Depression & Women with Epilepsy
By Jane Lam
The truth is that women are reported to experience depression twice as often as men. Depression is not just feeling the blues, it is a serious mental condition specific to each individual. No two cases (like epilepsy) are ever the same. Depression can and does affect all aspects of an individual's life – a disturbance of mood, concentration, sleep activity, appetite, and social behavior. People with epilepsy are at a much higher risk for depression and women – regardless of race, age or income are at an even higher risk due to both biological and social factors.
Between the ages of 25 and 44, women undergo drastic biological changes, both hormonal and genetic. There is a vast amount of anecdotal evidence to suggest that hormonal changes – such as the onset of menstruation, pregnancy, post-partum and menopause may have an impact on both a woman's seizures and on depression.
Social factors may also lead to a higher incidence rate of depression among women with epilepsy. Not only are women already more prone to depression but the experience of having seizures often creates additional fear, embarrassment and feelings of lack of self-worth. The episodic nature of seizures often causes people to live in isolation. This is a seemingly easy way of avoiding people's judgments, apprehension, and misunderstanding of the disorder.
Women with epilepsy tend to have a greater likelihood of being sexually assaulted and physically abused. Unfortunately, these women tend to be viewed as weak as a result of low incomes, passivity, a dependence on others, and or a lack of credibility which enables attackers to take advantage of women with epilepsy, or another disorder. This additional strain compounds the incidence and severity of depression.
Because each person who suffers from depression will have different symptoms it can be hard to diagnose. However there are certain common symptoms: - Persistent mood of sadness, anxiousness, hopelessness
- Inconsistent sleeping habits – not sleeping at all, or sleeping too much
- Difficulty concentrating, remembering or making decisions
- Fatigue, loss of energy
- Loss of interest in pleasurable activities
- Feelings of guilt and worthlessness
Like any other medical condition depression should be treated appropriately. It should be discussed with your doctor and the best course of treatment should be determined. People are often embarrassed about depression, considering it something they should be able to control themselves, but most of the time this is simply not the case. Depression can be more debilitating than epilepsy and should be taken seriously. If you are concerned that you, or someone you know may be suffering from depression please talk to you doctor.
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