It is natural for everyone to feel sad occasionally, but usually such feelings pass by with a couple of days. But if such condition lasts for a longer period of time, then it becomes a matter of concern. Depressive disorders are becoming common now and it affects both men and women. Depression can interfere with the daily activities of life and the normal functioning and it is then that the person suffering from the disorder needs a treatment to get better.

According to a clinical psychologist at Oxford University, women are 40% more likely to develop this illness than men. A study also says that women are about 75% more likely to report to have suffered recently from depression and about 60% more likely to report about an anxiety disorder. Until puberty, both men and women develop depression with the same frequency, but once puberty hits, females are twice more prone to depression than males. The most interesting part is that the gender difference pinpoints a significant difference in their response to stress levels. While men may experience more stress and depression from loss of job, women are more reactive to social network crisis.

Some issues that may trigger depression in women:

Hormonal changes: Compared to men, women often experience more fluctuations in the hormone levels and that may associate them with symptoms of depression. 15% of women experience postpartum depression, leaving aside premenstrual dysphoric disorder. During menopause, it is common for females to go into depression. Scientists are exploring how the fall of estrogen and other hormones affect the brain chemistry that is often associated with depressive disorders.

Personal relationships: Women are more likely to get involved in personal relationships than men and when the relationship is disrupted, they move into depression. Many married women and housewives face much difficulty to manage both job and family responsibilities. It is seen that women aged 25 -40 are four times more to suffer from depression than men.

Seasonal affective disorder: This type of disorder, also hits women more than men and this specially happens during the winter season when there is less sunlight. Sales of tranquilizers or sleeping pills rise sharply during this period and it is often referred as “morketi den” or murky time.

Life span: Women tend to live longer than men and in the extreme old age , life is often associated with loneliness, bereavement, poor physical health and other factors that may lead to depression.

Consult a physician: It is observed that women consult a physician more than men if they are not well or if they have any symptoms of depression and are more likely to be diagnosed. Reports from both male and female physicians have shown that women are more diagnosed with depression than men with identical complaints.

Genetics: If a woman has a family history of depression, then she may be more at the risk of developing the illness. But this is not a rule. Genetics research has indicates that developing such conditions involves the combination of various environmental factors and multiple genes.

Many specialists are of the opinion that it is the combination of hormonal changes and psychological stresses that make women more vulnerable to depression.