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The Differences between Treating Depression in Women and Men

Tess Thompson

Treating depression can be a challenge, regardless of whether it is for a woman or a man. But the manner in which a female patient is managed is different from the manner in which is a male patient is addressed.

There are many biological differences between men and women. Additionally, there is a drastic difference in the manner in which men and women respond to similar situations. It might be a surprise for some, but medication also has dissimilar effects on the two genders. Such factors need to be kept in mind while dealing with depression in women.

There is a strong correlation between symptoms of depression in women and the typical conditions that only women experience. These are listed below:

• Menstruation
• Pregnancy
• Childbirth
• Birth control pills
• Hormonal replacement medication (possibly at the time of menopause)

Progesterone increases enzyme activity whereas estrogen decreases it. These changes have a significant affect on neurotransmitters that are responsible for moods. They also influence the way drugs are metabolized by a women�s body. Women are more susceptible to hypothyroidism, a condition that can potentially cause depressed feelings. If the basic cause of depression in women is related to a physiological condition, treatment of the condition becomes essential before progressing to other therapy areas.

Antidepressants are the most common type of medication used for treating depression. The action that an antidepressant has on the body differs in women and men to some extent. The specific effect is altered based on the body structure and functions of the reproductive system in women. Listed are some differences that can determine the effect of antidepressants:

• A woman�s body secretes less gastric acid than men.
• The gastrointestinal transit time is slower among women, especially during menstruation since progesterone is released to prepare the uterus for pregnancy.
• The ratio of body fat to muscle is greater in women than in men.

This translates to a higher concentration of drug plasma in the body and implies that women require a lower dose of antidepressants than men.

One of the methods used in treating depression naturally is cognitive behavioral therapy. Psychiatrists have had to take gender differences into consideration while executing cognitive behavior therapy since cognitive styles and perceptions of women are different from those of men. Women experience guilt and anxiety more frequently. Compared to men, they are more prone to have bouts of seasonal depression and atypical depression. Atypical depression includes the inability to stay awake, excessive craving for carbohydrates, aggravated moods in the evenings, panic, phobia and initial insomnia. Internal production or external administration of gonadal steroids also has a greater effect on moods in women.

Although the diagnostic procedures are the same in both genders, the manifestation of symptoms, the course of depression and its treatment differs to a significant extent.

The natural depression treatments, specified in homeopathy make a clear distinction between drugs used for treating depression in women and men.

References:

http://www.healthyplace.com/communities/depression/women_2.asp
http://www.healthyplace.com/communities/depression/women.asp
http://www.healthyplace.com/communities/depression/women_6.asp