The topics depression and anxiety already have a negative stigma attached to them and when you add women to the equation the taboo amplifies, but it is important to understand that with the plethora of roles that women play in life the possible causes for depression also increase.
You can visit to "Psych2Go" YouTube Channel if you want to know more (for your own help OR to help others) about mental health: https://www.youtube.com/c/Psych2go
According to NCBI, even though men are more successful in committing suicide, the burden of suicidal behaviour is more in women and many reasons can be the possible root causes majority of which include:
1. Intergender discrimination
Constantly being told that you’re weak may lead to development of an inferior complex.
2. Domestic and verbal abuse
Being physically and verbally violated can possibly hinder a person’s mental stability and emotional intelligence. It can also cause behavioural changes and development of PTSD. A review of the International Literature found that 45.6% of people suffering from depression were suffering through intimate partner violence.
3. Sexual harassment at home or at workplace.
May lead to stress and lowered self-esteem. Also makes a woman sexually dysfunctional and sex can become more trauma than enjoyment. According to a report by NCBI women experiencing sexual harassment at workplace or abuse have an 8.00 fold increased risk in depression than women who don’t.
4. Being constantly sexualised
This can make a woman feel unappreciated for her achievements and unable to associate herself with anything apart from her sexuality. A feeling of inadequacy develops with increasing stress and frustration level.
5. Unsatisfactory Performance at workplace or in school
Constantly disappointing your own expectations can lead loss of self confidence, increasing stress and frustration,
6. Bullying
Being bullied at a young age can impact you for life. In fact, a study finds that children exposed to bullying can harbour its ill-effects till 40 years after. Some of many symptoms may include failing classes, withdrawing from family and friends and activities that they used to find enjoyable.
Depression and Its Various Types
Mental Health is an issue which has gained sizable attention over the past few years and people are growing increasingly aware of its existence but what is still unbeknownst to the majority population is the forms in which depression can exist and a quick read of this ( Mental health – Overview and significance | How to deal with depression? ) article will give you an overview about all you need to know.
Depression (Also termed as Clinical Depression or Major Depressive Disorder in medical terminology) is a mental, emotional and psychological state where pessimistic and agonising thoughts interrupt a person’s daily activities and disrupt that person’s behaviour and cognitive skills.
Symptoms may include, self-doubt, sorrow, lethargy, solitariness, outrage, anxiety, irritability, and worthlessness. But knowing this is not enough, depression is an extremely broad topic the details of which are generally overlooked here are some depression conditions that affect people the most especially women:
1. Postpartum Depression/PPD
Also known as Postnatal Depression and “Baby Blues”, PPD is suffered by women after childbirth where they experience difficulty in bonding with the baby.
50-75% of new mothers experience this and upto 15% of females suffering from this condition develop long-term depression in the future. This can happen because of lack of emotional support from family, depression during pregnancy, having a family history of depressive disorders.
Symptoms
- Insomnia
- Irritability, crying and restlessness
- Fatigue
- Lack of focus
- Weight loss/ weight gain
- Elevated mood
Treatment
- Treatment may include counselling, hormone therapy and prescribed antidepressants.
2. Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder/PMDD
This is a more debilitating extension of PMS which is prevalent in upto 5% of women of childbearing age. Symptoms associated with PMDD usually begin 7-10 days prior to the cycle and dramatically disappear with the onset of it.
Apart from the common PMS symptoms it can also cause hopelessness and can warp work life and relationships. The exact cause is still not properly understood but it can be thought of as an abnormal reaction to hormone change in body. Some researchers have linked it to low levels of serotonin in the body.
Symptoms
- Pain caused in breasts, muscles and pelvis.
- Elongated sleeping sessions or insomnia
- Bloatedness
- Withdrawal from usual activities
- Common PMS symptoms
Treatment
- Usually self-diagnosable by self care including physical exercise like aerobics and yoga, stress management activities. Prescribed medications and counselling sessions.
3. Anxiety Disorders
This condition is categorised by feelings of excessive anxiety, fear and worry which warps the person’s mental and emotional stability and interferes with the person’s normal life.
Anxiety disorders may include: Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD), Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and specific phobias.
Women are much more susceptible to these conditions than men. Possible causes can be experiencing any traumatic or negative event as a child or adult, having a family history of anxiety, hormonal imbalance, thyroid issues, use of drugs and medications.
Symptoms
- Insomnia
- Nausea
- Hypervigilance, discomposure
- Unwanted and incorrigible thoughts, lack of concentration
- Excessive sweat, trembling, palpitations.
Treatment
- Counselling, Prescribed medications, Self care including physical exercise and intake of a healthy diet, quitting or reducing detrimental habits like smoking, drinking alcohol and drugs.
4. Bipolar Disorder
This is a depressive condition accompanying raging mood swings from extreme activeness with reduced need of sleep to extreme drowsiness and low energy. During the episodes the person can lose touch with reality.
Females with Bipolar Disorder have an increased risk of developing Thyroid, Migraine, Obesity and Anxiety Disorders. The exact cause of Bipolar disease remains to be unknown but it has been linked with biological differences in the patient’s brain and family’s history with the disease.
Symptoms
- Manic Episodes: High energy, reduced need for sleep, feeling of surreal or unnatural surrounding, suicidal thoughts.
- Depressive Episodes: Low energy and motivation, withdrawal from daily activities, suicidal thoughts.
- Mood swings
- Delusion and paranoia
Treatment
- The patient is usually on a life-long diagnosis
- Treatment may include Therapy, Medication and Hospitalisation.
A study issued in the Lancet Public Health states that despite being just 18% of the world’s female population India accounted for 36% of global female suicide in 2016 which makes us wonder that would these statistics have said something different if someone would’ve reached out to these suffering women? Whatever the answer to this question may be, the objective is to combat depression and we can do so by reaching out.
If we want to ensure that our loved ones don’t get lost in this condition, if we want to make sure that no stranger is having to make the choice of ending or continuing their lives the only way to make a change is to reach out.
Here are the following ways in which you can:
- Initiate a normal conversation: To a person who may seem to have lost touch of reality a little taste of it might just be like a breath of fresh air.
- Do activities that entertain the person: Withdrawal from activities you used to enjoy is a common symptom of depression and gently pushing the person to pursue that activity may lead to that interest resurfacing.
- Be attentive when the person is talking: Listening to the person talking may give the person a sense of self importance and lead to an increase in self confidence and self-esteem. Also listening to the person talk might also give you an idea of the condition of the person.
- Do not differentiate the person because of his/her depression: Distinguishing the person as sick can increase the person’s mental burden and the person might start surrendering to his/her condition instead of fighting it.
- Convince the person to get medical treatment: Ignoring the person’s condition can increase its effects and therefore it is important for the person to understand the need to seek help professionally.
- Make them realise their self worth: Being told from childhood that you’re not good enough or better than your male counterpart after some time you start believing that too so it is important for the woman to realise that many people count on her and she is her own person too.
With these few steps you can save a person’s life. So, do not hesitate in taking them. But these simple methods will only work assuming the person has someone, she could reach out to, but majority of the time depression surfaces out of loneliness.
So, what about the women who have no one to reach out to? With the increasing awareness about mental health there is a solution to that too. Many websites and initiatives have surfaced which extend help to people suffering from depression.
Here are some of the following:
1. Verywell mind
Verywell Mind is an award-winning reliable source that not just details mental health but also attempts to easily explain its audience about it. The information is absolutely reliable and penned down by some of the most accomplished psychologists.
2. Therapy for Black Girl
It is an online space the objective of which is encouraging black women and to present serious issues in an accessible and understandable way.
https://therapyforblackgirls.com/
3. 7 Cups
7 cups is a website which offers 24/7 therapy service from professional therapists. It started in 2013 and now has reached 300,000 listeners.
4. AASRA
AASRA is a suicide prevention and counselling NGO known for its free 24/7 helpline for people suffering from mental distress and contemplating suicide.
A Step Forward
According to National Crime Records Bureau, 22,372 housewives took their own lives in 2020 Housewives accounted for 14.6% of the total 153,052 recorded suicides in India in 2020 and more than 50% of the total number of women who killed themselves.
The National Commission for Women’s data shows that domestic violence doubled in the lockdown pushing a number of women into depression so this is your time to take a step forward and reach out to people you see suffering from depression but not knowing it themselves, to people who know but are too afraid of people’s reaction, to people who lack the resources to seek medical help. Talking about it was the first step but now it is time to act upon it and not let depression take more lives than it already has.
Reference:
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4539867/
- https://www.jmhhb.org/article.asp?issn=0971-8990;year=2018;volume=23;issue=1;spage=2;epage=3;aulast=Sagar
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19491527/
- https://www.houstonbehavioralhealth.com/blog/bullying-and-depression-effects-on-kids-teens
- https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/9312-postpartum-depression#:~:text=As%20many%20as%2050%20to,called%20postpartum%20depression%2C%20after%20delivery
- https://www.webmd.com/women/pms/premenstrual-dysphoric-disorder
- https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/hsph-in-the-news/india-women-suicide/#:~:text=Women%20in%20India%20accounted%20for,of%20the%20Lancet%20Public%20Health.
- https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-59634393
