To meet the demands of each of these roles, a woman must maintain an exterior facade of strength. For many there is precious little time for attending to personal needs. All too frequently, functioning on far too little sleep and nutritious food, they cave in. Meanwhile, the media, particularly women's magazines, focus on introspection, self analysis, poise and youthful figures, mounting anxiety, anger and insecurities. At the same time they juxtapose these weaknesses that turn us inward upon ourselves, with idealistic reports of the affluent life that many of the population will never achieve.
Sufferers are among the elite.
Abraham Lincoln, Winston Churchill, Edgar Allen Poe, Mike Wallace, Joan Rivers and Dick Cavett are among the many who have been afflicted. Indications are that those who are more sensitive, creative and intelligent are more prone to suffering from depression. Another study performed in the 80's showed that more creative people suffered from emotional strife synonymous with certain neurosis. Although the problem appears to be hopeless, there is good news. If you're going to have an illness, you want it to be depression.