Women are more likely to have depression than men. An estimated 3.8% of the population experience depression, including 5% of adults (4% among men and 6% among women), and 5.7% of adults older than 60 years. Approximately 280 million people in the world have depression (1).
Women are nearly twice as likely as men to be diagnosed with depression. Depression can occur at any age. Some mood changes and depressed feelings occur with normal hormonal changes. But hormonal changes alone don't cause depression.
The prevalence of depression is higher in females than in males (Eid et al., 2019). Yet, our understanding of the neurobiology of this disorder has largely been based on research carried out using male animal models or male patients.
Society-driven risk factors for depression in women likely have a biological origin, such as differences in physical strength and personality traits, leading to a higher prevalence of depression in women.
Statistics about women and girls' mental health
Today, women are three times more likely than men to experience common mental health problems.
A woman has the responsibility to manage both her family and her work. Trying to balance between the two can be at times overwhelming. One cannot deny that women are more sensitive than men. Women limbic area of brains, which control emotions and memories, are highly active.
Research does find neurobiological differences in the experience of compassion. Women may at times have higher levels of oxytocin—sometimes called the “cuddle hormone” or “love hormone” because it is linked to bonding, social connection, and monogamy.
The average age of onset for major depressive disorder is between 35 and 40 years of age. Onset in early adulthood may be linked with more depressive episodes, a longer duration of illness, and therefore a more difficult clinical course.
For example, depression is more common among women than men. The median age of onset for depression is 32 years, meaning that half of people who will ever have a depressive episode will have had their first episode by this age.
Women are twice as likely to be diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, and the prevalence of anxiety disorders is significantly higher for women (23.4 percent) than men (14.3 percent).
Nearly 3 in 5 teen girls (57%) said they felt "persistently sad or hopeless." That's the highest rate in a decade.
One-in-five teenage girls – or nearly 2.4 million – had experienced at least one major depressive episode (the proxy measure of depression used in this analysis) over the past year in 2017.
OCD may be more common among males in childhood, but is more common among females in adolescence and adulthood. Males tend to report an earlier age of onset and present with symptoms related to blasphemous thoughts.
Overall, there were 590 cases of stress per 100,000 workers for men and 920 cases for women, meaning that women workers are one and a half times more likely than men to be stressed.
Over 6 million men suffer from depression per year, but male depression often goes underdiagnosed. More than 3 million men in the US have panic disorder, agoraphobia, or any other phobia.
About 10% to 17% of men will develop major depression at some point in their lives. Yet many men are reluctant to convey their feelings and seek help when they are in despair.
It's possible to live with depression and feel happy at the same time. Sadness isn't the only depression symptom. If you're living with depression or know someone who is, you may think that the main symptom is a perpetual state of sadness.
In their lifetimes, about one in five Australians will experience depression. Around the world, depression affects around 300 million people.
Social Anxiety Disorder
- SAD is equally common among men and women and typically begins around age 13. According to a 2007 ADAA survey, 36% of people with social anxiety disorder report - experiencing symptoms for 10 or more years before seeking help.
So how long do depressive episodes last? Usually, the depressive episode length ranges from six months to eight months, depending on the person. While some people may have depression that fades, others may struggle with depression on and off their whole life.
Women around the world report higher levels of life satisfaction than men, but at the same time report more daily stress. And while this finding holds across countries on average, it does not hold in countries where gender rights are compromised, as in much of the Middle East and sub-Saharan Africa.
Social connectedness varies more by gender than any other demographic characteristic [27]. In general, women have larger and more varied social networks with more friends and more social support than men [25, 26].
In children, OCD is more common amongst males. However, females are affected at slightly higher rates in adulthood. People with OCD can experience other mental health conditions, such as depression or anxiety.