talk.
A focus on heavy or negative feelings.
Difficulty concentrating
This loss in focus is also known as brain fog. You may notice that you are more forgetful, have trouble making decisions, and find yourself unable to concentrate.
Mood irregularities
You may find it hard to regulate your thoughts and feelings.
You experience frequent ups and downs in your mood.
Anger, irritability, and weepiness can occur often, at times without reason.
Changes in eating habits
You may have an increased appetite, or you may find that you have very little appetite. This results in either eating too much or not eating enough.
There may be an increased appetite for salty or sugary foods.
Other symptoms of depression
Someone who is depressed may not experience all of the symptoms listed. Depression presents differently from person to person. Below are some common symptoms of depression:
Change in sleep patterns. This could be sleep disturbances such as sleeping too much, not getting enough sleep, trouble staying asleep through the night, and/or early morning waking.
Lethargy, moving and speaking slower than usual.
Decreased interest in sex.
Aches and pains, such as headaches or stomachaches.
Digestive issues.
Withdrawal from friends, family, coworkers; isolating yourself.
Feeling hopeless, unworthy, or guilty.
Fatigue.
Feeling powerless.
Low self-esteem, low self-worth.
Reckless behavior, such as substance abuse.
Thoughts of hurting yourself, suicide, or death.
Overlooked Signs of Depression
There are a few signs of depression that are overlooked. If these things occur once in a while, it may not indicate anything. But if the following symptoms persist over a period of time and do not get better, it may be time to reassess how you are doing. One is impatience. A depressed person may struggle with patience and show irritability at things they may not have before. Indifference is another one. Vacillating between options, or being wishy washy, is also a sign when prolonged and taken in combination with other symptoms.
Different Types of Depression
Major depressive disorder is a severe form of depression that interferes with every aspect of your life. Major depression disorder symptoms are listed above.
Depression specific to women
Postpartum depression is a type of depression that occurs after your baby is born. Symptoms can include the above. They also include:
feeling disconnected from or numb towards your baby
feeling like you are not capable of caring for your baby
bouts of crying and anger
guilt, worry, or anxiety about not being a good mother
Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is an extreme form of premenstrual syndrome. In addition to the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome, it includes:
depression
mood instability
anxiety
suicidal thoughts
PMDD is a serious disorder that can disrupt your life. Women with PMDD may harm themselves or others. For more information on PMDD, please read our blog https://trustmentalhealth.com/blog/postpartum-depression-ppd.
Perimenopausal depression can set in when you are starting and transitioning through menopause. Symptoms include:
sadness, pervasive low mood
irritability, anger
inability to feel joy or pleasure
anxiety
What Factors can Cause Depression?
While there is not one definite, proven cause of depression, that are some factors that can trigger it and contribute to it.
One such factor is genetics. Having a family history of depression can make you more susceptible to it. So can having a close family member that is suffering from depression.
Another factor is prolonged, chronic stress. Stress, depression, and physical health problems are interlinked.
Trauma is a large contributor to depressive symptoms and depression. This could be a death or other traumatic event, a major life change or various forms of abuse.
When dealing with depression in women, we must take into account the role of hormones. Hormones can affect your mood and your symptoms.
Having an existing mental health condition or physical illness can increase your risk for developing depression.
Your brain chemistry also affects your chances of developing depression.
Other contributors to depression are lack of access to resources, or inequal resource distribution, and lack of social and personal support.
How can I Support Someone who is Depressed?
Do not ignore that they have a mental health condition. One of the best ways to help someone with a mood disorder is to research and learn about their disorder. This will enable you to understand how they are feeling and what they are dealing with. You will also be aware of warning signs to look out for, or a worsening in their condition.
You can ask them a question to see if they would like to talk. You could say something like, “I noticed that you have not been painting/going for a run/going to the park lately. How are you doing?” Then give them the time and space to answer the question. Do not interrupt them. They will have the comfort of talking to someone while you give them the gift of listening. If they choose not to answer, just be present with them.
Other supportive questions to ask are:
“What can I do to support you?”
“How have you been managing since [difficult life event]?”
“How have you been sleeping lately?”
“How do you feel about talking to someone?”
If it seems right to do so, you could remind them that seeking help for their depression is not a sign of weakness.
Getting Help
There is some stigma around depression. This may result in people not getting the support they need. It is not just a ‘bad mood’, and people cannot just snap out of it. It affects people of all ages, races, and genders. If you or someone you love is struggling with a depressive disorder, help is available. Trust Mental Health therapists are a team of bipoc therapists that speak multiple languages. We have expertise in treating depression and other mental health conditions. Contact us today for a free 15-minute consultation. We will match you with a therapist best suited to your unique requirements.
FAQs
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Talk to your primary care provider about how you have been feeling. They can then guide you towards the support you need.
If how you are feeling is mainly sadness, hopelessness and despair, that is a sign of possible depression. If you are feeling tense, keyed up, nervous, and worried, that is anxiety. Depression and anxiety are interlinked. It is possible that you are experiencing both.
You can take an anxiety assessment here.
You can take a depression assessment here.
We also have free resource worksheets that you may find helpful.
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Depression therapy involves regular sessions with your therapist. Its aim is to help you get a different perspective on your situation. It will offer you concrete tools and strategies to feel better and get your life back on track. Therapy offers a safe, judgment free space for you to talk. You will learn to identify the unhealthy emotional, thought, and behavioral patterns you engage in. At Trust Mental Health, we use different therapeutic approaches to treat depression. These include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, talk therapy and mindfulness practices.
Depression and its symptoms vary from person to person. We will tailor your treatment to your specific needs.
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More and more adolescents are struggling with depression and/or anxiety. In young people, depression and anxiety can be interconnected. Here are some of the signs that your child may be struggling:
Falling grades
Frequent physical symptoms such as stomachaches and headaches, feeling unwell
Sleep disturbances
Inability to concentrate
Loss of motivation
Withdrawal or isolation
Disruption in their regular eating habits
Irritability
Sensitivity to criticism
Worry or fear about school
Preoccupation or discomfort with their body image
Indifference, detachment
Emotional changes
Ask your teen how they have been feeling lately, or if there is something they would like to share. Therapy for teens is an effective way for adolescents to learn coping skills and better manage their mental health. To learn more about teenage mental health, read our blog