Depression In Women: Why After 40?

Wednesday, March 14, 2012, 12:36

Although there is no hard and fast rule, most psychiatrists agree that women and depression have a way with each other. It is probably something to do with the fact that their hormonal activity is much more turbulent than men. On Women's Day 2012, it is time to give this trend a serious thought. This is because depression in women or men is a serious affair. Especially for women after 40 this trend becomes a raging clinical syndrome.

What makes depression in women post 40 such a menacing proposition? On Women Day 2012 we should actually analyse some of cause-effect relationships.

Why Depression In Women Post 40 Is Dangerous?

1. Menopause: The main culprit when it comes to depression is menopause. Most women have their menopause (termination of the menstrual cycle) in between the ages of 40 and 50. For a good 30 years of your life your entire emotional system has been controlled by rising and falling hormones. Suddenly, the monthly 'highs' and 'lows' stop. That makes a woman irritable and when family and friends are not understanding, this could lead to clinical depression.

2. Emotional Implications: Menopause has many emotional implications too. When a woman reaches this point in her life, she can never conceive a baby again. Although that might not be her aim anymore, it has a profound psychological effect on her subconscious mind.

3. Mid Life Crisis: The feeling that your life is passing you by, you are not wanted anymore, that you have achieved nothing can all be summed up into one word; 'mid life crisis'. Both men and women have it. While men deal with it by drowning themselves in work or having a string of affairs, women take to depression many times.

4. When Kids Learn To Fly: For both working mothers and stay at home moms, kids occupy a huge portion of their time. From the time they are born to the time they go to college, they constantly need you and then suddenly one day they fly away to lead their own life. This happens most of the time in your 40s or 50s and the fact that your children do not need you anymore does not go down well with most women.

5. The Careerist's Nightmare: For the hard core career women who did not think about marriage or a family so far, this is the time to start having regrets. When they see their friends' kids grow up they feel left out. Then a lot of 'what ifs' and 'why nots' start haunting you.

6. The Mirror Doesn't Lie: After all, the mirror cannot be on your side forever; the ravages of aging start showing after 40 and as women start scrambling to cover it with makeup. However the futility of this rocks them from within.

On Women's Day 2012 take a closer look at your mother, wife, sister and see if signs of depression in women are haunting her.