Women & Depression Part 2

Theory 2:  Women get depression more because their hormones are all over the effing place


The second theory of why women get depression more, is that their hormones predispose them to having mood swings and symptoms similar to depression.  From the early teens, women have to put up with the menstrual cycle.  I remember really wanting mine to start, as everyone else had periods, and were busy carrying around bodyform like the latest must - have accessory.  Then it did start, and I realised the truth, which is that PERIODS ARE SHIT for all involved.  Partly because during the cycle, women's moods fluctuate with two main hormones, oestrogen and progesterone.  Oestrogen is the nicer of the two, the levels of this hormone are higher just after the period and they continue to be high until ovulation, in the middle of the cycle, when progesterone takes over.  Progesterone is the baddie, mood wise, and this is when women are more likely to be feeling a bit shit.  It all culminates in the last few days before the period, and during the period when women can have Pre Menstrual Syndrome (PMS) which can vary from being a bit annoying, to being catastrophically bad.  Some women have found that taking antidepressants has helped with their PMS, and it is a recognised treatment for this condition.  I prefer the old fashioned approach to treating PMS, handed down from my nan, which is simply gin.  (This HAS ACTUALLY been proven to work on period pain, if I ever learn how to link to things on this blog, my God that is what I will link to).
  Pregnancy is another time when women's hormones are all over the place, and the post natal or postpartum period after the baby is born is a very precarious time for a woman's mental health.  Post natal depression is not very well understood, but very common.  The causes are not well known, (apart from having a fucking baby obviously) but there are things that can predispose a woman towards it, such as unplanned pregnancy or history of depression.  The post natal period lasts from the birth until a year afterwards.  I imagine that looking after a new baby is horrendous, are dad always talks of the time when I was a new born as if it was like serving in Vietnam.  I said to him, 'You always talk about the time when I was a baby as if it was the worst and most difficult time of your life' He said, 'It was', and he's a man, who does not have any of the hormone issues. 
  Finally we get to the final stage of women's hormonal onslaught, menopause.  This time is largely dreaded by women, although this is the time when the hormones give up their monthly circus.  You'd think it would be nice to have a bit of regularity after the non stop cycle of being happy and then sad, and then angry, and then happy..etc, but depression, anxiety and mood changes are all well known symptoms of 'the change'.  I also think it is probably a bit like having a big fat flag waved in your face, that says 'YOU'RE FUCKING OLD!!!!!'.  That would be quite depressing.
  So, as illustrated there, being a woman thus having female hormones is possibly likely to make you depressed.  The only time when women are not influenced by them is when they are very young, or a bit old.  There is no escaping them.  Compare this onslaught of chemical chaos with the male eqivalent, which seems to just make men need to have sex, quickly, and then go to sleep, and it is easy to see why women might feel a bit pissed off.