Depression is twice as common among women as among men. About 20 percent of women will experience at least one episode of depression across their lifetime. Scientists are examining many potential causes for and contributing factors to women’s increased risk for depression. Biological, life cycle, hormonal and psychosocial factors unique to women may be linked to women’s higher depression rates. Researchers have shown, for example, that hormones affect brain chemistry, impacting emotions and mood.
Before adolescence, girls and boys experience depression at about the same frequency. By adolescence, however, girls become more likely to experience depression than boys. Research points to several possible reasons for this imbalance. The biological and hormonal changes that occur during puberty likely contribute to the sharp increase in rates of depression among adolescent girls. In addition, research has suggested that girls are more likely than boys to continue feeling bad after experiencing difficult situations or events, suggesting they are more prone to depression. (Sources: National Institute of Mental Health and National Women’s Health Center.)
hello Johny,
I assume you are just quoting research and not stating a personal opinion because I would have to disagree inasmuch as it is only more likely that women will seek help than men who more often suffer in silence. Also there are a plethora of factors that contribute to the onset of depression with hormonal factors being only one. Childhood trauma, bullying, bereavement and so on more or less ad infinitum. That is of course just my view. Kind regards
What's the point of this post? Anyone of us could Google this if we wanted to. Not sure why you've posted an internet article?
Im having it bad n im scared i feel lost my parents are passed away and im the only child n the girl iv always loved for over 10 years iv lost n i still n will always love her i dont want to go crazy i dont have energy n i cant control my thoughts.
I disagree depression is in just as many men as woman especially young men , why post a quote from a USA mental health site ?
Agree, really don't see the point of this post, irrelevant details will only worry those who already have a problem
I have to agree that this post may be true in that women experiance depression due to hormones and body changes ect., but so do men, only men dont seek help as much.
Hi whilst I am not discounting biological causes I think that depression in women can also be caused by their lack of outlets which are available/acceptable to men. A simple example is while it is acceptable for a lone man to go to a pub it is still very dificult for women due to social mores.
Women still tend to put others first ie their partner and children and ignore their own needs and this can result in depression. This is lifestyle, not biological
I am not sure how relevant this is now but back in the 70's a well known study was undertaken with people being asked what they though the ideal qualities were for a man and the ideal ones for a woman. The ones for men included things like ambition, toughness, aggression etc. The ones for women were being unselfish, modest, giving etc.
The researches noted that the ideal qualities for a woman were much closer to the descriptions of depressed people than for men. x
I also agree with others about women seeking help more often than men. I read somewhere the biggest cause of death of men between 25-40 is suicide. x