Why do women get Depressed or suffer from Depression

Victims range from Marilyn Monroe and Brooke Shields to perhaps your neighbour or even your mother! Why is depression the most common rising urban phenomenon to strike women!

This might come as a bit of a shocker, but depression is not far from being as common as a cold. When the feeling of loneliness overwhelms you, know that you are not alone! Depression as a mood disorder is synonymous with persistent sadness or lack of interest in pleasurable activities along with sleep and dietary changes. Truth is, it's no longer rare. Depression can strike anyone and under any circumstance. But does it mean you're on your way to loonyville, that you're brain-damaged or infertile? Was your mother really happier? And will you be mocked if you openly get treated for it? No! No! No! Here are the facts separated from the fiction... Myth: Depression=Madness Fact: Depression is a mood disorder where there's constant contact with reality. Madness, on the other hand, involves disorder of thought and severance with the real world. Reiterates Dr Kanika Mitra, consultant psychiatrist, "Ninety per cent of the population suffers from depression, but it goes unnoticed as the ailment can be self-limiting." Myth: Depression=Lifelong illness Fact: Dr Mitra states that "depression is not a lifelong disease and is curable in six months." However, in certain cases, where depression has an endogenous origin, medication can continue up to two years. "When caused by chemical imbalance of the brain, a stabiliser can prevent recurrence," she clarifies. When environment is the stimuli of depression, counselling is the best option. Psychotherapist Dr Anjali Chhabria further explains, "Women are more prone to depression during adolescence, childbirth and menopause mainly due to hormonal reasons. But they can be all cured." Myth: Depression=Infertility in women Fact: Depression does not hamper a woman's reproductive cycle. Dr Mitra adds, "A patient cannot conceive while she is on anti-depressants. And there might be a libido reduction due to the drug, but once it is stopped, she is normal." Myth: Depression=Hormonal imbalances in women Fact: Dr Mitra claims, "There are no other organic changes in the body, except loss of libido, appetite and weight gain/loss while one is on medication." Anti-depressants do not cause any hormonal imbalance. However, Dr Chhabria says that if depression remains untreated for a long period, it might lead to other disorders like diabetes, hypertension, cardiac or even thyroid problems. Myth: Anti-depressants=Damaging your brain Fact: Anti-depressants only correct the chemical imbalance of the brain. Other than weight gain/loss, libido loss, possibility of gaining eye power and occasional constipation, the drugs have no additional side effects. "Earlier, when psychiatric medications were limited, people took drugs without proper supervision which caused various side-effects. Some of the newer medicines have no side-effects at all," clarifies Dr Chhabria.

WERE OUR MOTHERS ANY HAPPIER? With the number of women committing suicide increasing every year, one wonders whether we're a generation of overtly depressed women. Were our mothers and grandmothers happier? "I doubt it," says Farida Lambray, a school vice-principal. "Just because the number of cases have increased now, it does not mean that our mothers were happier. In those days, everything used to happen behind closed doors. Today, it's out in the open." Dr Mitra reminisces, "Since women from our mothers' or grandmothers' generation did not know what depression actually meant, they never sought help. Depression was considered a taboo then, which has considerably changed now." Depression is a passing phenomenon that affects all. Many women get depressed when faced with problems they can't solve. It depends on how well one copes with stress - the extent of depression depends on that. We all go through a temporary breakdown but bounce back eventually with help. Remember, seeking help doesn't make one weak. Instead, it shows that you are willing to deal with the problem. Also, the urban mental disorder level has increased which is directly proportional to the pace of life and rising expectations.

WHEN CAN IT TURN FATAL? Left to fester, depression can only get worse and even become fatalistic. In severe cases, suicidal thoughts are common. People who say it in words should be treated immediately. Women aged between 15 and 29 years are most prone to giving up their lives, according to crime branch statistics. In 2004, 235 (out of 464 women) in this age group committed suicide. Bankruptcy or sudden change in economic status, infertility, dowry disputes, failure in exams and death of a near person are other triggers to suicidal attempts.

SYMPTOMS Persistent sadness, constant irritability, day-long agitation, morning blues, negative thoughts, feelings of guilt, unexplained sustaining pains, constant feelings of emptiness.

KINDS OF DEPRESSION Postpartum depression: This kind of depression arises post-pregnancy due to endocrine problems. A mother might undergo dilemma about her ability to rear the child. In extreme cases, she might experience urges to kill her baby - a stage when she feels that life is not worth living. Mothers feel lost, lethargic and sleepy all the time. Menopausal depression: Here, women suffer from hot flushes, burning feet and fatigue. A sense of losing womanhood gives rise to depression. Hypochondriasis: This is masked depression. Victims complain of bodily symptoms and there is exaggerated and excessive worry about one's health. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder: OCD can be associated with depression where the patient is compulsive about cleanliness and ruminates over subjects that cannot be controlled in spite of countless efforts. Generalised anxiety disorder: Palpitation, dryness of mouth, butterflies in the stomach, repeated toilet visits are some of the symptoms. Manic Depressive: It's a psychosis where a person suffers from attacks of excessive energy and ecstasy followed by feeling really low. This is usually a genetic disorder. BEATING

DEPRESSION: Communicate: If you feel you're going 'cuckoo' over an issue, talk to a friend, spouse or someone you trust. Bottling up only worsens the situation. Stop moping: Tell yourself that no problem is so big that it can't be fixed. Socialise: To withdraw is the worst thing. Join a support group or enroll for a dance class. Find time for yourself: Not dealing with a situation will only aggravate depression and worsen it. Find time and ask why you're feeling the way you are. Be honest about how you're feeling. A problem can be fixed only after it has been recognised. Family counselling: This is imperative, as a patient's medicines need monitoring by family.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Some foods can change your moods. Try these: Foods rich in omega (3 fatty acids) help beat the blues - walnuts, flax seeds (alsi), tofu, fatty fish, dark green leafy vegetables (spinach, etc.) and bananas. Avoid too much sugar (or food with content like cakes confectionaries and chocolates. Minimise your caffeine intake. More on........... Curing Depression Naturally Curing Panic Attacks

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