They still start out as administrative assistants and secretaries whereas young men make bigger career leaps into sales or specialized training. Plus women aren't taught how to network. It's very hard for young women. As her biological clock ticks away, a young woman must deal with decisions about having children. If she has infertility problems, she must deal with those.
Culture contributes to the experience of menopause.
In some societies where older age is more respected than ours, women have an easier time. Children of depressed mothers tend to be depressed. They tend to have behavioral problems. They tend to be depressed as adults. Depression can also result in increased irritability, Burt says.