This is a very depressing news from the health sector. It is the news that many celebrity women are going into depression, across the country. And the question is why is this so? Research shows Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) tends to affect more women than men. Puberty marks the beginning of that difference, but hormonal changes aren’t the only reason. Other health issues, genes, and poverty can also lead to higher numbers of depression in women. Here’s what you need to know.
YOUR GENES
Studies on identical twins hint that genetics may be a factor for depression in women. If you have a family history of depression, you’re more likely to be affected. But you can get it if no one in your family has it. There are also some gene mutations, or changes, linked to depression that have only been found in women.
HORMONE LEVELS
Many milestones in a woman’s life cause changes in estrogen and progesterone levels. This can raise depression risk. They include:
Puberty
Women become more likely than men to get depression as early as age 11. It’s often one of the symptoms of the severe form of premenstrual syndrome called premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD).
Pregnancy
Hormonal changes during pregnancy raise your chances of depression during pregnancy (prenatal) and depression that begins after your baby is born (postpartum). Miscarriage can also trigger depression.
Menopause.
Perimenopause, the years-long phase leading to menopause, and menopause itself are times of higher risk because of the way your hormones rise and fall. Symptoms like extreme hot flashes and night sweats can lead to first-time depression. If you’ve had depression before, it’s more likely to happen again as you move toward menopause.
STRESS
Women often face more stressful life challenges because of gender roles. Most women who work outside the home also take care of many family responsibilities. These may include caring for aging parents as well as children. Single mothers with young children, particularly women who have a hard time making ends meet, have a high rate of depression.
Even positive life changes, like a promotion at your job, can lead to stress if they come with more commitments. Low-grade, daily stress that wears on you over time could trigger depression in all these situations. And having a negative outlook after age 50, especially about aging and menopause, is a risk factor for depression in later stages of life.
HEALTH CONDITIONS
Life-threatening events like a stroke, heart attack, or cancer can trigger depression. So can ongoing pain. The risk is even greater if your health already isn’t that good or you don’t get enough exercise.
OTHER MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES
Women are more likely than men to have anxiety. They’re also more likely to constantly think about their problems. Both can up your depression risk or worsen existing depression. Anxiety can also increase your risk for depression coming back, especially in midlife. Eating disorders like bulimia and anorexia are also depression risk factors.
FINDING RELIEF
In addition to medication and talk therapy, these things may help:
Exercise. Physical activity is known to boost mood and ease depression symptoms, but getting a lot of exercise is extra important for women. One study that followed women for 10 years found that higher levels of activity went hand-in-hand with lower levels of depression symptoms over that time.
Yoga
Research shows that yoga during the perinatal period can help manage both depression and anxiety.
Detached mindfulness (DM)
This mind-body technique shows you how to change the way you think. You work on disconnecting from your thoughts so you don’t analyze, react to, or replay them in your head over and over. One study of older women who were all on an antidepressant found that those who also had DM sessions two times a week had fewer depression symptoms.
FOODS TO AVOID IF YOU HAVE ANXIETY OR DEPRESSION
FRUIT JUICE
The fiber in whole fruit fills you up and slows down how your blood takes in energy. Without that fiber, you’re just drinking nutritious sugar-water that can quickly hype you up — and bring you down just as fast. That can leave you hungry and angry — “hangry.” That won’t help anxiety and depression. Eat your fruit whole. When you’re thirsty, drink water.
REGULAR SODA
There’s no win for you here: It has all of the blood-spiking sugar of fruit juice with none of the nutrition. Sugar-sweetened drinks like soda have a direct link to depression, too. If you crave a pop, try seltzer water with a splash of juice instead. It’ll give you a bubbly fix without too much of the stuff you don’t need.
DIET SODA
No sugar, so no problem, right? Not exactly. You may not have the energy crash that comes with having too much sugar, but diet soda may make you depressed. In fact, it could make you feel more down than its sugary cousin would. Too much of the caffeine that many sodas have can be bad for anxiety, too.
TOAST
Wait, toast?! If it’s made from white bread, yes. The highly processed white flour it’s made from quickly turns to blood sugar after you eat it. That can cause energy spikes and crashes that can be bad for anxiety and depression. You can have your toast — and eat it, too. Just use whole-grain bread.
‘LIGHT’ DRESSING
You might know to avoid some pre-packaged dressings and marinades loaded with sugar, often listed as “high-fructose corn syrup.” But what about “light” or “sugar-free” dressings? Many get their sweetness from aspartame, an artificial sweetener linked to anxiety and depression. Check the ingredients or, better yet, make your dressing at home from scratch.
KETCHUP
It’s mostly tomatoes, right? Well, yes, and sugar, lots of sugar. Four grams per tablespoon, to be exact. And the “light” stuff may have artificial sweeteners that could be linked to anxiety and depression. Try homemade tomato salsa instead. Want a little kick? Add a bit of cayenne pepper.
COFFEE
If you’re not used to it, the caffeine in it can make you jittery and nervous. It could also mess up your sleep. Neither helps anxiety or depression. Caffeine withdrawal can make you feel bad, too. If you think it causes you problems, cut caffeine out of your diet slowly. If you’re OK with it, or drink decaf, coffee can actually help make you feel less depressed.
ENERGY DRINKS
They can cause weird heart rhythms, anxiety, and sleep issues. That’s because it’s not always easy to know the sky-high caffeine levels hidden in ingredients like guarana. These beverages often have loads of sugar or artificial sweeteners, too. Drink water if you’re thirsty. Want a sugar hit? Eat a piece of fruit.
ALCOHOL
Even a little can mess up your sleep. Not enough rest can raise anxiety and cause depression. Too many ZZZs can cause even more problems. That said, a drink could calm your nerves and make you more sociable. That can be good for your mental health. The key is dosage: A drink a day for women, and two a day for men, is the limit.
FROSTING
It’s the sugar, right? Well, yes, but that’s not all. It’s also loaded with around 2 grams of “trans fats” per serving. They’re linked to depression. Sometimes called “partially hydrogenated oils,” they’re also in fried foods, pizza dough, cakes, cookies, and crackers. Check your labels. If you do eat fat, make it the “good” kind you get from foods like fish, olive oil, nuts, and avocado. Those can lift your mood.
SOY SAUCE
This one is only for people who are sensitive to gluten. In addition to breads, noodles, and pastries, it’s also in prepackaged foods like soy sauce. If you’re sensitive to gluten, it can cause anxiety or depression. It can also make you feel sluggish and not at your best. Check labels and try to steer clear.
PROCESSED FOODS
If you eat lots of processed meat, fried food, refined cereals, candy, pastries, and high-fat dairy products, you’re more likely to be anxious and depressed. A diet full of whole fiber-rich grains, fruits, vegetables, and fish can help keep you on a more even keel.
DOUGHNUTS
We all love them, and little treats now and then can help your mood. But just so you know: Doughnuts have all the wrong kinds of fats, snow-white flour with little fiber to slow absorption, and lots of added sugar. So, if you must, make them a treat, not a routine.
