Depression: Is There a Gender Bias?
The experience of anxiety and depression is similar for men and women in many ways.
Fifty percent of those who experience an episode of anxiety and depression will have another episode within five years, and many will develop chronic relapsing forms of the disorder. In that case, being male or female doesn’t change the risk. Men and women with anxiety disorders or depression also share the tendency to have complicated, or comorbid, conditions. The risk of suicide and suicide attempts is higher for both depressed men and women.
There are a few differences in the course and experience of depression and anxiety that may be gender-related.
- Women are more likely to have more rapid cycling mood disturbances.
- Men usually have higher rates of substance abuse and alcoholism as comorbid conditions. An interesting exception is that young women with rapid cycling mood conditions also have high rates of alcohol abuse.
- Women make more suicide attempts but men usually complete suicide more often. There are growing reports, however, that because women are using increasingly violent methods, their suicide rate is increasing.
- Women may also have a tendency to have more atypical symptoms of depression, such as weight gain, increased appetite, and excessive sleep.
