Women are more prone to develop depression than men. One woman out of four is likely to suffer from depression at certain point of time in life.
Signs of depression include sadness, hopelessness, worthlessness and helplessness. Depression can be in mild to moderate form or it can be very severe also.
In women, the major signs of depression include:
- Persistent sadness with anxiety and feeling of emptiness
- Feeling of pessimism and worthlessness. A total blank situation where one can do nothing to improve the situation, nothing pleases her.
- Decreased interest in surroundings, routine activities and in sex. Patient does not take any interest in pleasure activities or pastimes or former hobbies.
- Increased irritability with excessive crying and restlessness.
- Sleep disorder i.e either insomnia or somnambulism
- Either loss of appetite or overeating and later on weight loss or weight gain.
- Fatigue and decreased energy. Every little task is very exhaustive and it seems as if one has lost all energy, a warned out state.
- Suicidal thoughts with suicidal attack.One finds her fault in everything, self criticism, self reproach. She feels loathing of life and wants to finish the life.
- Difficulty in concentration, loss of memory, indecisiveness.
- Certain physical signs of depression include Headaches, chronic pain, digestive disorders etc. These symptoms are non specific and don’t respond to treatment.
The rate of depression is same in girls and boys before puberty but after menarche, because of hormonal changes, females are at higher risk to develop depression by two times.