More than 12 million American women experience clinical depression every year, and one in eight women will have depression at some point in their lifetime. Men and women can both experience the same depression symptoms, but some symptoms show up more prevalently for women than they do for their male counterparts. Women are twice as likely as men to develop depression, and they are three times more likely to attempt suicide.
We have already discussed the signs of depression in men in a previous post, and now we will go over some common signs of depression in women.
Excessive Crying And Emotional Vulnerability
When a man is depressed, his emotional vulnerability may be viewed as irritability or rage. For women, this usually comes across as increased sensitivity. This could be characterized by unexpected crying outbursts or a short temper. If you have felt yourself crying for no reason, you may be suffering from depression.
It’s important to note that this does not follow the stereotype of women being more emotional than men. Rather, it has to do with the way men and women are perceived in society. Men tend to bottle up their depression and convert the sadness to anger, but women react in a different way. Anytime you feel like you cannot control your emotions, there is an underlying cause that you can identify through depression therapy.
Sleeplessness And Fatigue
This symptom of depression applies to both genders. The stress and emotional instability that comes from depression can make it difficult to sleep at night. You may feel tired all throughout the day, regardless of how long you slept at night. You may have issues falling asleep at night, or you may wake up much earlier than you are supposed to because you cannot sleep. Over the course of your depression therapy, you will learn how to control the thoughts that lead to this sleeplessness, which will help you process your stress better in the future.
Changes In Weight
Women with depression seem to struggle with weight loss and weight gain much more than men. This could be due to a number of factors – eating too much, eating unhealthy foods, not eating at all, not having the energy to exercise, etc. A stressed body will have a harder time processing food than an unstressed body, so your depression can cause your physical shape to change. It can also lead to digestive problems, such as constipation or diarrhea.
Continue to Part 2