Women may be more likely than men to seek treatment. They may be more willing to accept that they have emotional symptoms of depressed mood and feelings of worthlessness or hopelessness.

Men may be less willing to acknowledge their emotional symptoms and more apt to suppress their depression through the use of alcohol or other substances. In such cases depression can be “masked,” or viewed only as alcohol or drug dependency/abuse rather than as clinical depression.

Women who are unhappily married, divorced, or separated, have high rates of major depression. The rates are lower for those who are happily married.

Women may tend to be under more stress than men. Society women often have to manage a variety of conflicting roles. They have many responsibilities and full schedules at home and work.

Women may be more prone to depression because of the possible effects of hormones. Women have frequent changes in their hormone levels, from their monthly menstrual cycles, to the time during and after pregnancy, to menopause. Some women develop a depressive illness around these events.

Depression in women may occur earlier, last longer, be more likely to recur, be more likely to be associated with stressful life events, and be more sensitive to seasonal changes.