Depression in Women

 Depression in Women

By Jake Kohl

     Depression can affect many, both women children and men. According to our textbook, women suffer from major depression more so than men. The text states that “Compared to men, women are nearly twice as vulnerable to major depression.”  (Myers, & Reviews, 2009)

     Women compared to men deal more internally with emotions and expressing feelings when faced with stress factors. Women are generally more emotional than men and are more prone to wearing their hearts on their sleeves. Men express their emotion and feelings externally rather than internally. I believe that this is also a per case by case outcome. Men such as me have suffered from major depression to the point of suicidal thoughts with actual attempts being made. Many women become so drawn on internal emotions and do not know how to affectively displace these feelings and emotions into the right channels. Men on the other hand displace their feeling and emotions more times than none by acts of violence, anger and rage. While women can express the same displacement, it is more common in men to act out aggressively. Women deal with much more than men when it comes to relationships, family, children and decisions that come about in life. Women tend to hide their feelings more, which can allow emotions to pour out. I believe that the world holds a woman to this standard and allows it to be considered acceptable. The worldviews of each gender has put each gender into a class between, emotional and macho. 

     I also believe that this standard that society has placed on each gender effects both men and women and the way we each choose to deal with our feelings and emotions. It is usually said that men are not supposed to cry or show emotions. This is taught to us at childhood and we tend to carry this perception on into adulthood. When a women shows her emotions and how she feels, we as a society looks at this as being OK and that it is just natural for a women to cry more than a man. When a man cries and shows his feelings, society views this as being weak, which is why men generally express themselves outwardly through anger and violence more so than a woman. 

     I tend to tip the table because being a man, I think it is OK to cry, and believe that a man who cries is one who is more in touch with himself and reality. I cry and have cried my fair share. I have suffered from depression, suicide, and being bi-polar. I am a man and I believe that expressing your feelings is a natural thing for both men and women equally. The shortest verse in the Bible states in John 11:35, “Jesus wept”. This is our Lord, our Father, Savior and a man!

References

Myers, David, & Reviews, Cram101. (2009). Outlines and highlights for psychology by david g myers, isbn. Worth Pub.