AnnMarie O'Brien, Social Worker at The Royal, presented on the signs and symptoms of depression, risk factors for depression in women, and what we can do about it.

1. Risk Factors for
Depression in Women
Friends and Family Day October 2013

2. Summary
1. Signs and symptoms of
depression
2. Risk factors for depression in
Women
3. What we can do about it

3. Why Women?
• women are approximately twice as likely to
experience a depressive episode
• one in eight women will develop depression at some
point in their lives
• depression can occur at any time in a woman’s life,
but is most common between the ages of 25 and 44
• the age of onset for depression is younger for girls
than for boys
• women experience more frequent depressive
episodes over their lifetime

4. ABOUT A BOY MARCUS RAINY DAYS AND MONDAYS
What is Depression ?

5. Symptoms of Depression
Cognitive Behaviour Physical Emotional

6. How women experience
depression
Many women experience ‘atypical’
symptoms of depression:
Reactive mood which improves in
response to positive events
Over eating and weight gain
Over sleeping
Excessive physical fatigue
Feelings of sensitivity to rejection from
others

7. Women Specific Depressive Disorders
Premenstrual Depressive Disorder (PMDD)
Symptoms begins 10 to 14 days prior to menstruation and
improve within the first few days after its start
1 in 10 women experience PMDD
Post Partum Depression (PPD)
Depression that occurs within 1 month of giving birth
20% of women who give birth in Ontario receive a physician’s visit for
depression within 1 year of giving birth
Peri-Natal Depression
Depression that occurs either in pregnancy and/or in the six to 12
weeks following delivery.
Menopausal Depression
Depression that occurs during the transition from pre-menopause to
menopause.

8. Three Unkind Step Sisters
Biological Risk Factors
Genetics
Hormones
Physical illness
Psychological Risk Factors
Thinking patterns
Social Risk Factors
Trauma
Social Roles
Oppression

9. Biological Risk Factors
• Genetics
• Hormones
• Physical Illness

10. Psychological Risk Factors
• Thinking patterns

11. Social Risk Factors
• Trauma
• Role overload
• Oppression

12. ABOUT A BOY (10/10) MOVIE CLIP
YOU’RE SICK (2002)
What Helps?

13. What Helps?
Treatment
Medication
Psychotherapy
Back to Basics
Sleep
Activity
Healthy Eating

14. Women’s MH Program at The Royal
Peer Support
• Joys and Challenges of
Mothering
• WRAP
• Healthy Living
• Recovery from
Addictions
Clinical Services
• Short term individual
psychotherapy
• Interpersonal Process
Group
• Working with Emotions
• Psycho Education for
Trauma