What to do: How are the causes of depression in women devalued?

According to World Health Organization statistics, approximately 300 million people worldwide can be diagnosed with depression. Moreover, according to large-scale epidemiological studies, cases of depressive and apathetic periods are twice as common in women than in men. However, despite the numbers, the seriousness of the causes of depression in women continues to be underestimated.

Why are our hormones activated?

This reason is traditionally called one of the first. The female body is indeed more sensitive to hormonal changes: here are postpartum (postpartum) depression, features of the menstrual cycle and menopause, from which 10-15% of women suffer. Changes in estrogen levels cause emotional fluctuations, which can lead to depression. But the mechanisms underlying gender differences in depression are not fully understood, according to a study published in the peer-reviewed science portal Nature Communications. Therefore, if a woman has been in a depressed mood for a long time, it is wrong to reduce everything to hormonal changes.

From fatigue to depression

For example, a woman suffers from postpartum depression, but instead of support and understanding she faces condemnation and a constant feeling of guilt: “Why are you tired? You stay at home.” At the same time, when the child goes to kindergarten and maternity leave ends, the woman returns to her working duties – she is now a mother-wife-housewife-specialist. So, according to Rosstat statistics, 70% of mothers of preschool children work. Permanent work both at home and at work The pressure of responsibility slowly but surely becomes a catalyst for apathetic periods, then depressive episodes, because you have to keep your face.The cost of chasing the status of Wonder Woman, who can do anything but never tires, is the somatic symptoms: headaches, panic attacks, insomnia.

Don’t sacrifice yourself by paying others’ debts

Women seek psychological help much more willingly than men: the rates are obvious: 70% and 30%. This is due not only to higher emotional flexibility, but also to another stereotype that does not spare anyone: for example, if a woman is the weaker sex, then a man is accordingly strong and therefore must endure and cope on his own. (it is possible that this also affects the statistics on the frequency of depressive episodes.) So our main helper, as always, is ourselves, our ability to reflect and our ability to seek help in time. The specialist will remind you to slow down, pay attention to what is responding among the endless noise, and evaluate the need for medication; loved ones will support; and our Self will most likely heal us in ways that are different for each: for some it is yoga or dance, and for others a few minutes of meditation is enough to gather strength and continue conquering the peaks.