All About Depression

A site for people with depression, their carers, families and friends

Introduction
This site is for anyone who wants to know more about depression. You may be experiencing depression yourself and wondering where to find help. You may be supporting a friend or relative who seems to be depressed, or you may work with people who have symptoms of depression. This site will give you information about depression and the kinds of help, which are available. At the end of the site you will find details of useful organisations, as well as examples of further reading. We have included extra information on depression in older people, since depression in this age group is often overlooked.

The message of this site is that depression is a common and serious mental health problem, but there are many ways you can help yourself to recover and resume a happy and fulfilling life. The more information you have, the better you will be able to ask for ... more » » »

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• Jul 02, 09 • Psychiatry and Mental Health News »

Recurrent Depression in Women Throughout the Life Span

Depression impacts an astounding 20% - 23% of women at some point in their lives, thus qualifying as one of the most common public health problems in the world (Kessler et al. 1994b). This high prevalence in women is probably multifactorial, involving a complex interplay of genetic, neuroendocrine, psychosocial, and stress factors (Bifulco et al. 1998; Heim and Nemeroff 1999).

In this chapter, we examine the impact of gender on recurrent major depressive disorder (MDD), emphasizing the clinical features and treatment of the illness during three key periods of hormone transition: adolescence, pregnancy and the postpartum period, and the menopausal period. Clinical features and sex differences are described first, followed by a focus on recurrences and strategies for prevention.