Depression is such a vast subject, and discussing depression symptoms in women makes it no less so. Women are twice as likely to develop depression when compared to Men in their lifetime. It can affect all the areas of life and can get quite severe if left unattended.

According to a research study, every year approximately  12 million women experience clinical depression. And one in every eight may expect to develop it at least once in their lifetime. Half, if not more than that, don’t receive the help they need. One of the reasons for this is that There is an unbelievably heartless stigma linked to depression… especially from those who have never experienced it! Part of this stigma is that the fairer sex often struggles with depression more than men. This falsely leads to depression as simply a character flaw or even a sign of weakness.

Depression is a mental disorder that is caused by a number of different circumstances and requires various levels of treatment on a case by case basis.

To learn how to manage depression, it is imperative that you understand the symptoms of depression in women.

5 Most common signs and symptoms of depression/ Depression symptoms in women

These are the five depression symptoms and signs to watch for.

  • Feeling low or low moods: Low mood condition can include sadness, worry, feeling anxious or panicky, tiredness, frustration, low self-esteem, and anger.
  • Talking about suicide: Depression severity is also noted when a person starts to have feelings of death or suicide. If you start to see these feelings, it is time to seek out medical attention immediately.
  • Feelings of worthlessness or hopelessness: Women with depression tends to feel worthless, or confesses to feeling guilty for no reason whatever. They tend to have a feeling of lagging, feeling unmotivated or just wanting to cry for no apparent reason. They also feel hopeless, guilty or have discontinued doing activities that they previously enjoyed.
  • Isolating oneself: You may find that they are pulling away from family or friends. They usually find it difficult to get out of bed. They tend to sleep more.
  •  Lost of interest: There are other symptoms, but this is probably the last major one, and it’s common to both women and men. Loss of energy and constantly feeling tired. Women who are experiencing depression. 

What Causes depression in Women?

  • The Most Common Causes of Depression in women are: 
  • Chemical imbalances in the brain
  • Stressful life events such as the death of a loved one, divorce or moving from an area, or a comfortable zone to another.
  • Side effects from taking specific drugs
  • The abuse of alcohol and drugs
  • Genetics & Heredity

Help for Overcoming Depression in Women

Women suffer from depression much more than men. Again, if a female member of your family is prone to depression, even mildly so, this is something to keep an eye on. Help them consult an appropriate mental health professional.

For the scientific treatment of depression, there are options of psychotherapy such as Cognitive behavioral therapy, antidepressant medications or a combination of both. And then there are nonscientific treatment options known as alternative treatments such as RTMS and neurofeedback complete the sentence. If the depression is not severe often all they need to recover are some coping skills and/or psychotherapy.

This article is an overview and barely scratches the surface of female depression, but I hope it’s given some idea of the symptoms for which they should be alive. It is of critical importance to get help from friends, family, your partner as well as your family physician as soon as you first start to see the signs of depression in women. Don’t wait too long to get help as every single day counts!