Clinical Depression In Women

Depression is a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest. Also called major depressive disorder or clinical depression, it affects how you feel, think and behave and can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems. (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2015) Depression is a condition that affects one out of every ten people living in the United States at some point in their life. Depression is a disease that can be found in adults, teens, and children. It is found in people with various economic, ethnic and religious backgrounds. There are certain parts of the Unites States where depression has a higher rate. It is most prevalent in southern states such as Mississippi, Arkansas, and Louisiana, to name a few. The …show more content…
Major depressive disorder (MDD), dysthymia, and minor depression are the most common forms diagnosed in women. MDD can come and go in episodes over a woman’s life, or in some cases, women can just have one episode in their life. This type of depression can severely effect a woman’s ability to eat, sleep, work and just enjoy life. Dysthymia symptoms are less severe than MDD, but the symptoms can last for at least two years or longer. Minor depression has symptoms that are less severe and don’t last as long as MDD and dysthymia. Psychotic depression occurs in women with a severe depressive illness and is accompanied by a form of psychosis, such as hallucinations and delusions. Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is another form of depressive disorder that affects women in the winter months due to lack of …show more content…
The factors that contribute to depression in pregnant women are relationship problems, changes in lifestyle and at work, unwanted pregnancies, miscarriages, lack of social support, etc.… A diagnosis of depression can also happen in post-partum mothers. The “baby blues” are a very common occurrence in women after they have had their babies and it generally goes away within a few weeks. However, they are many women whose “baby blues” don’t subside and they are diagnosed with post-partum depression (PPD). The signs and symptoms that go along with this are thoughts of harming your baby, the inability to care for your baby, the feeling of being a “bad” mom, anxiety and feeling numb. PPD occurs in 10-15% of women and requires prompt treatment. The factors that are thought to be associated with PPD are delivery and breastfeeding complications, severe hormonal fluctuations, a newborn that is special needs, and a mother’s disposition to mood and anxiety