Women have clearly more chances for developing depression than men. This may be because of two factors. First, women are physiologically different, which may explain a few things. More importantly, women are psychologically different, and this psychology is shaped by both their different physiology and also by the different cultural expectations placed on them.
They are likely to express their feelings more, and it is more socially for these phones admit to being depressed, although formal research has demonstrated that men and women are equally prone to report their depressive symptoms. Depression often results in withdrawal, which may be interpreted as passivity in women, also more acceptable in Western culture.
Withdrawal in men is generally interpreted as a manifestation of weakness, and therefore, the men who withdraw usually describe it as a choice without any change in mood. Thus, it is interpreted more being an independent act and it is recharacterized in more socially acceptable terms for example stoicism. Social factors likely play a sizable roll in the higher rates of depression in women as well.
Certain ethnic groups are more susceptible. A correlation appears to exist between latitude and susceptibility to depression. Northern Europeans are the most susceptible, with Scandinavians suffering from the greatest rates and Mediterraneans suffering from the cheapest rates. Certain races also seem to be more susceptible, with whites suffering greater rates than blacks.
Recently, a cultural shift has occurred in Japan as a result of the introduction of safe and effective antidepressants used to treat milder types of depression. As Buddhism has heavily influenced Japanese society, the notion that life is filled primarily with suffering continues to be the accepted paradigm. In contrast,Western culture tends to be more positive and hopeful.
Feeling sad about one's lot in life in Japan was considered standard, whereas in Western culture, it is considered abnormal. As Japan is becoming moreWesternized and Buddhism less valued, the notion of milder types of depression that are effectively treated with antidepressant medications has become more accepted.
Obesity plays a role in the development of depression, counteracting the myth of Falstaff or "Jolly Old St. Nick." Studies are beginning to show that significant weight loss in patients with clinical obesity can lead to those patients being in a position to come off of antidepressants along with other medications. Depression seems to be related to obesity in a manner similar to hypertension, heart disease, anti snoring, joint pain, and diabetes. There may be some correlation with obesity, being female, and suffering higher rates of depression.
Females have, normally, higher percentages of body fat than males, and the body fat has higher estrogen levels, the hormone involved in female development. Certain personality styles are more susceptible to depression, with shy, reserved, or dependent people being at higher risk than outgoing, sociable, or independent people.
This is truer for guys than females, again because being shy, reserved, or dependent is more culturally acceptable in females than males. Excess fat and personality style have a significant biological basis, although both of them are clearly shaped by environmental factors.
A variety of studies have been conducted to examine the influence of genetics on the development of depression. First-degree relatives of persons with major depression are 2 to 3 times more prone to have major depression than would be the first-degree relatives of nondepressed persons. In adoption studies, the biological children of affected (depressed) parents stay at a heightened risk for any mood disorder even when adopted by nonaffected (nondepressed) parents.
Identical twins (who share 100% of genetic material) have concordance rates for depression of approximately 50%, and nonidentical twins have concordance rates of 10% to 25%. In a strictly genetic illness, identical twins would both be affected simply because they share 100% of the genes. Twin studies have shown that a twin of the depressed person has only a 50% probability of also having depression.
The dpi, however, is significantly greater than the rate in nonidentical twins, thereby demonstrating that there's a minimum of some genetic contribution to growth and development of this disorder. The fact that there is not 100% concordance between identical twins demonstrates that environmental influences in addition have a role in precipitating a depressive episode.
Life circumstances in many cases are likely to precipitate a depressive episode in individuals. Trauma, financial distress, death of the loved one, and relationship problems are some types of stressors that may be associated with growth and development of depression. Regardless of how extreme, however, no specific environmental situation will cause a depressive episode in all persons. Therefore, environmental conditions alone aren't usually sufficient to describe a depression. The specific event more typically will precipitate a depression in one who's vulnerable to its development at that time.
Assembling genetic and environmental factors as contributors to the start of depression means that having a family good reputation for depression, an individual has a higher relative risk compared to general population for developing depression. In fact, the greater number of mood disorders that are present in an individual's family, the higher the risk becomes for development of depression. Stressful life events, specific environmental circumstances, or certain psychological processes may function as a trigger of a depressive episode in someone with a genetic predisposition for that disorder.
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1. Depression: definition, signs, symptoms and causes
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