Women's Health Project:

Women's Health Project: Fact Sheets

Women and Depression

About 19 million people in the United States experience depression each year, and nearly two-thirds do not get the help they need.
Women experience depression at roughly twice the rate of men, regardless of racial and ethnic background or economic status.
Approximately 12 million women in the United States experience clinical depression each year. Over their lifetime, one in eight women develop clinical depression.
Even severe depression can be highly responsive to treatment.
Many factors in women may contribute to depression, such as developmental, reproductive, hormonal, genetic and other biological differences. Social factors may also lead to higher rates of clinical depression among women, including stress from work, family responsibilities, the roles and expectations of women and increased rates of sexual abuse and poverty.
Married people have a lower rate of depression than those living alone. However, unhappily married people have the highest rates of depression.
Although men are more likely than women to die from suicide, women report attempting suicide approximately twice as often as men.
Fewer than half of the women who experience clinical depression will ever seek care.

Symptoms of Depression

Persistent sad, anxious, or "empty" mood
Loss of interest or pleasure in activities, including sex
Restlessness, irritability, or excessive crying
Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, helplessness, hopelessness, pessimism
Sleeping too much or too little, early-morning awakening
Appetite and/or weight loss or overeating and weight gain
Decreased energy, fatigue, felling "slowed down"
Thoughts of death or suicide or suicide attempts
Difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions
Persistent physical symptoms that do not respond to treatment, such as headaches, digestive disorders, and chronic pain

Treatment: Ask your physician or ob/gyn for treatment options. Community health clinics, student health centers, social services agencies will guide you to a treatment program to fit your needs.

Clinical depression is treatable.
The earlier treatment begins, the more effective and the greater the likelihood of preventing serious recurrences.

All information provided by the National Institute of Mental Health and National Mental Health Association. All symptoms and treatment options thanks to the National Institute of Mental Health
fact sheet, "Depression: What Every Woman Should Know."

Posted Sept. 10, 2002