Depression is a treatable medical illness that can occur at any age, regardless of educational background, income or race.

Depression can be debilitating as an illness with negative effects on physical and mental health. It may also result in poor self-care. In extreme cases there is also an increased risk of self-inflicted damage and suicide.

Reasons for Higher Incidence of Depression in Women

• Women are more likely to seek help and hence depression is recorded.
• Women are more willing to admit to stress.
• Unique biology of the women.
• Social factors like the position of women in society.

Everyone feels sad, low, discouraged and frustrated at times because of various life situations. The intensity of depression and its duration are the two factors that may point towards clinical depression.

With clinical depression, a person remains depressed for at least two weeks and the distress caused to the person is in the areas of social, occupational and personal functioning.

If you experience three or four of these symptoms, then you are suffering from depression.

• Feeling sad nearly everyday
• Loss of interest or pleasure in all or most activities
• Significant weight loss or weight gain
• Insomnia or Hypersomnia (Excessive sleep)
• Fatigue or loss of energy
• Restlessness, slowness in activity (psychomotor retardation) or irritability
• Feelings of worthlessness and excessive guilt
• Diminished ability to think or concentrate
• Recurrent thoughts of death, suicidal ideation

These symptoms may be accompanied by headaches, backaches or digestive problems.

Causes of Depression

• Depression could be genetic or hereditary.
  
• Studies have shown that after puberty, females are twice as prone to depression as compared to males. The sex hormones might contribute to the differences in depressive onset.
  
• Chemical imbalances could be a significant reason for depression. Certain neurotransmitters are said to play a role in depression. Neurotransmitters are chemicals that help different areas of brain communicate with each other.

• Traumatic experiences such as rape, abuse (physical or emotional), abusive relationships, abortion and miscarriage can increase vulnerability to depression.
  
• Relationships are more important to women. Presence of marital discord, being divorced, widowed and single increases vulnerability to depression.
  
• Passive and repetitive thinking about your past and troubles and low self-esteem can impair problem solving and lead to depression.

Not everyone who goes through a traumatic event necessarily develops depression. People have the capability to rise above the events and emerge as stronger beings.