How Hormones Affect Depression in Women

Both men and women first experience the power of their hormones to affect their mood during puberty. For men, hormone levels tend to balance out after puberty and stay relatively level until later in life. For women, they may continue to experience the ups and downs of hormonal mood shifts throughout their monthly menstrual cycles, through pregnancy and childbirth, and into menopause and beyond. Unfortunately, these hormonal shifts are part of the reason why women are twice as likely as men to experience depression. But menopause, pregnancy, and PMS aren’t the only causes of hormonal shifts and mood swings. Other hormonal imbalances can be caused by thyroid or adrenal problems. And while depression is often treated with drugs and medications that can have harsh and harmful side effects, not all depression is the same, and it can’t all be treated in the same way. Read more…