How a Depressed Woman Can Change Her Life and Regain Control

According to statistics, rates of depression are twice as high for depressed women as they are for men. In addition, certain types of depression, like premenstrual syndrome or PMS, premenstrual dysphoric disorder or PMDD, postpartum depression or baby blues, and perimenopausal depression, are specific to women. In addition, women are more vulnerable to seasonal affective disorder. A woman is also likely to manifest slightly different symptoms than her male counterpart.A depressed woman also goes through different experiences at different stages of her life. Pre-adolescent girls and boys are equally prone to experience depression. However, by their teens, girls become much more likely to go into depression than boys. The biological and hormonal upheaval of puberty contributes to this increase in depression rates, as do socially implanted self esteem and gender roles issues. Social stereotypes cause them to doubt their own problem-solving abilities, reinforce low self esteem, and insecurity problems. Due to social and familial imbalances, teenage girls are statistically more likely to suffer as a result of childhood sexual abuse, poverty, poor education, and so on, which adds to their higher rates for depressive disorder. As young women, depressed women might suffer from premenstrual dysphoric disorder or PMDD. This is a severe form of the more common PMS which about 75 percent of childbearing age women have in some measure. As many as 10 percent of women, in the same age segment, may suffer from PMDD, which has symptoms like sadness, nervousness, anxiety, irritability, strong cravings for certain foods, attention and concentration problems, fatigue, breast tenderness, headaches, swelling, bloating, or joint pain. If these symptoms manifest 10 to 14 days before the period and are alleviated only when the period actually starts, PMDD is a possible diagnosis. After childbirth too, a woman may have sharp mood swings, going from elation to tears in an instant. A slight feeling of loss of control and depression, especially at the gargantuan task they face, is normal. They may have a hard time concentrating, lose appetite and sleep beginning from a couple of days after delivery. The syndrome may last several days, in the normal course of things. However, if a depressed woman suffers baby blues for more than 10 or 12 days after childbirth, it becomes something called postpartum depression.There is more chance of a depressed woman in the older age groups, than older men. However, the good news is that depression rates in women generally decline post menopause. Like men, older depressed women tend to have triggers such as death of a spouse or loved one, retirement, or chronic illness. Most older women tend to regain emotional balance, over time, although some don’t. Older depressed women might go undiagnosed, since adult women are less likely to discuss sadness or grief. Also, in a large number of cases, depression among older women gets dismissed as age related angst, or simply a desire to irritate family members. Anorexia and bulimia are two other depression related problems that affect mostly women. These eating disorders begin in teenage years, and can plague a woman all her life. A depressed woman suffers low self esteem, a belief that she is not worthy of love, and suicidal tendencies along with all the other standard symptoms of depressive disorder. So what is she to do about it? Well, the first step is to realize that there is a problem, and the second is to seek help. Although many women take anti-depressants, all drugs have side effects that can even make your symptoms worse.This is why many people, particularly women who want to regain their health, vitality and positive outlook on life are turning to natural remedies. Natural supplements work by increasing the production of feel-good neurotransmitters which can lift a depressed woman out of her funk and help her start feeling better about her life. From homeopathy to antidepressants, from therapy to holistic natural remedies, there are many treatment options available. There should not be any doubt in your mind that you deserve to change your life and regain control over it.