Depression in Women: Four Things You Should Know

Submitted by Anjum Bashir, MD

Being sad is a normal reaction to difficult times in life. Usually, the sadness goes away with a little time. Depression is different — it is a medical condition that may cause severe symptoms that can affect how you feel, think, and handle daily activities like sleeping, eating, or working. Depression afflicts more American adults than cancer, AIDS, and coronary heart disease, and is the number-one contributor to suicide, according to the National Institutes for Mental Health. About twice as many women as men experience depression, likely due to certain biological, hormonal, and social factors that are unique to women.

Following are four things that everyone should know about depression in women.

1.  Depression is a real medical condition.
           Depression is a common but serious disorder. Depression symptoms can interfere with your ability to work, sleep, study, eat, and enjoy your life. Although the causes of depression are still being studied, current research suggests that depression is caused by a combination of genetic, biological, environmental, and psychological factors. Well-meaning friends or family members may try to tell someone with depression to “snap out of it,” “just be positive,” or “you can be happier if you just try harder,” but depression is not a sign of a person’s weakness or a character flaw. The truth is that most people who experience depression would love nothing better than to “snap out” of it, but they aren’t able to. Treatment is usually necessary to overcome depression and feel better.

2. Depression can hurt — literally.
   Sadness is only a small part of depression. In fact, some people with depression do not feel sadness at all. A person with depression may also experience many physical symptoms, such as aches or pains, headaches, cramps, or digestive problems. Someone with depression may also have trouble with sleeping, waking up in the morning, and feeling tired.

   If you have been experiencing any of the following signs and symptoms for at least two weeks, you may be suffering from depression:
   •    Persistent sad, anxious, or “empty” mood
   •    Feelings of hopelessness or pessimism
   •    Irritability
   •    Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or helplessness
   •    Decreased energy or fatigue
   •    Difficulty sleeping, early-morning awakening, or oversleeping
   •    Loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities
   •    Feeling restless or having trouble sitting still
   •    Difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions
   •    Appetite or weight changes
   •    Thoughts of death or suicide, or suicide attempts
   •    Aches or pains, headaches, cramps, or digestive problems without a clear physical cause or that do not ease even with treatment

   Talk to your doctor about these symptoms. Be honest, clear, and concise — the doctor needs to know how you feel and should never dismiss your symptoms as unimportant.

3. Certain types of depression are unique to women.
   Pregnancy, the postpartum period, perimenopause, and the menstrual cycle are all associated with dramatic physical and hormonal changes. Certain types of depression that occur at different stages of a woman’s life include the following forms:

   
   Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD)
   Most people are familiar with the term “PMS” or premenstrual syndrome. Moodiness and irritability in the weeks before menstruation are quite common and the symptoms are usually mild. But there is a less common, more severe form of PMS called premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). PMDD is a serious condition with disabling symptoms such as irritability, anger, depressed mood, sadness, suicidal thoughts, appetite changes, bloating, breast tenderness, and joint or muscle pain.

   
   Perinatal Depression
   Being pregnant isn’t easy. Pregnant women commonly deal with morning sickness, weight gain, and mood swings. Caring for a newborn is challenging too. Many new moms experience the “baby blues”— a term used to describe feelings of worry, unhappiness, mood swings, and fatigue. These feelings are usually somewhat mild, last a week or two, and then go away as a new mom adjusts to having a newborn.

   Perinatal depression is depression during or after (postpartum) pregnancy. Perinatal depression is much more serious than the “baby blues.” The feelings of extreme sadness, anxiety, and exhaustion that accompany perinatal depression may make it difficult to complete daily care activities for a new mom or her baby. If you think you have perinatal depression, you should talk to your doctor or a trained mental health care professional immediately.

4. Depression can be treated.
   Depression affects each person differently. Not every woman who is depressed experiences every symptom. Some women experience only a few symptoms. Others have many. The severity and frequency of symptoms, and how long they last, will vary depending on the individual and her particular illness. Symptoms may also vary depending on the stage of the illness.

Even the most severe cases of depression can be treated. Depression is commonly treated with medication, psychotherapy (where a person talks with a trained professional about his or her thoughts and feelings; sometimes called “talk therapy”), or a combination of the two. If these treatments do not reduce symptoms, there is a new treatment option for depression called Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) that does not involve any type of drugs or medication. TMS has recently been approved for use in the United States and is listed as one of the top medical breakthroughs for transforming our lives, according to AARP Magazine. As with many illnesses, the earlier that treatment can begin, the more effective it is, and the greater the likelihood that a recurrence of the depression can be prevented.

For more information on TMS for Depression or Quotient Testing for ADHD, contact Anjum Bashir, MD at 217-422-0027. He is one of the few physicians in Central Illinois offering these therapies. He sees many patients from the Bloomington area in his Decatur office, located at 1900 E. Lake Shore Dr. TMS therapy is covered by many insurance companies including BCBS.