“Gender Differences in Depression” by Nolen-Hoeksema Term Paper

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Depression seems to be a part of everyone’s lives these days. But somehow, women, the more sensitive of the genders, seem to experience more of this melancholy than men. The reason given by many researchers is the differences in genders, and the distinction men have over women, that lead to feelings of inferiority and inadequacy.

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Women have always been classified as having a lower status in society than men, and are more prone to developing depressive disorders due to the biological responses to stressors. This results in further depression, as problem-solving takes place at a slower pace than in males.

The lowly females of the world are more stressed than men, since childhood. They as young girls face sexual assault more frequently, which leads to onsets of depression. They have poor biological responses to stress, and this increases the number of female victims of depression and such disorders. Young female adolescents are less competitive as compared to boys, as even parents expect little from them. They are immensely sensitive to any curves in interpersonal relationships, and if they face any mishaps, depression may be the end result.

Women face more stress in their daily routines than men, resulting in depression. They have to suffer because of their low social status, they have more burdens on their shoulders, more household responsibilities, and even if they work, they earn lesser than their male counterparts. If there is an old family member in the house, they have to cater to their needs, and also look after the children fully, as fathers give lesser time to them normally. All these factors contribute to the strain and stress a woman undergoes, and her personality becomes very vulnerable to depression.

A woman normally does not even have a say in making the general decisions in the household, like moving to a new place, etc. she mostly has to follow the rules set for her and the family, and this leads to general distress and chronic strain. Even if they do voice out their opinions, they know they will not be taken seriously, and will just be bypassed.

One major reason for this sensitivity in women is the effects of hormones and hormonal changes in their bodies, to whatever is happening around them. Ovarian hormones have a direct effect on a woman’s moods. Biological research shows that women become depressed during periods of hormonal changes, such as puberty and menopause. When women face stress, these hormonal changes trigger dysregulation of the stress response, which once again, ends up in a state of depression.

Reactivity to stress and stress factors both affect the greater incidences of depression in women than in men. The more stress they take, the more hyper-responsive they become to stress. This process is biological as well as psychological. Depression results in more stressful behavior. But depression is not a disease; it can be taken care of by one’s own lifestyle and by changing habits and approaches to life.

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The one way for females to improve psychological strain is to develop a positive attitude and sense of well-being in them, in order to ignore the fact that men are considered the superior class. This attitude, if built inside, will help reduce stress and will produce positive outcomes in the behavioral patterns of females. An optimistic approach to life and better health will thus be achieved, reducing tension and depression.

Reference

Nolen-Hoeksema.“Gender Differences in Depression” 2005.

In S. Kassin and K. Briggs (Eds.) “Current Directions in Introductory Psychology” 2001. (pp. 203 – 209). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.

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IvyPanda. 2021. ""Gender Differences in Depression" by Nolen-Hoeksema." October 12, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/gender-differences-in-depression-by-nolen-hoeksema/.

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IvyPanda. ""Gender Differences in Depression" by Nolen-Hoeksema." October 12, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/gender-differences-in-depression-by-nolen-hoeksema/.

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