Life comes with many challenges, so feeling down sometimes is not out of the norm. However, when your feeling of melancholy, desperateness, despair, and emptiness persists for two weeks or more, they are likely signs of depression. Depression is a severe psychological illness that goes beyond the usual response to life’s scuffles and distresses. The disease alters your emotions and reasoning, thus interfering with your normal functioning in your daily life. There are several common forms of depression in women. Fortunately, Northern Illinois Recovery Center can help treat all forms of women’s depression.
Signs of Depression for Major Depressive Disorder
Major depression is a severe type of depression that can make a woman uninterested in activities that previously gave her pleasure and satisfaction. These episodes cause insomnia, change in eating habits, and hurt a woman’s professional life.
A woman with a major depressive disorder finds it hard to maintain healthy interpersonal relationships due to low self-esteem.
Pregnancy-Related Depression Like Perinatal or Postpartum Depression
A drastic change in a woman’s hormones occurs during pregnancy or when she is attempting to conceive without success. There are several risk factors associated with pregnancy, including lifestyle changes and inadequate social support after pregnancy, side effects of discontinuation of antidepressant drugs, and intimate-relationship violence.
The common name for this type of depression is the baby blues, usually after childbirth. Delivery of a baby can prompt a clutter of emotional signs of depression, ranging from distress to panic.
However, there are cases where some women experience baby blues even when they’re still pregnant. Such a condition may include insomnia, mood swings, difficulty bonding with the baby, and inability to care for yourself.
Perimenopausal Depression
This type of depression mostly affects women who have transitioned into menopause. Perimenopausal depression leads to strange menstrual periods, hot flashes, erratic variations in hormone levels, and lack of sleep.
In most cases, the illness can worsen the usual symptoms of depression in females. According to recent research, a woman approaching menopause is twice as likely to suffer from a major depressive disorder than a relatively young woman.
Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder
Many women in their late adult years show premenstrual syndrome symptoms. The indicators of this condition include irritability, abdominal bloating, anxiety, breast tenderness, and headache. Often, these symptoms are short-lived.
However, the syndrome might persist for some women, thus interrupting their overall well-being. At this stage, your premenstrual syndrome will have deteriorated into a severe type of depression known as a premenstrual dysphoric disorder.
What Are the Common Signs of Depression in Women?
To establish whether a loved one is suffering from depression, be on the lookout for various signs, including:
- Lack of interest in her hobbies
- Change in sleep patterns
- Low self-esteem accompanied by crying spells
- Loss of weight
- Appetite changes
- Suicidal thoughts
- Reckless behaviors
If you notice one or more of these signs in yourself or others, it’s a good idea to reach out for help.
Depression Treatment at Northern Illinois Recovery Center
If your depression causes suicidal thoughts, seek help from a certified therapist immediately. Our team of mental health experts at the Northern Illinois Recovery Center offers a wide variety of treatment options for depression and other psychiatric disorders.
Our treatment utilizes various cutting-edge management options for mental health disorders, including:
- Medical therapy management
- Dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT)
- Women’s addiction treatment
- Structured sober living
- Partial hospitalization program (PHP)
At Northern Illinois Recovery Center, our mental health experts often recommend positive lifestyle changes after you leave rehab for comprehensive treatment. Apart from eradicating your stressors, you’ll also need reliable support from family and friends to eliminate your signs of depression. Don’t let depression control your life. You can take back control with the right support. So contact us today at 855.786.1978 for expert help.
