bjones
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One in eight women suffers from clinical depression. This is twice the rate of depression in men. Experts say the higher rate is due to both biological and social factors. Rates of depression in women vary by country, due to cultural differences. Depression rates for women in the U.S. are among the highest in the world.
Biology plays a big role in the rates of depression for women. Before puberty, rates for boys and girls are just about the same. In addition, depression rates are similar between post-menopausal women and men in the same age group. One of the biological factors related to depression is premenstrual syndrome. For some women, PMS is so bad that it becomes a completely different disorder, premenstrual dysphoric disorder. Pregnancy is also a big cause of depression. Several factors associated with pregnancy contribute to depression: strained relationships, no social support, unwanted or unsure of pregnancy, miscarriage, and infertility. Also, a full 50 percent of new mothers suffer from postpartum depression. Postpartum depression can lead to extreme depression in which the mother may harm herself and/or her newborn baby. The last of the biological factors leading to depression is perimenopause. Perimenopause is a stage directly before menopause in which hormonal fluctuations are experienced.
Social factors also contribute to depression in women. Single mothers face almost impossible odds of success at both home and work. Uncertainty about the economic well-being of themselves and their children leads to many cases of depression. Also, many women who are focused on their careers are still expected to handle all the domestic and child-rearing chores. This gives them workloads twice that of men and with lower average pay. Sexual abuse is also a factor in the depression rates. Women suffer from higher rates of sexual abuse that go hand-in-hand with depression.
 Posted 5340 day ago
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