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What are the Differences Between Male Depression and Female Depression?

Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen

There are definitely big differences between female and male depression. One of the most noted of these is that women have higher lifetime risk of this illness than do men. In her lifetime, a woman has a 20% risk of developing depression, while male depression occurs in about 10% of men, making women twice as likely to suffer from depression.

Several reasons exist for elevated risk of this disease in women, including the very basic biological elements that separate genders. Male depression may be less common because men do not menstruate, experience menopause, and they don’t go through the physical act of childbirth. These create huge hormonal shifts in women, which can contribute to a depressive state. However, it’s important to look at evidence that male depression is frequently underreported, and women are more likely to rate their degree of depression as higher and notice its existence, while some men may ignore mild to moderate depression.

Women are at a higher risk of developing depression than men.
Women are at a higher risk of developing depression than men.

An additional medical factor that may play a role in higher female depression incidence is thyroid disorders, particularly hypothyroidism or low thyroid. Presence of too little thyroid hormones, which can help to regulate mood, may be a contributory factor to developing mood disorders. This is a much more common condition in women than it is in men, and it is often not treated as seriously as it should be. There is great dispute in the medical community about when to treat hypothyroidism and whether low-normal levels of thyroid stimulating hormone or other thyroid hormones should indicate treatment.

Men are less likely than women to admit that they're suffering with depression.
Men are less likely than women to admit that they're suffering with depression.

Ways in which men and women respond to depression are dramatically different too. Women may be more likely to blame themselves, turn to things like food as comfort, withdraw from social activities, feel guilty and wonder how they have contributed to their own depression. They also may be depressed for longer time periods, and they are more likely to attempt suicide.

Women battling depression may spend more time laying in bed.
Women battling depression may spend more time laying in bed.

Men tend to get more outgoing, angry, blame the world, and use sex, drugs and alcohol as a coping method. Though they are less likely to attempt suicide when depressed, they are more likely to die than women and tend to succeed in their attempts. They may be depressed for shorter periods of time, but also may not be as expressive regarding the amount of depression they feel, and they may rate it as less severe than it is.

Women suffering from depression are more likely to attempt suicide than men who are depressed.
Women suffering from depression are more likely to attempt suicide than men who are depressed.

It helps to understand the basic differences between the way female and male depression may manifest, especially if looking to diagnose this as a medical professional, or just as someone concerned about a loved one of a certain gender. There are yet more differences and these can be found on many medical sites that extensively discuss depression. Still, each individual is different and may not easily fit into a single category, and depression in either gender is a serious illness. It is also an illness that responds well to medical treatment (usually of similar types for both genders), and to therapeutic measures.

Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen

Tricia has a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and has been a frequent WiseGEEK contributor for many years. She is especially passionate about reading and writing, although her other interests include medicine, art, film, history, politics, ethics, and religion. Tricia lives in Northern California and is currently working on her first novel.

Learn more...
Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen

Tricia has a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and has been a frequent WiseGEEK contributor for many years. She is especially passionate about reading and writing, although her other interests include medicine, art, film, history, politics, ethics, and religion. Tricia lives in Northern California and is currently working on her first novel.

Learn more...

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    • Women are at a higher risk of developing depression than men.
      By: listercz
      Women are at a higher risk of developing depression than men.
    • Men are less likely than women to admit that they're suffering with depression.
      By: kmiragaya
      Men are less likely than women to admit that they're suffering with depression.
    • Women battling depression may spend more time laying in bed.
      By: Ana Blazic Pavlovic
      Women battling depression may spend more time laying in bed.
    • Women suffering from depression are more likely to attempt suicide than men who are depressed.
      By: ivolodina
      Women suffering from depression are more likely to attempt suicide than men who are depressed.
    • Men may combat depression with alcohol more often than women do.
      By: kmiragaya
      Men may combat depression with alcohol more often than women do.
    • Hypothyroidism and other thyroid disorders sometimes play a role in triggering female depression.
      By: zea_lenanet
      Hypothyroidism and other thyroid disorders sometimes play a role in triggering female depression.
    • In general female depression is more often caused by weight and body image issues than male depression.
      By: trekandphoto
      In general female depression is more often caused by weight and body image issues than male depression.
    • Women may dwell on negative experiences longer than men.
      By: Photographee.eu
      Women may dwell on negative experiences longer than men.
    • Male depression may be less common due to the fact that males do not experience childbirth.
      By: Vanessa van Rensburg
      Male depression may be less common due to the fact that males do not experience childbirth.