Depression in Women: Types, Symptoms and Treatment

The term depression is common all over the world, it is essential to understand the severe aspects associated with the same. It is not just a brief period bringing you down mentally; instead, it is a powerful mood disorder that can affect your entire life. While it can happen to anyone and everyone, women are more prone to facing the adverse effects of depression than men.

Are you facing depression, or have someone in your surrounding who might be encountering it? Find out different symptoms of depression in women with this article!

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What Are the Physical Symptoms of Depression in Women?

As the term depression is mainly connected to the mind and psyche, people tend to ignore the physical symptoms of depression in women. Apart from maintaining the mental health that faces the lion's share of adverse effects, it is essential to check a woman's physical condition. It is also necessary to have an open mind when discussing signs of depression in women. As a woman, you should consider the following physical symptoms that lead to depression.

1. Fatigue

This is often considered one of the most common signs of depression in females. It causes exhaustion and tiredness, similar to the impact of stress. According to a study by Boston’s Massachusetts General Hospital, depressed women feel non-restorative sleep. They feel sleepy even after a full night's sleep. Moreover, they may feel like staying home and lying down most of the time.

2. Body Pain

Another physical sign of depression in females is connected to body pain. While doctors and researchers are yet to discover the connection between depression and body aches, most cases of depression show chronic back aches any time of the day. Occasional headaches are also frequent, again a typical symptom generating from any stress. Stomach pain and abdominal disturbances are other symptoms of depression in females.

In this regard, one of the most frequent early signs of depression in females can be intolerance to pain. A study conducted in 2015 shows a standard correlation between depression and pain intolerance. For instance, you might feel that your body is in pain, while there is no particular physical reason behind it. Simple pain in your body can trigger severe after-effects.

3. Digestion Issues

Problems related to digestion, such as constipation and diarrhoea, can be other signs of depression in females. While it is easy to diagnose stomach infection or physical illness, we need to understand that sadness and anxiety can affect our digestive system and bowel movement.

What Are the Mental Symptoms of Depression in Women?

The mental symptoms of depression in women are the most important since depression is mainly connected to the mind. The mind has an essential role in processing information between the brain and other body parts. Thus, disruptions in the mind can be a severe issue for a woman in the bigger picture.

1. Loss of Interest

It is one of the most typical symptoms of depression in females. During the depression, most women seem to lose interest in things happening around them. While this might sound like a generic issue, loss of interest in women is more noticeable. In most cultures, women have the role of handling families and kids more than men. It becomes a serious issue if they start losing interest in their daily activities. It can lead you to withdraw from your daily activities slowly.

2. Suicidal Thoughts

Frequent thoughts and ideas associated with suicide include common symptoms of depression in ladies. The ultimate result of severe depression is suicide when left untreated. Attempting suicide and self-harm are usually seen in advanced stages of depression. Initially, it starts with suicidal thoughts, whereby individuals wish to take their lives as they no longer find interest in life.

The rate of non-fatal suicidal behaviour and suicide ideation is more common in women than in men, while suicide is more common in men. Self-harm is thus seen frequently among depressed women.

3. Concentration Troubles

Another severe mental includes memory loss and troubles with concentration. Women going through depression often feel difficulty focusing on anything in particular, even if it is a simple day-to-day job. Not only do you take excessive time in your daily duties, but you also face disturbances in your relationships. People start distancing from you if you remain distracted while interacting with them.

Particular problems can be related to reading, whereby you read the same passage repeatedly, trying to decipher the meaning of a simple part. Moreover, driving can be dangerous because you can lose track of direction. Memory loss issues again affect your everyday duties, as you forget the simple steps of completing these. You can also forget what people told you about an hour ago.

What Are the Emotional Symptoms of Depression in Women?

The emotions and feelings go through a roller-coaster ride while going through depression. It is difficult to predict the exact emotional condition since these keep changing on an individual level and the severity of depression. However, the following emotional symptoms of depression in women are commonly seen in most cases.

1. Mood Swings

It is one of the most unpredictable signs and symptoms of depression in females. These are characterised by various kinds of feelings, including happiness, sadness, anger and disappointment. The shift in mood can be quick and unpredictable. At one point, you can be excited beyond control. Such behaviour in women leads to excessive confrontation, spending money on unnecessary things, and engaging in risky behaviour.

On the other hand, sadness and anxiety can hit you suddenly, bringing in a pessimistic approach to life. It is again connected with suicidal thoughts. You might feel distant from your friends and families, no longer feeling a connection with them. In severe cases, these can lead to Bipolar disorder or Cyclothymic disorder.

2. Restlessness and Anxiety

Among various other anxiety feelings, restlessness can be frequent in depressed women. It means a woman frequently feels bored and wishes to do something else. This results in a lack of focus and concentration on anything in particular. On the other hand, the anxiety issue is represented by the constant feelings of failure.

3. Pessimistic Feelings

Women mostly get pessimistic feelings while going through depression, which is another common symptom of depression in women. The Deloitte Millennial Survey 2019 shows a direct link between depression and pessimism. Past traumas and failures can trigger such feelings in general. Feelings of worthlessness and guilt are often frequent among women from regressive societies. These have the potential to escalate and lead to suicidal thoughts.

What Are the Behavioural Symptoms of Depression in Women?

The behavioural symptoms of depression in women need to be noticed by their surroundings. The changes differ based on the severity of depression. Some of the typical behaviour kinds are as follows.

1. Angry Outbursts or Silence

As discussed already, one can expect mood swings in depressed women. In some cases, talkative people turning completely silent can be alarming. In other instances, frequent angry outbursts define depression in women. Such examples might alert their surroundings.

2. Excessive Sleeping Time or Loss of Sleep

Depression and its severity might result in excessive sleeping time. This might be a way for women to cope with depression, whereby sleeping more will help them think less. On the other hand, overthinking can also cause loss of sleep and dark circles. Both cases can be related to depression.

3. Withdrawal from Life

Every individual has confident choices in life. However, depression might lead to women losing any interest that they previously had in certain activities. This results in a complete withdrawal of these women from their daily activities, associations and relationships.

4. Worthlessness and Self-Harm

As stated above, this is one of the most frequently seen symptoms of depression in women's health. In addition, women mostly tend to hide these things. Moreover, women in depression often express their worthlessness while interacting with close people. This further leads to lack of confidence and self-harm.

What Are the Treatment Options of Depression in Women?

Third-party help from friends or families can be essential while treating depression in individuals. This is mainly because a depressed patient hardly realises the requirement to get treatment. When you visit a doctor for treating your depression, a physical examination can occur. The doctor will ask questions about your health or will do a lab test with your blood samples. The following treatment options are available for depression in women.

1. Medication

Doctors can suggest medications and antidepressants to women with depression in the initial stages. Medicines such as Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) are safe medicines. The dosage usually depends on the severity of the disease.

2. Psychotherapy

This therapy is more of a talking session, mainly with a psychologist. It is a way of getting rid of negative thoughts and coping with life. Moreover, such sessions help you gain more interest in life and form better relationships with your surroundings. Psychologists help you set realistic goals in life and encourage you to meet these instead of thinking about past failures.

3. Hospital and Residential Treatment

In case of severe depression, which can lead to insanity in some cases, doctors feel the need of the patient to reside in hospitals. Such people can be vulnerable to sudden attacks, triggering them to harm themselves or people in their surroundings. Psychiatric treatment in hospitals helps you calm your nerves.

4. Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)

This is a traditional form of treatment for people passing the stage of insanity. Doctors passed electrical currents through their brains to affect the neurotransmitters in the brain and relieve depression. It is usually directed at people that cannot be treated by medication.

5. Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)

This is again similar to the former, meant for those women who do not respond to antidepressants. Doctors place treatment coils against their scalp, sending magnetic pulses to stimulate their brains' nerve cells.

Frequently Asked Questions

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What is the most common cause of depression in women?

According to most researchers, one can connect the cause of depression in women to changes in hormone levels. During puberty, pregnancy, and menopause, such hormones affect your body and trigger depression.

Is there a permanent cure for depression?

There is no specific cure for depression. However, proper treatment, medication, and healthy company can quickly help you recover from depression.

Are there preventive measures to reduce the risk of depression?

Yes, there are various ways to prevent and reduce the risk of depression, such as engaging in regular physical activity, maintaining social connections, ensuring adequate sleep, and managing stress through mindfulness or relaxation techniques.

However, it is also recommended to get a health insurance policy that provides mental health treatment coverage to manage the cost of treatment. Some health insurance policies also offer wellness programs and mental health resources that support preventive care, promoting overall mental well-being.