Who's more depressed? Men or Women?

We are all humans, we are all created equally, we have our differences,particularly our gender. Both men and women suffer from depression. All of us suffer from depression of many kinds, but in the end it is all depression. But let us determine how are depression affects both men and women.

According to an article written by Lawrence Robinson, Jeanne Segal, Ph.D., and Melinda Smith, M.A. titled "Depression in Men",(http://www.helpguide.org/mental/depression_men_male.htm), Men can experience depression in different ways to women. You may develop the standard symptoms of depression and become sad and withdrawn, losing interest in friends and activities you used to enjoy. Or you may become irritable and aggressive, compulsively working, drinking more than normal, and engaging in high risk activities. Unfortunately, men are far less adept at recognizing their symptoms than women. A man is more likely to deny his feelings, hide them from himself and others, or try to mask them with other behaviors. The three most common signs of depression in men are:

• Physical pain. Sometimes depression in men shows up as physical symptoms—such as backache, frequent headaches, sleep problems, sexual dysfunction, or digestive disorders—that don’t respond to normal treatment.
• Anger. This could range from irritability, sensitivity to criticism, or a loss of your sense of humor to road rage, a short temper, or even violence. Some men become abusive, controlling, verbally or physically abusive to wives, children, or other loved ones.  
• Reckless behavior. A man suffering from depression may start exhibiting escapist or risky behavior. This could mean pursuing dangerous sports, driving recklessly, or engaging in unsafe sex. You might drink too much, abuse drugs, or gamble compulsively.

Although the signs and symptoms of depression are the same for both men and women, women tend to experience certain symptoms more often than men. For example, seasonal affective disorder-(SAD) depression in the winter months due to lower levels of sunlight- is more common in women. Also, women are more likely to experience the symptoms of atypical depression. Depression in women is very common. In fact, women are twice as likely to develop clinical depression as men. Up to one in four women is likely to have an episode of major depression at some point in life. 

Some experts believe that the increased chance of depression in women may be related to changes in hormone levels that occur throughout a woman's life. These changes are evident during puberty, pregnancy, and menopause, as well as after giving birth or experiencing a miscarriage.In addition, the hormone fluctuations that occur with each month's menstrual cycle probably contribute to premenstrual syndrome, or PMS, and premenstrual dysphoric disorder, or PMDD - a severe syndrome marked especially by depression, anxiety, and mood swings that occurs the week before menstruation and interferes with normal functioning of daily life.

PMS, what is it?and how does it contribute to depression to women? Premenstrual (pree-MEN-struhl) syndrome (PMS) is a group of symptoms linked to the menstrual cycle. PMS symptoms occur 1 to 2 weeks before your period (menstruation or monthly bleeding) starts. The symptoms usually go away after you start bleeding. PMS can affect menstruating women of any age and the effect is different for each woman. For some people, PMS is just a monthly bother. For others, it may be so severe that it makes it hard to even get through the day. PMS goes away when your monthly periods stop, such as when you get pregnant or go through menopause. Symptoms may vary from month to month or during different times in your life.

According to Marcy Holmes article, titled "PMS" (http://www.womentowomen.com/pms/understandingpmsandpmdd.aspx), PMS includes both physical and emotional symptoms:
Emotional:

• Mood swings
• Sadness
• Irritability
• Agitation
• Anxiety
• Irrational thoughts
• Altered sleep patterns

Physical:

• Fatigue
• Fluid retention
• Breast tenderness
• Bowel changes
• Headaches
• Food cravings

I suffer from PMS every month, and I'll have to say,PMS is a b!tch! I suffer all of these symptoms every month. Worst part of PMS is feeling like a character from mortal combat is pummeling your ovaries, which really hurts so bad. I tend to get easily irritated and I  don't want to talk to people that much when its the time of the month. I don't drink coke but there are times that I get this sudden weird cravings like chugging a 1.5 liter of coke when I'm PMS-ing. 

For me, I think that all depressions are all the same, maybe its just different in how we see them,and its up to you to decide on whether who is more depressed, men or women?