How is depression different for men and women?
Women are diagnosed with depression about twice as often as men. This could be due to a variety of hormonal factors that can affect the way women feel during times of your menstrual cycle, pregnancy, miscarriage (or an unintentional loss of an unborn fetus), pre-menopause or menopause. Post-partum depression is caused after the birth of a baby. There are many physical, emotional, and life-style changes that occur after a new addition to the family and many women can have depression. According to the National Women’s Health Information Center, approximately 13% of new mothers can have post-partum depression. There are about 3-4 million men in America that are affected by depression. Recent research has shown that men are less likely to be diagnosed because their doctor’s are less likely to suspect depression in men, they often work very long hours, and abuse more alcohol or drugs that can mask the symptoms of depression. Often, men need more encouragement to seek treatment than women. C
