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Women and Depression

Women and Depression

If you’ve ever thought that more women than men seem to suffer from depression, you’re right. Statistics show that women are about twice as likely as men to become depressed. For women, the lifetime risk of depression is about 25%, compared with 12% for men. And certain subgroups of women may be especially likely to have a depressive episode.

Put Some of the Blame on Female Hormones

At least one reason for women’s greater tendency to experience major depression, postpartum depression, and premenstrual dysphoric disorder may be the female hormone estrogen, which is involved in much of the reproductive activity of a woman’s body. When estrogen levels are out of balance, that may have a negative effect on the activity of some of the brain chemicals known as neurotransmitters. As a result, the neurotransmitters may not regulate mood properly.

The neurotransmitter whose role in depression has been studied the most is serotonin. Physician Dr. Doris Gunderson of the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center has explained that estrogen has a serotonin-enhancing effect. Changing estrogen levels may mean serotonin levels aren’t regulated properly, and so the risk of depression may rise. Supporting the theory is the fact that depression rates are similar for girls and boys until puberty, when girls’ rates become higher as reproductive activity begins. Progesterone, another female hormone, may also play a role in mood regulation.

Another explanation for women’s higher incidence of depression involves the anterior limbic system — a region of the brain responsible for emotional activity. This region is known to malfunction during clinical depression. Dr. Mark George of the National Institute of Mental Health suggests that hyperactivity, or overuse, of this region during sadness could eventually lead to its exhaustion and malfunction, and to signs of depression.

But Biology Isn’t the Only Reason for Depression

You should be aware that biology is only one of the causes of women’s depression. When environmental and social stressors are combined with biological factors, women may be particularly likely to become depressed. These stressors include sexism, low socioeconomic status, physical illness, and substance abuse.