Gender is a partial, but incomplete, explanation of why a person develops a mood disorder.
Essentially equal numbers of men and women develop melancholic depression and Bipolar Disorder.
However, studies have shown that there is a much greater likelihood of women developing non-melancholic depression than men. There are a number of explanations for this.

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Over time, how deadly is the combination of depression and heart attacks? A recent study that received attention in the media found no connection, in the long term, between depression and death in heart attack victims. But that study was followed almost immediately by another that found the combination of heart attack and depression to [...]

Continue reading " After Heart Attacks, How Deadly is Depression? "

There are various factors that will influence how well a person with depression is treated will respond to treatment and what his or her chances of relapse. Generally, after one episode of depression there is a 50% chance of relapse.
The following factors are important in predicting how well someone will respond to antidepressant treatment.

Ongoing life [...]

Continue reading " Dealing with chronic symptoms of depression and relapse "