Well-Connected Depression is an illness that can afflict anyone, regardless of age, race, class, or gender. About 17 million Americans are estimated to develop depression each year. However, the incidence may be higher since many people fail to seek help for depression and physicians are often reluctant to diagnose depression. Gender Women, regardless of nationality or socioeconomic level, have significantly higher rates of depression than men. All women are at risk for emotional swings during extreme hormonal shifts, often experienced during the days before menstruation, the postpartum period after delivering a baby, and around menopause.
Miscarriage poses a very high risk for depression, particularly in the first month after the loss.
Older women with no previous successful pregnancies and those with a history of depression are at particular risk during this time. In one study, over half of perimenopausal women were diagnosed with major depression. Women taking hormone replacement therapy during this period were still as likely to become depressed as those not on hormonal therapy, but the depression tended to be less severe. Fortunately, average depression scores in women who were past menopause were nearly as low as those in premenopausal women. In fact, many women report that after menopause previous bouts of depression, particularly when were caused by seasonal changes or premenopausal syndrome, recede or stop completely.