Chapter 22 - Depression

Summary

Depression is a common illness in women's lives. Detection is important because depression leads to greater impairment and disability than diabetes, lung diseases, back problems, and hypertension. Increased stressors in women such as family, work, pregnancy, infertility, and single parenthood coupled with greater social isolation have been proposed as causes for the gender disparity. Comorbid medical conditions and other psychiatric diagnoses place women at higher risk of developing depression. Psychotherapeutic counseling is indicated as an integral part of the treatment of depression. Women at higher risk of suicide attempts include those with major depressive disorders, age less than 30, living alone, and those with substance abuse problems, psychosocial stressors and personality disorders. The caregiver is more likely to become depressed if the patient being cared for has a psychiatric disorder or dementia. Most postpartum depressive episodes resolve within one year in two-thirds of women, but usually require antidepressant medication.