Evidence from people who don't believe that depression is a major problem regarding women's health:

Many people believe that women do not experience depression or do not need help with depression because it is normal for women, or that it just PMS or a natural part of being a woman. Many people believe that the depression is short term emotions and that most women don't need to seek help with this.

According to a National Mental Health Association survey on public attitudes and beliefs about clinical depression:

· More than one-half of women believe it is "normal" for a woman to be depressed during menopause and that treatment is not necessary.

· More than one-half of women believe depression

Women have a higher one-year prevalence of the illness, may experience longer episodes, and have a lower rate of spontaneous remission than men. Older women are also more likely to have recurrent depressive episodes than older men. Women are two to three times more likely to develop double depression (clinical depression and chronic depression together). (www.womenhealth.com)

Clinical depression affects twice as many women as men, both in the U.S. and in many societies around the world. It is estimated that one out of every seven women will suffer from depression in their lifetime. Additionally, women experience higher rates of seasonal affective disorder and dysthymia (chronic depression). Major depression and dysthymia affect twice as many women as men. This two-to-one ratio exists regardless of racial and ethnic background or economic status. The same ratio has been reported in eleven other countries all over the world. Men and women have about the same rate of bipolar disorder (manic depression), though its course in women typically has more depressive and fewer manic episodes. Also, a greater number of women have the rapid cycling form of bipolar disorder, which may be more resistant to standard treatments. www.psychologyinfo.com

· In general, over one-half of the women said they think they "know" more about depression than men do. (Lebeinlluft)

Other revelent facts regarding women and depreesion include the fact that twenty to forty percent of women may experience premenstrual syndrome and an estimated 3 to 5 percent have symptoms severe enough to be classified as Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD). (www.psychologyinfo.com) Also, though men are more likely than

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