Major and chronic depression affect twice as many women as men, so the statistics say. They do not mention that women go for treatment with less of a feeling of stigma than men. Men think they are weak when they admit depression. Women accept it as a consequence of things gone wrong in their lives. There is no doubt that hormonal changes a woman experiences can be a reason why she might be more prone to depression. Hormones do have a role to play in the messages sent to the brain. Here's an interesting piece of information. Family doctors are more than twice as likely to suggest that a woman is depressed than a man with the same symptoms.

Being a Victim and Being Depressed:

Children who are molested are more likely to become depressed. There is a much higher incidence of depression among individuals who have been raped, assaulted, and stalked. People who are harassed or abused on the job have higher rates of depression. Any kind of abuse can cause low self esteem, a feeling of having no control of your life, blaming yourself, and feeling alone and unable to tell anyone. If you grow up in a dysfunctional family which does not support and love you for just being you, you are much more likely to get depressed.

Poverty Breeds Depression

Especially now in our time of media telling us all what we should have, poor people tend to feel more depressed. Women and children make up 75% of the people who are poor. Poor people have less access to resources to get the help they need. Low incomes tend to go along with sadness and low morale. These are things in your environment many times you cannot control. Combine this with coming from a dysfunctional family and you have a recipe for disaster, creating anti social people who have a grudge and need to make their anger known. This can cause terrible consequences for all of us.

Old Age Can Bring Depression:

Anyone who tells you the golden years are the best could get a good argument from a lot of people over 50 I know. So many things are happening at this age. Parents are dying, children are leaving home (hopefully), illnesses are starting, and as you retire, things are changing. The death of a life partner can be a terrible end to a relationship which has lasted for years. Our society places so much value on youth that we send the message that if you are old, you aren't much. Many times older people will congregate with each other so they feel comfortable. They limit contact with younger people and many times that it not good.

So there are many factors and life situations that seem to enter in along with your depression. I pers onally believe that the most important thing to do is to get treatment going and then try to solve the problem which triggered the depression. If you are so depressed you cannot think or solve any problems, you can't be expected to make it out of the pit.

Read about depression statistics and what is depression at the Depression Facts Online website.