Depression

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Some 10 to 15% of women will experience depression at some point in their lives—double the number of men who will. "Women go through significant biological changes across their lifespan, more so than men, so these cyclic shifts can disrupt, malfunction, or create disease," Serani explains.
Hormonal flux in particular can wreak havoc on women's mental health. "Hormones play a significant role around the time of childbirth, which has resulted in terms like postpartum blues and postpartum depression," says Jared Heathman, MD, a family psychiatrist in Houston, Texas. Women can also develop premenstrual dysphoric disorder. "Symptoms of PMDD are similar to major depressive disorder, so it's likely that some physicians label PMDD as MDD," Heathman says. "Their acronyms are even similar." (See how your hormones mess with you every month.)
Social issues also come into play, as we're raised to internalize our thoughts and feelings, compared to men, who are encouraged to "shake things off" and "tough it out." "We're taught to be mindful about our thoughts and feelings, not to mention our appearance," Serani says. "Internalized styles of coping with distress are linked to greater mental illness."
Then there are environmental or cultural factors, including the fact that women still tend to bear the brunt of the housework and caregiving and maintain the family's social schedule, even if we work outside the home full time, notes Kristin Carpenter, PhD, director of women's behavioral health at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. "We also tend to earn less than our male counterparts," she adds, "which can cause financial strain that can lead to feeling anxious, depressed, or hopeless." If we're not already overwhelmed with guilt, that is, from being away from our children while working, Heathman notes. This one-two punch of stress and guilt can contribute to or worsen depression.