Women and Depression
An article in Scientific American called "Why are so many women depressed", by Ellen Liebenluft, focused on the reason why females are more depressed than males. First, Depression comes with a variety of symptoms. For example, a person suffering from depression may experience sleep disturbances, hopelessness, and feeling of worthlessness, difficulty concentrating, experience fatigue and sometime even delusions. Depression is very common among women. If affects nearly 20 percent of women worldwide. Now we have to focus on the reasons that would factor to Depression. Researchers may say that the women have suffered a form of Physical, sexual abuse, harassment or discrimination is to blame for the depression. But it does get more complicated than that. More things can lead to depression too. The article points out that the increased risk for depression in women today might come from genetics, the effects of stressful events in their lives, social pressures, or the combination of all three. Modern neuroscience uses neuroimaging by PET and MRI scans can reveal that anger and sadness have a biological basis. It can see the circuits
Researchers also pointed out that the hormones estrogen and cortisol aren't the only hormones that lead to depression in females. The next hormone is known as Melatonin. The Pineal gland secretes the Melatonin at night. In the morning the melatonin level drops. It explains why many people suffer from Seasonal Affectiveness Disorder (SAD). Seasonal changes change a person's mood as well as change his/her outlook on life. For example, in the winter we tend to stay indoors. As a result we feel trapped and isolated, while in the summer there are many things to do such as going on vacation with family and enjoying life outdoors. Nowadays, Scientists are treating patients with drugs, such as Prozac. Prozac is an antidepressant. The patient responds to the medication or psychotherapy or both. Depression is increasing so much that the cost of treatment throughout the US Economy is $30.4 billion each year. The more depression spreads, the more studies and treatments are to derive, which provides us with more logical reasons for the causes of depression. of the brain becoming activated when these emotions change and arise. The
Some common words found in the essay are:
PET MRI, College Virginia, SAD Seasonal, Ellen Liebenluft, Cortisol Cortisol's, Depression Researchers, Prozac Prozac, Melatonin Pineal, Scientific American, Nowadays Scientists, risk depression, family history depression, common women, percent women, stressful events, lead depression, depression common, family history, pituitary gland, blame depression, depression women, depression common women,
Approximate Word count = 767
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)
|