Depression can affect anyone, but it is more prevalent in women as compared to men. This is because hormonal changes seem to affect women more. This article lists out the various early warning signs of depression and discusses why the condition is more prevalent in women.

Women are twice as likely as men to experience clinical depression, a severe mental health issue that leads to extreme moods. Studies have shown that one-third of women are likely to experience major symptoms of depression at least once. Women are prone to depression because of several reasons:

• Hormonal changes due to the menstrual cycle can have an impact on their mental state
• Pregnancy is another life-changing situation for women. It brings with it both physical and hormonal changes that can affect their mental condition, causing depression.
• Postpartum depression is another common issue faced by women. This affects a new mother after childbirth and manifests in the form of mood swings and can last for many months.
• Genetic reasons may also contribute to depression. It has been found that women are more prone to depression if any of their family members have faced this condition.

Early warning signs of depression
The following are some of the early warning signs of depression in women:

• A feeling of sadness, emptiness, and hopelessness
• Frequent irritation and mood swings
• Anxiety, tension, and worry that can also cause a feeling of panic
• Feeling physically tired and experiencing fatigue
• Feelings of guilt and anxiety
• Physical symptoms like headache, stomach cramps, back pain, tenderness in the breasts, and bloating
• Lack of energy and enthusiasm to work
• Loss of interest in activities that were earlier interesting to them
• Weight loss due to loss of appetite or weight gain due to overeating
• Insomnia or sleeping too much
• Disinterest in relationships and daily tasks
• Lack of concentration and memory issues
• Thinking about death and suicidal thoughts

It is important to understand the early warning signs of depression as it helps diagnose the condition and provide timely treatment to a patient.

Psychological and social factors
Apart from hormonal changes, various psychological and social factors also lead to depression in women:

Psychological factors
Psychological causes of depression in women are more than in the case of men. Women are more emotional and tend to be affected by situations more than men, which leads to an impact on the mind. Also, women are likely to talk to a friend, cry, or discuss the reason for depression over and over, and studies show that contemplating the condition can add to the duration of the symptoms. On the other hand, men tend to distract and pull their attention away from the problem, which helps reduce the duration of the symptoms.

Social factors
Many social factors also increase the risk of depression in women. These include:

• Problems in relationships
• Marital problems and issues like domestic abuse
• Lifestyle issues and peer pressure
• Death of a parent in early childhood
• Use of specific medications